by Charmaine McKoy
I remember when I first heard part of Erykah Badu’s breakout single On and On. The lyrics ‘oh what a day, what a day…’ hit my ears whilst I was sifting through books on a shelf and I had to pause and sit in front of the television to watch it. Back in those days, there was no Sky button allowing you to press pause or rewind so I had to wait for the video to replay on MTV before I could watch it in its entirety. But the small snapshot I did see was awe inspiring and I sat there, as a child, transfixed by the images filling the screen.
There was something other worldly about Badu. Her aura was mysterious and inviting at once. We didn’t have Google at that time either so I couldn’t look her up and instantly find out who she was. But over the past few decades, Badu has not failed to make a statement or let us know exactly who she is, whether through her melodic voice or her eclectic fashion choices.
Even in her first music video for On and On, released in 1997, Badu managed to make toiling in mud look stylish and her haunting voice was a stark and bold contrast to the dominant hip-hop beats of the time. She ushered in a new era of music and sparked a mainstream neo-soul movement, and along with it a distinct way of viewing fashion. Baduizm was more than the name of her debut album, it defined her entire brand and ever since, she has sprinkled her unique style essence on every red carpet she walks on.
Badu’s style was natural and effortless. From her beautiful locs, to her signature large hats and head wraps, the higher she climbed in the industry, the bigger they became. She wore them in dazzling colours, from ruby red to earthy green, the emerald hues often matching her piercing eye colour. Badu never failed to stand out from the crowd. Her blend of bohemian, afro-futuristic and Rastafarian styles were so unique and like nothing we had seen before.
Photo credit: KMazur/Wire Images
Bold colour choices and accessories have been a key part of Badu’s aesthetic. From brass bangles to beads, to statement bracelets and grills, she has always been keen to experiment. More than confident enough to rely on her own fashion instincts, she chose not to employ a stylist, preferring to seek out what she knew suited her best. She has often described how she enjoys travelling with a large bag full of accessories, able to pop out a ring or two at whim, surprising us with a new look like a fashion magician.
In the early part of her career, she dressed in clothes made by emerging Black designers. As Badu’s star reached meteoric heights, world famous designers sought her out and she has been dressed in clothing from labels such as Rick Owens, Marni and Givenchy and many more. For the 2024 Met Gala, the floral Comme des Garçons gown she wore was instantly iconic and she stood proudly and regally, surrounded by billowing flowers, like a modern day Frida Kahlo.
Photo credit: SIB / KCS Presse / MEGA
It is this quality that makes Badu so fiercely unique. In a world where being an individual is so hard to achieve, where following the crowd is easier than setting yourself apart, Badu’s style choices are a defiant exclamation mark against a backdrop of uniformity. It is a testament to her self-belief and relentless pursuit of authenticity that she has remained true to herself and her stylistic choices. Neither has she lost her alluring, mysterious personality and aura. You never quite know what you are going to get with Badu, whether it is a skin tight catsuit set off with jingling bangles or skyscraper heeled boots.
Badu’s individualistic approach to fashion and hair encouraged fellow neo-soul singers such as India Arie to embrace their natural beauty and to feel confident in deciding how they wanted to wear their hair. In Arie’s song I Am Not My Hair she sings ‘If I wanna wear it braided all down my back, I don’t see nothing wrong with that.’ In 1997, singer Lauryn Hill released her first solo single in the same year as Badu and it is clear to see Badu’s influence on Hill’s fashion choices with her own colourful fashion palette.
Badu has undoubtedly changed how we view fashion and individuality, and it is fitting that she has finally received the long overdue CFDA Fashion Icon Award on 28th October. Having established herself as a fashion force since the late 1990s, Badu has gifted us with the blueprint of how to be a non-conformist and never settle for the tried and tested and the mundane.
Thank you, Ms Badu. We salute you.
