The reigning queen of neo-soul is no stranger to Essence, enriching the cover since the late 90’s with her bright hazel-hued eyes and diverse hairdos only black girls can rock. So it was only right the magazine feature Erykah Badu on the front of not only their August issue, but their first ever global cover. Big moves, Badu!
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The cover spotlights the singer-songwriter on a beach with an abandoned boat as her backdrop, adorned in her signature top hat, culottes designed by alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet, and a bold feather cape. Throughout the cover story, Badu passages through Zanzibar Kizimkazi Beach, Nairobi’s Giraffe Manor, Tanzania, and Kenya donning extensive looks including a massive ‘fro, white dots on her face “used in a candomblé ceremony, when young women come of age and are accepted as sacred vessels,” loose braids and bold prints from Desigual and Rebecca Minkoff.
Erykah Badu also dissects the latter part of her stage name and gets into her résumé, including her her role as a doula, deejay and herbalist. With almost 20 years in the public eye, Badu doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon and her ageless face proves just that.
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Pick up your copy of Essence‘s first global issue to see the rest of Badu’s stunning photos from her journey to the Motherland, in stores today.
Photo Credit: Essence
