A Look Back At 53 Of Erykah Badu’s Most Iconic Beauty Looks

Erykah Badu is in a genre of her own (and she’s sensitive about her sh**). From her debut album Baduizm– which won the artist her first two Grammy Awards in 1998– to her latest mixtape But You Caint Use My Phone, Badu birthed musical compositions that ring in our ears like the bells she straps to her ankle. She is a musician, and according to herself, a “UNICORN Mutant Cobra jumpin’ time lines” which represents the intuitive taste of her now 53-year-old lifeline. She is a force, not only of sound but beauty: known for her head wraps, long beaded braids, tuning fork grills, stained fingertips, and custom hairpieces to complement indescribable inspiration.

At the start of her career in the ‘90s, Badu became the mother of intrinsic beauty– like with her cloudy yellow eyeshadow and string-seamed head wrap at the 12th Annual Soul Train Awards, as she cradled her four trophies. For the 2000’s ESSENCE Awards, the artist appeared in one of our favorite looks: Twiggy-esque eyelashes, gold eyeshadow and thick locs, before shaving her head bald the following year (cue the 15th Soul Train Awards). Her ethereal vibe continued to radiate through her hairstyles: from knee-long, bobby-pinned micro-braids at the BET Telethon Relief to ‘60s pin curls at Dave Chapelle’s Block Party in ‘06.

As time went on, her looks became more experimental. For example, her blonde bowl-cut shocked the audience at the 2010 Cypress Hill Smokeout Music Festival. Meanwhile, she arrived to the 2013 BET Awards with faux Strawberry Shortcake freckles. And then, at the 2017 Fashion Awards, she showed off her African hair threading with shaved brows and a tooth chain. As for the past few years, her looks have grown even more grand. Think: her metallic foil fringe hairdo at 2019’s Way Out West Festival or literally any of her front row fashion week looks. And we’d be remiss to leave out her latest achievement as GQ Germany’s Music Icon Of The Year, where she rocked red hair beads and smeared her mouth in over-lined lipstick.

Below, celebrate Erykah Badu’s 53rd birthday today with her most iconic beauty looks of all time.