India Arie Is Not Her Hair

BellaSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:00:20 -0800

Back in 2001, I picked up Acoustic Soul by India Arie and liked it a lot. Unfortunately, I lost track of her until this week, when I ran across a video for "I Am Not My Hair." The song came out in 2006, but its message of self-acceptance and confidence is timeless. India sings about her experiences with "good" and "bad" hair, running through a long list of hairstyles she's worn throughout her life. It's a smart examination of the personal politics of black hair, and a pretty catchy tune, too. And as much as I think the word "empowering" is overused and misused, it fits this song perfectly.