US Vogue March 2023 : Erykah Badu by Jamie Hawkesworth

[NYLA22]

Totally surprised byt this....better late than never....but Anna should look to old print issues of Porter magazine to master that natural style and still deliver glamour and style without compromising anything....but it's well deserved To this great musician...

Remember back in the days only Madonna, got Vogue covers Mariah, Janet, Paula,Whitney, Toni, even girl groups like En Vogue etc were ignored...

Yes, those Porter covers were great, very dynamic and fresh, even if it was just a portrait.

 

[aracic]

I just came to thank Anna Wintour for helping me discover the music of Erykah Badu. I just listened to (what I believe to be) my first ever Erykah song and I fell in love instantly, I can't believe I never came across her music which is right up my alley. It almost feels blasphemous, but whatever, here we are. I have a new appreciation for this, but it's still not a good Vogue cover by my standard.

 

[SLFC]

I'm not familiar with her at all, so this is unexpected for me. Regardless, we finally get a good cover. Thank god.

 

[Deleted member 1957]

Yes, also remembering Alicia doing Givenchy ads, but she never got a Vogue cover. Vogue was the real thing. You got a cover, you really made it. Of course it doesn't have the same meaning now. And Lauryn, wish she stayed. She was above some pop divas of her time. These girls eat Beyonce and Adele as singers. I remember also Toni Braxton. I mean, those voices shaped a generation and Anna ignored them, even during the celeb current era of Vogue.

Very surprising how many talented and fashion influencers were snubbed by the industry. At their peak the likes of Toni Braxton, Alicia Keys, Queen Latifah, Patti Labelle, Aretha etc would have been on the cover. Phillis Hyman should have made the cover in the 80s even if they were still putting mostly models on at the time. Not only did she look like a model but she was also over 6ft tall and one of the top singers at the time.

last.fm

 

[blueorchid]

Very surprising how many talented and fashion influencers were snubbed by the industry. At their peak the likes of Toni Braxton, Alicia Keys, Queen Latifah, Patti Labelle, Aretha etc would have been on the cover. Phillis Hyman should have made the cover in the 80s even if they were still putting mostly models on at the time. Not only did she look like a model but she was also over 6ft tall and one of the top singers at the time.

I see what you're getting at, BUT... when most of those singers were thriving and coming up (aside from maaaybe Alicia Keys) there was a *legitimate music press* that covered musicians. So, really, they didn't need to be on Vogue or Harper's Bazaar or whatever to promote their albums. I mean, I'd almost say it's a similar thing with movie stars. How many of them were ever on Vogue when those old-fashioned *film industry* magazines existed to promote themselves? Enough that you could probably count on one hand.

I do find the talk of "so and so" should have had a Vogue cover to be silly, like.. not everybody can be on the cover, come on. Not everything is a snub. There were legitimately more publications and magazines in print back then!! It's silly to complain about Aretha Franklin not getting a Vogue cover when she was on the cover of Time, lol, a way more *impactful* magazine than Vogue in the 1960s (sorry!!!).

 

[Deleted member 45369]

Honestly if I could go back in time to when celebrities weren’t on covers I’d be delighted but I guess If I stick around long enough there won’t be any more covers for them to be on anyways. In the end the celeb craze will be seen as the beginning of the end. No diss to Erykah but honestly this just feels like they’re throwing anything at the wall at this point to see if anything sticks. The days are numbered. I’m excited to see what, if anything, replaces them.

 

[Bernie Flood]

A bit too late. Unexpected though.

 

[Bernie Flood]

I see what you're getting at, BUT... when most of those singers were thriving and coming up (aside from maaaybe Alicia Keys) there was a *legitimate music press* that covered musicians. So, really, they didn't need to be on Vogue or Harper's Bazaar or whatever to promote their albums. I mean, I'd almost say it's a similar thing with movie stars. How many of them were ever on Vogue when those old-fashioned *film industry* magazines existed to promote themselves? Enough that you could probably count on one hand.

I do find the talk of "so and so" should have had a Vogue cover to be silly, like.. not everybody can be on the cover, come on. Not everything is a snub. There were legitimately more publications and magazines in print back then!! It's silly to complain about Aretha Franklin not getting a Vogue cover when she was on the cover of Time, lol, a way more *impactful* magazine than Vogue in the 1960s (sorry!!!).

Talentless Nepo babies-reality stars has been the fixtures in Vogue and Met Gala’s.

Yet talented legends like Mariah Carey don’t even get met gala invite nor Vogue covers-even at the peak of her career. Shameful!

 

[Bernie Flood]

Very surprising how many talented and fashion influencers were snubbed by the industry. At their peak the likes of Toni Braxton, Alicia Keys, Queen Latifah, Patti Labelle, Aretha etc would have been on the cover. Phillis Hyman should have made the cover in the 80s even if they were still putting mostly models on at the time. Not only did she look like a model but she was also over 6ft tall and one of the top singers at the time.

last.fm

And Mariah!!!

 

[Benn98]

I do find the talk of "so and so" should have had a Vogue cover to be silly, like.. not everybody can be on the cover, come on. Not everything is a snub. There were legitimately more publications and magazines in print back then!! It's silly to complain about Aretha Franklin not getting a Vogue cover when she was on the cover of Time, lol, a way more *impactful* magazine than Vogue in the 1960s (sorry!!!).

Didn't Barbara Streisand appear on Vogue covers in her heyday? Vogue then was high society. And I'm sure once celebrities conquered fame and reach a certain level of wealth, they'd want to be accepted in that world and all its trappings too. I mean they've been sending their kids to debutante balls when most of them came from nothing.

In the 90s Anna very cleverly created a little elitist clique of actresses (Nicole, Cate, Renee, Winona, Reese etc), and in the case of Renee specifically, even controlled the partnership she had with Carolina Herrera from the back seat. The moment you gatekeep and make something exclusive (even if it's trite!), there will always be a bunch of people with all the money and achievements in the world who will want access to that.
You have someone at Lizzo's level of fame still chasing after Vogue booking editors (not even Anna) as recent as 2 years ago to beg them for a cover. It matters. We know it. Vogue knows it. Erykah knows it. And so do Mariah, Victoria Beckham, Kerry Washington etc who continue to get snubbed and their fans.

 

[Deleted member 141523]

There were so many celebs on the cover of Vogue in the 60s and 70s. In the 80s started my favorite era, the model reign, untill 9/11. Gisele's cover for December 2001 was the last one with models as regulars and then it went to the Vanity Fair formula. Anna tried to put famous people mostly in the very late 90s and noticed she sells more copies. Wish she picked more talented and beautiful actresses, singers and athletes. But instead she went to the more popular stars and left the quality behind. If Franca created the "print Instagram" as she used to said, Anna took that to make money. Anna was the one that changed print industry and maybe for bad, not only the digital (not so) new era and Millenials/Gen Z way to consume fashion. She recreated the 60s/70s celeb centered magazine with steroids. Also she likes to call her favorites for the cover. All of these ladies ignered by her weren't in her radar. There some sort of "Anna's club" that only cool people (or with huge hype) are part of it.

 

[Deleted member 1957]

I do find the talk of "so and so" should have had a Vogue cover to be silly, like.. not everybody can be on the cover, come on. Not everything is a snub. There were legitimately more publications and magazines in print back then!! It's silly to complain about Aretha Franklin not getting a Vogue cover when she was on the cover of Time, lol, a way more *impactful* magazine than Vogue in the 1960s (sorry!!!).

I beg to disagree, when you have Nicole Kidman, Renee Zelweger and a few other members of 'Anna's club' getting mulktiple covers or Madona getting multiple Vogue covers while Janet Jackson, Whitney, Mariah who were just as big at their peak and a major fashion trendsetters not even getting one us not just about saying not everybody can be on the cover. I remember in the 2000s when the controversially named trend 'Ghetto fabulous' was all over and in the covers of vogue they talked about how the likes of Lil Kim, Mary J Blige and Lauryn Hill contributed to the trend but didnt have them on the cover. If someone can be on the cover 5 times then some other people can get a few of those covers .Agreed about other magazines of substance but in the 2000s when celebrities were mostly on the cover it was a very big deal and played a big part on someone's career. Obviously today's Vogue cover is very watered down (her own doing) with multiple appearances by nepo babies that arent even as talented but if she must use celebrities its nice to see variety with unexpected chioces like Erykah alongside the more commercial stars instead of 2 Adele covers ina year.

 

[Xone]

I beg to disagree, when you have Nicole Kidman, Renee Zelweger and a few other members of 'Anna's club' getting mulktiple covers or Madona getting multiple Vogue covers while Janet Jackson, Whitney, Mariah who were just as big at their peak and a major fashion trendsetters not even getting one us not just about saying not everybody can be on the cover. I remember in the 2000s when the controversially named trend 'Ghetto fabulous' was all over and in the covers of vogue they talked about how the likes of Lil Kim, Mary J Blige and Lauryn Hill contributed to the trend but didnt have them on the cover. If someone can be on the cover 5 times then some other people can get a few of those covers .Agreed about other magazines of substance but in the 2000s when celebrities were mostly on the cover it was a very big deal and played a big part on someone's career. Obviously today's Vogue cover is very watered down (her own doing) with multiple appearances by nepo babies that arent even as talented but if she must use celebrities its nice to see variety with unexpected chioces like Erykah alongside the more commercial stars instead of 2 Adele covers ina year.

Agreed this is how shortsighted Anna was and is....and all those talented women that appear in the 90's and 00's for sure are deserved to be on the cover as well, it's just the spectrum should have been a little more open, without losing the "elite" stamp that she needed.

 

[Benn98]

Yes, definitely. Please, Renee for instance deserved all the covers she got because her contribution to fashion in that era alone basically helped define what red carpet fashion was about. Personally that has far more value because it's more relevant to fashion than having an Oscar or multiple Grammy awards.

 

[Deleted member 45369]

Yes, definitely. Please, Renee for instance deserved all the covers she got because her contribution to fashion in that era alone basically helped define what red carpet fashion was about. Personally that has far more value because it's more relevant to fashion than having an Oscar or multiple Grammy awards.

In hindsight though, what do Vogue covers mean for actresses?! At least for models, it’s like an award. A model is mentioned as a Vogue cover girl the same way a singer is mentioned as a Grammy winner or an Actress an Oscar winner. No one is ever going to introduce Nicole as Vogue Cover Girl Nicole Kidman!

 

[phungnam96]

Why her now? Love Erykah but I feel like Anna is desperate to represent “diversity”, and let’s not talk about that depressing editorial.

 

[Benn98]

In hindsight though, what do Vogue covers mean for actresses?!

It gives them clout and access to fashion and beauty brands for partnership opportunities.

 

[Deleted member 1957]

In hindsight though, what do Vogue covers mean for actresses?! At least for models, it’s like an award. A model is mentioned as a Vogue cover girl the same way a singer is mentioned as a Grammy winner or an Actress an Oscar winner. No one is ever going to introduce Nicole as Vogue Cover Girl Nicole Kidman!

High powered Fashion connections are just as important as an award since red carpets do have as much of an impact on one's career as awards and proffessional achievents. Also getting associated with the prestigious brands featured in the magazine adds some clout.

 

[aracic]

In hindsight though, what do Vogue covers mean for actresses?! At least for models, it’s like an award. A model is mentioned as a Vogue cover girl the same way a singer is mentioned as a Grammy winner or an Actress an Oscar winner. No one is ever going to introduce Nicole as Vogue Cover Girl Nicole Kidman!

It's actually more about what actresses mean for Vogue than the other way around. Obviously, such revered magazine covers matter and mean a lot to people who are on them but it also benefits the magazine. Here's an interesting podcast that talks about this in more depth.

 

[Deleted member 141523]

Quite cynic from them. I stopped listening after a few minutes. I can't.