Ciara Opens Up About Navigating Racism & Sexism In New Interview
Millenium R & B/Pop sensation Ciara 1,2 stepped it over to Fault Magazine in the UK and gave a revealing interview regarding her past success in the music industry and where she stands now in her career as a musical artist. During the interview she spoke on how discrimination has impacted her success as a Black, female artist and how she has never “allowed” the color of her skin or her gender to hold her back from what she was meant to do.
Check it out:
It’s Black History Month in the USA and I wondered how do you wish to be remembered in the history books?
Ciara: I want the younger generation to look at my journey and despite many setbacks, I never gave up on pursuing what I dreamed. Never have I allowed the colour of my skin or gender to hold me back from what I was meant for. With every door that was closed to me, I found a new and better one to open. I stayed true to my values and morals and never lost myself along this journey…and that’s not easy in this business. And most importantly, I want to be remembered as someone who cared and had an impact in the lives of the youth and beyond.
Ciara and other artists like her should be applauded for not letting racism and sexism in the music industry stop them from pursuing their dreams as a musical artist. Finding the courage to continue pursuing a dream in the face of obstacles is the true definition of fortitude.
But I’d like to challenge Black women like Ciara and others who have made great achievements in their professional lives (despite racism and sexism) to not only credit themselves for navigating discrimination and making a lane for themselves, but to also condemn racism and sexism too.
In other words, don’t just talk about how you overcame discrimination – talk about how you shouldn’t have had to face discrimination based on your race or gender in the first place!
As Black women, if we only talk about our own actions and our own ability to navigate discrimination – then we place an undue burden on ourselves and our children to learn to navigate discrimination – rather than placing the burden where it belongs which is on the people that practice discrimination against us.
Yes, we can learn to navigate the obstacles that are placed before us in life – whether it be racism, sexism, colorism, featurism or any of the other -isms out there. But we should always remember that our goal should not simply be to navigate discrimination, but to eradicate it.
Check out more of Ciara’s interview below:
LaLa, City Girls, Ester Dean and Lupita Nyong’o all feature on your latest track ‘Melanin”, can you explain why it was important for you to bring together these artists for the project as opposed to releasing the song without features?
Ciara: Melanin was written and produced by my friend Ester Dean. When she played it for me I immediately knew I wanted to get my ‘girl gang’ together and celebrate the diverse beauty that makes up the tapestry of women of colour. Each girl brings a unique vibe to the song and it was cool to showcase the many talents of actresses like Lupita (aka Troublemaker) and LaLa.
With this shoot, we focused on the beauty of black hairstyles. As someone who has sported many different looks over the years, what does afro hair mean to you?
Ciara: Hairstyles have always been an extension of my creative process as a music artist and in fashion. I have been experimenting with my hair for as long as I can remember. Each time I wear my hair in an afro it comes with an inherent sense of identity and pride. You really stand out in a room, it’s like wearing a crown.
Check out the full interview here: Fault.
