Goapele Reveals Why She Ditched Her Cornrows

When soul songstress Goapele stepped out a few months ago sans her signature cornrows, her naturalista fans let out a resounding gasp. It’s not that they loved Goapele any less, but her hairstyle switcheroo was a first for her.

So why the change?

“I wanted to try something new,” revealed Goapele at the ESSENCE Music Festival. “Every few years I want to try something new so I took a chance and I flat ironed it.”

This is the first time Goapele has worn her hair straight since high school and she’s loving her new look. Although we may not see Goapele rock her cornrows “for a while,” she revealed that her hair is still relaxer-free and she’ll always be a natural girl at heart.

“I love natural hair and I am a natural hair advocate. It’s still a part of me even when I’m wearing straight styles.”