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Who remembers listening to R&B/soul singer Jazmine Sullivan’s song “Lions, Tigers & Bears” back in 2008, thinking she was simply fascinated by wildlife? In four short minutes and some change, the talented singer was able to draw a parallel that reflected the immensity of love. She’s not afraid of some of the wildest animals, lions, tigers and bears, but something such as loving a man is where the true fear sets in for her. If you’ve ever been in love before, then you grasped this message from the song right away and probably found it relatable.
After “Lions, Tigers & Bears'' and other amazing tracks on the Fearless album, Sullivan continued to release more projects. However, in January 2021, while still in a pandemic, Sullivan released an album that spoke to many Black women all over the world. It spoke to them so much that the LP, Heaux Tales, was nominated for, and won, the Album of the Year award at the Soul Train Music Awards.
On Heaux Tales, she collaborated with several other Black women to tell the stories of Black females and their unique, tragic and sometimes strange dating experiences. The women, friends and other well-known artists, such as H.E.R. and Ari Lennox, find themselves immersed in laughter, candid discussions and, of course, mesmerizing singing on the tracks. This gave me real "beauty salon talk" vibes, the same way guys have their "barbershop talk."
So, it was no surprise when Sullivan took home the coveted Soul Train award. Aside from being the talent that wrote the project, I want to shed light on Sullivan’s acceptance speech at the award show.
She talked about her physical appearance as of late and how she used to let it hinder her ability to show up fully at events — or simply show up at all. She revealed how she would hide sometimes, but decided not to anymore. She was transparent in letting the audience know her insecurities and how she doesn’t always feel good, despite how amazing she may look to us. In doing this, revealing her flaws, she became more human in the eyes of her fans, and less of a flawless celebrity, thus giving everyday Black women permission to do the same.
Additionally, she addressed Black women and told them “to love themselves no matter what stage of life they’re in.” She encouraged Black women to love themselves because society often forces them to not love anything about themselves.
Sullivan, her music and her words during the acceptance speech all deserve flowers. She is an exceptional singer, without a doubt, but not every singer is transparent and true to self. In a time when social media has the general population in a chokehold, Black women can sometimes feel inferior to Instagram models or celebrities with billions of dollars who can afford to conceal their impurities. As a result of this, it isn’t always easy to be confident or, like Sullivan said, “love yourself.” The fact that she is being open in her music, whether she is singing about needing a man badly, busting windows out of an ex’s car or questioning why relationships are so hard for a girl like her, really helps all women know that their issues and experiences aren’t theirs alone.
We all go through things and no one’s life is perfect. No one is perfect. You see, Jazmine Sullivan isn’t just an artist, she is art and an inspiration.
