Alicia Keys Continues Her Makeup-Free Movement at the VMAs
- by Leland Aguilar
- in Entertaiment
- — Aug 30, 2016
Alicia Keys looked flawless at the Video Music Awards with her no-makeup look. The singer-songwriter gave a powerful word with a short poem and with her look. The star paid tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech before announcing Calvin Harris as the victor.
If war is holy, and sex is obscene, then we got it twisted in this lucid dream. The poem, which she spoke and sang, encouraged harmony and unity, rather than hate and division. "Or maybe we could love somebody/ Maybe we could care a little more/ Maybe we could love somebody/ Instead of polishing the bombs of holy war", she continued.
Keys' appearance also made a bold statement. In an essay, she underscores the false sense of perfection we seem to acquire when we apply makeup on our faces, or whenever we adhere to another's idea of beauty.
"Y'all, me choosing to be makeup free doesn't mean I'm anti-makup".
"Before I started my new album, I wrote a list of all the things that I was sick of", the singer explained, "And one was how much women are brainwashed into feeling like we have to be skinny, or sexy, or desirable, or flawless".
Alicia said the joy of going without makeup first came out of a photo shoot that she did that was also stripped down to just straightforward photographs on a white background with no makeup.
"I hope to God it's a revolution", she added. Cause I don't want to cover up anymore. I'm sure her appearance and message resonated with many young girls watching the VMA Awards.
