Source: Jim Dyson / Getty
The OG Alien Superstar, Erykah Badu, brings her otherworldly presence to the cover of GQ Germany’s 2023 Men of the Year Issue.
The timeless singer was named the magazine’s Music Icon of the Year in the issue. Badu, who is usually dressed in colorful, eclectic garb, opted for a muted look. She wore long box braids covering her chest and fell past her waistline. The simple look highlighted her hazel eyes, plump lips, and overall gorgeous face.
They announced the cover in a collaborative post.
“We present our third #GQMOTY cover star and our ‘Music Icon Of The Year’ : @ErykahBadu
She rearranged the music scene in the 1990s. Their sensitive blend of soul, jazz, R&B and hip-hop, their inimitable clothing style is more relevant today than ever.
Four-time #Grammy winner Erykah Badu talks to us about the power of words, vintage fashion, cars and inner peace – see the full cover story via link in bio.”
Erykah Badu talks her come up in the entertainment industry in GQ Germany’s Men of the Year Issue
Badu recognizes the influence she’s had on music. Up until she surfaced, the world never witnessed the fusion of R&B, jazz, and soul music, which birthed the Neo-soul genre.
“I helped introduce them. I was the first in my genre. There was no genre until the name Neo-Soul was created for the album “Baduizm” because no one could categorize what I was doing. I drilled a hole in the dam, so to speak, and all the like-minded frequencies flowed through it. It’s a formula that others can use,” she tells the publication.
In the interview, Badu talks about her unique way of navigating the entertainment industry.
“What was it like as a woman in a still very male-dominated environment?” interviewer Manuela Hainz asked.
“I didn’t know I was a woman. I grew up in a community of people and went to art school to dance. In the art school, everyone is non-binary. We are simply human beings. We are creators. I learned that I am a woman after I came into the music industry. There are a few unspoken rules regarding producers and production. If you do not know all the terms from the field of technology and production, you will not be taken into account when you present your ideas. This applies not only to women, but to everyone. I made my way through the door. Even without speaking their language. I was able to communicate with colors, sounds and hints. That’s my vision. That’s what I hear. I didn’t accept a no as an answer. I didn’t really have a hard time as a woman in the industry because I didn’t let myself be put in a drawer,” she responds.
Read the full interview here.
DON’T MISS…
Erykah Badu Fuses Soul Music And Afro-Spiritualism In Her Unfollow Me Tour
