You are what you follow on Instagram. That's a saying, right? Well, if not, it's the truth. I can't tell you how many times I have opened Instagram for some inspiration. That's also why you have to be careful who and what you follow because social media is such a powerful tool. Most of us use it to post our latest wanderlust or outfit of the day but encouraging quotes and stories have become more common in the past year. The 'Post to Your Story' feature has created an influx of quotes and affirmations and I am so grateful.
We all need a little pep talk or boost of confidence and there are some amazing accounts that help get us together and brighten our day. You up for some bottomless inspiration? Flip through the slideshow for some dope, soul-quenching accounts that will help you live your best life intentionally.
1.Heather Lindsey @heatherllove
Heather Lindsey is best known for founding The Pinky Promise, an organization that promotes honoring God with your life and body, no matter your relationship status. Through this initiative, she promotes practicing abstinence while you're single and being submissive within marriage. In addition to authoring a book, she is also a wife and mother constantly seeking God.
2.Alex Elle @alex_elle
I am sure at one point or another, you have shared one of Alex Elle's powerful quotes on your story or feed. You can count on Alex to make you think long and hard about the best ways to identify what your best life looks like and finding the self-care in it all.
3.Sarah Jakes Roberts @sarahjakesroberts
Also known as her alter ego Lil' Demon Bully, Sarah Jakes Roberts uses her platform to help women evolve in a way that is refreshing and real. The First Lady and Pastor has an unconventional way of inspiring women by simply being transparent. She shows off her blended family and has no problem pushing other women to their destiny by using her own trials and tribulations.
4.GurlsTalk @gurlstalk
Model, Adwoah Aboah, created Gurls Talk to encourage girls to do just that -- talk. But about the stuff we don't talk about. From depression to body acceptance to sex work. She told Vanity Fair:
"It's everything I ever needed when I was at school. It's a safe place—without stigma, without shame—where we challenge the social norms."
5.Myleik Teele @myleik
Myleik Teele is female empowerment personified. Her website reads, "There was no one who looked like me to show me the ropes, so I vowed that if I ever became successful, I would help others." Myleik created the renowned curlBOX and podcast #MyTaughtYou to help women realize they can have it all. By following Myleik, you are signing up for awe-inspiring quotes and dope business tips.
6.Unbothered @r29unbothered
r29Unbothered was designed for the black girl who knows what it means to be a black girl. This account is real, raw, and uncensored – everything we need. The bio says, "We are made for and by Black millennial women, celebrating the beauty, strength, and power in our community."
7.Well-Read Black Girl @wellreadblackgirl
There's something so beautiful about celebrating your own. Well-Read Black Girl is dedicated to showcasing the powerhouse women who live on our bookshelves. They have even teamed up with American Booksellers Association to bring book club meetings to independent bookstores nationwide with the goal of amplifying diverse voices and supporting emerging writers of color.
8.Idil Ahmed @idillionaire
Idil is my Instagram therapist. Just read the caption above. Energy, bliss, positivity, healing and hope are the cornerstone of Idil's goal to raise global consciousness. Her wish for her followers: be illuminated; and she's unafraid to share tips on her favorite subject -- manifesting.
9.WorkParty @workparty
Issa party, issa party, issa partaaayyyyy! This account is especially for the entrepreneur searching for creative inspiration and daily reminders to keep it pushing.
10. xoNecole @xonecole
I don't wanna toot xoNecole's horn but our IG is chock full of inspiration. Follow along, and you'll see.
Are you a member of our insiders squad? Join us in the xoTribe Members Community today!
Featured image by Shutterstock
Joce Blake is a womanist who loves fashion, Beyonce and Hot Cheetos. The sophistiratchet enthusiast is based in Brooklyn, NY but has southern belle roots as she was born and raised in Memphis, TN. Keep up with her on Instagram @joce_blake and on Twitter @SaraJessicaBee.
Exclusive: Melanie Fiona On Making High-Vibrational Music & Saying Yes To Partnership
Melanie Fiona is back! After taking a little more than a decade-long hiatus, she has officially made her return to music and blessed us with two singles, “Say Yes” and “I Choose You.” While both singles are very different from each other, they both reflect who she is today and the type of music she wants to make. In our conversation, the mom of two expressed what she learned during her time away.
“It's interesting, even when I said it is like coming back, I don't ever feel like I really left because I was always still performing. I've still been public. It's not like I went into being this recluse person or version of myself, but the thing that I really learned in this process is that I think things take time,” Melanie says in a xoNecole exclusive.
“I think often we're so caught up in it, being on the timing of demand or popularity, or, like, striking while the iron is hot and the thing that I've learned is that everything is on God's time. That's it. Every time I thought I would have been ready, or, like, things were taking too long, I had to reship some things, personally, professionally, in my life. I also gave myself permission to make a living, not just make a living, but make a life for myself.”
Making a life for herself included getting married to Grammy-nominated songwriter Jared Cotter, starting a family, and embracing new landscapes, such as podcasting as a co-host of The Mama’s Den podcast. She also began doing more spiritual work and self-care practices like meditation, sound healing, Reiki, acupuncture, and boundary setting, which allowed her to get in touch with her inner voice.
“I wasn't putting out music, and I wasn't experiencing a number one record, but I was being a number one mom,” she says.
“I was experiencing things that were allowing me to heal and get in touch with myself so that I could make new music from a space of joy and freedom, and excitement again because I definitely feel like I did lose some excitement because of just politics and industry and what it can do to your mental health and even your physical health. So giving myself the space to really just say, ‘Hey, it's okay. Everything's right on time.’”
The joy and excitement are felt in one of two new singles, “I Choose You,” which is more of a lovers rock vibe, a tribute to Melanie’s Caribbean roots. While the Grammy award-winner is known for ballads like “It Kills Me” and “Fool For You,” she is becoming more intentional about the music she makes, calling it high-vibrational music. She says her music is a “reflection of my life,” as it captures every facet, from hanging out with friends to riding around in her car.
“Say Yes” has the classic R&B vibe Melanie is known for. However, both songs are inspired by her relationship. Melanie and Jared got married in December 2020, and the Toronto-bred artist dished on their relationship. Fun fact: he is featured in the “Say Yes” music video.
“When we first started dating, I had come into that relationship post a lot of self-work. I had gotten out of a long-term relationship, I had a year and a half to date and be by myself and do a lot of work on myself alone. And when we met, I remember feeling like this has to be my person because I feel it,” she says.
“And so when we went into that relationship, and we started dating, I was very clear. I was like, I know what I want. I'm very clear on what I need, and I'm not going to withhold my truth about myself in this process because of pride or fear of rejection. I know you love me, but I'm coming with my heart in my hand to let you know that if we're gonna get there, we have to put fear aside and say yes. So that was kind of like my open letter to him, which is why the video is us having a conversation.”
Melanie also shares that saying yes to her partner has empowered her in many ways, including motherhood and showing up for herself. Her new EP, also titled Say Yes, will be available at the top of 2025.
Check out the full interview below.
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Feature image by Franco Zulueta
Meet The Black Woman Behind Cynthia Erivo's 'Wicked' Nails
Almost two weeks later, Wicked is still on everyone's lips. The high-grossing film stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as Elphaba and Glinda, as their characters, tell a story about race and acceptance. However, what has captured audiences on and off the screen are Cynthia's and Ariana's looks as they play on their characters' styles.
Ariana, like her character Glinda, is often dressed in pink, and Cynthia, much like Elphaba, is covered in green. But what also has many people talking is the British actress' nails. Her nails are often long, blingy, and, of course, green. Many TikTok girlies are even doing their own versions of Elphaba's nails. But there's one person to thank for the green nail mania: Shea Osei.
The London-based nail artist has been working with the Wicked actress since she was 16 and shared all the tea on her epic nail styles with Unbothered UK.
Here what she said.
Shea On Elphaba's Nails Being The First Thing We See Before Seeing The Character
I was ecstatic. I was happy. It was just great to see my craft, my artistry just out there, not just nationally but globally.
Shea On Elphaba's Nails Representing Her Character Development
When we started with the first [nail] look, we chose nice, subtle green ombre nails that show who she is but a calm, chilled-out version of Elphaba. As she grew into herself, became more confident, and found herself, she was more like, yes, this is me, I’m Elphaba, I am who I am, and her nails became more daring. In the salon scene, when she had a transformation, her nails were, one, longer and two, they were more daring. There are many close-ups of Elphaba’s hands in the film, where you see her nails, and you see the difference in what they were [at the start of the film], so I feel like that helps to tell the story.
Shea On Elphaba's Nails Representing Black Womanhood
Yes, it was 100%. And I feel like, yes, the nails represented Black womanhood but also just being yourself. I just feel like the nails represented Cynthia as if to say, ‘I'm Black and I can be a Black witch’. This is who I am. And also, I can have braids and they can be done in any kind of way and can still be styled however is needed. I think we saw, if I'm correct, three or four different braid styles in the movie. Sim Camps, who styled the braids, did an amazing job — there would be mornings when she would be making sure the braids were intact and looked amazing on camera. So, yeah, definitely the braids were an ode to Black culture and the nails were 100% like, yes, we're doing it.
Shea On Seeing The Fan Recreation On TikTok
Yes, I have! If you are going to the salon and you want to recreate Elphaba's nails and let's say, you're going for the nails after the salon scene, where she just gets a fresh set, I would say ask for a plain black base and then ask if they have green foils to stick it on top to give that green effect. Then apply a shiny top coat. And it looks insane! The green ombre is more complicated with colours mixed to give it a green earthy colour.
Shea On The Importance Of Expressing Yourself Through Nail Art, Despite Some Criticism
We love it and don't want anyone to change. Let's look at athletes such as Flo-Jo, remember her nails? Now we have ShaCarri Richardson and her nails are always long and she's always got nice designs [on them]. It’s also Black people, not only Black women — because if you look at athletes that are men that make sure they get their nails painted as well. A$AP Rocky gets his nails painted. It's just so good to see that our culture is so colourful and also so inviting. It’s not only Black people that can have these kinds of nails, anyone can have them. I’m glad we can be the inspiration to everybody and they can draw bits of our culture and add it to theirs.
I like the fact that Cynthia is able to go out of there into the world and still be authentically herself. She hasn't changed for anything or anyone. This is how I am. I like my nails like this, my nail techs love doing my nails like this.
I'm over the moon that Cynthia can go out and still have her nails how she wants to. [Cynthia’s nails] has been a topic this entire Wicked press tour. Everyone will ask Cynthia about her nails in every interview and I love that. I love it because that's who she is. And if you see her you'll see that she's always got her nails done and she’s always got some banging heels on. Even on her down days, she’s always dressed. That's just how she is.
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Feature image by Jeff Spicer/ Getty Images