Alicia Keys "feels royal" when she wears braids.
Alicia Keys covers GLAMOUR UK
The 'No One' hitmaker loves having braids because it makes her feel proud to show off her African heritage.
Speaking in the Autumn/Winter 20/21 edition of GLAMOUR UK - of which she is the cover star - Alicia said: “Hair is such a gorgeous expression of our individuality and deserves to be respected. I’ve always been proud of wearing braids and I love learning about the power of hair. I’ve always felt royal when I wear braids. There’s something so beautiful about the Blackness of it, about my African ancestry that I just feel truly connected to.”
Elsewhere, the 39-year-old Grammy-winner admitted she felt "really self-conscious" when she struggled with acne in the past, due to constantly having to wear make-up for television appearances or photo shoots, and that's why she decided to launch her own skincare brand, Keys Soulcare.
She said: “I’ve always had a challenging time with my skin and having to figure out how to manage it, and be in the spotlight. Having to constantly be in this crazy cycle of putting on make-up to cover the bumps and scars and then because I had make-up on under the hot lights, there were more bumps and scars. I felt like I had to hide everything and I felt really self-conscious.
“I struggled so much in my skin and really even being clear about my self-confidence and self-worth. So, it’s a dream come true, [as] I’ve always wanted to create something [like this] because I wanted something that would work for me when I was having difficult times; that would make me feel great and that was also good for me.”
Read the full interview in the GLAMOUR UK Autumn/Winter 20/21 print issue available now on newsstands or by visting www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/alicia-keys-glamour-uk-cover-2020.
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