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Janelle Monae entered 2024 with a new haircut, and we’re in love. The singer, actress, and overall free spirit took to Instagram to debut her latest look, a short pixie cut highlighting the star’s beautifully round face.
Janelle Monae and Kelly Rowland debut short haircuts for the New Year
“Cutting up all 2024. ✂️,” she captioned the post. In the carousel, Monae shared an image of herself as a baby with short hair, followed by a video of her now banished hair scattered across the floor.
The Float crooner wasn’t the only starlet who had a date with the shears. Kelly Rowland cut her natural hair into a blunt bob, and her tresses oozed body, shine and volume.
Monae and Rowland didn’t express the inspiration behind their latest cuts, but we can’t help but wonder if it’s connected to spiritual exploration.
The symbolism of a new haircut
When a woman cuts her hair outside of being damaged, it usually represents a new chapter in their life. When the cut aligns with the new year, it reinforces the idea of new beginnings.
Source: Amy Sussman / Getty
In December 2021, Saweetie debuted a beautiful buzz cut that shocked her fans. In 2022, she explained what led to the change in an interview with Power 106.
“I found so much clarity within myself. I wanted to start over and I did research about hair, and hair holds a lot of energy. I really wanted to just feel new and fresh. With this new music. I won’t say new me, but elevated me. I really just wanted to start over again. There’s a lot of things that go on that make me stressed out, make me feel chaotic but everything is simple. It’s simple, we just have to center ourselves because energies can get crazy. Like I have so many mental breakdowns that a lot of people didn’t know about because I don’t share that side of my life,” she explained.
Cutting your hair is one of the most underrated spiritual practices. Everything carries energy, and sometimes letting go of your tresses is one of the easiest ways to reclaim your power.
I had locs for about five years before I decided to comb them out and start with a fresh look. Exploring this was scary, but I recognized it was time to shed that part of my hair story and embrace a new me. I took a few weeks in December to comb my hair out and reemerged in the new year with a curly fro.
The transition allowed me to revisit my growth as a person. I began my loc journey as an insecure 25-year-old girl. By the time 2012 rolled around, I was in love with my locs, but I knew it was time to let them go. I was ready to shed the energy of bad relationships (both platonic and romantic) and embrace the unknown. What was waiting for me was a different kind of confidence, that taught me to embrace my natural curls. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. There’s a release that comes with clearing out stored, stagnant energy.
As I watch women like Karrueche, Saweetie, Kelly Rowland, and Janelle Monae embrace their short cuts, I remember the feeling of starting over again. It’s new, different, and even a little scary, but it also makes room for new energy to take form.
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