Meet The Influencers On A Mission To Normalize Black Women And Luxury
If you are a frequent reader of my articles, then you know that I am front-of-the-class here for the culture. Using all of my platforms to be vocal about Black women and all things Blackity, Black, Black, Black is how I get down, and frankly, if you aren't here for me bragging on my people, then we probably won't have much in common. The wave has been snowballing too, because so many feel the same way I do, which is something we've had to consciously build up as a community.
The internet is filled with pages showing love to melanin, comments are up and stuck in celebrating our likeness, and we stick together, m'kay?! Just ask TikTok.
But now? Now it's time we take it a step further and level up on what it means to be balanced.
And with that, in walks Clarke Peoples, Amber Janae, and Skylar Marshai. When scouring the internet, I came across these three influencers, who are all on a mission to normalize luxury in Black women's lives. Each woman spoke with POPSUGAR about what it means to indulge in wealth and wellness, which Skylar has coined as 'unapologetic audacity.'
Unapologetic audacity. Love to see it. Write it down, use it in a sentence.
Ultimately, here's what else they had to say:
Clarke Peoples | @clarkepeoples
After going viral on TikTok earlier this year when she posted a day-in-the-life video showcasing her high-rise apartment in New York City (and casually mentioning a date with a millionaire), Clarke amassed over 3.6M views and garnered so much attention, mostly due to the fact that people were labeling her as a "prostitute" and a "sugar baby."
The 20-year-old Columbia student explained:
"I love to see Black women living in luxury [but] people were actually going and responding to other comments asking, `What does she do for a living? Oh she's a prostitute.' I was totally appalled."
Since then, two other videos have racked up millions of views—one where she explains how she makes her living and one recapping a date with a wealthy doctor.
"I see so many videos online of women of other races living lifestyles like this and it's not necessarily the norm, but it's something that when we see it, we don't think twice about it. [Seeing] other Black women who didn't have the best childhoods growing up be able to make it and do it for themselves, I think it's so inspiring."
Skylar Marshai | @skylarmarshai
Skylar Marshai is goals all around and truly lives up to the building a life she romanticizes. The storytelling travel influencer has gained such a luxe lifestyle following, that her social media is littered with comments and post engagement. When asked how she has gotten to this point, she says:
"I think a lot of it is 50 percent manifestation. I spent a lot of time speaking these things into existence and [visualizing] the things I wanted in my life. It's almost like what we were owed. [...] It's beyond the flights. It's beyond the monetary things. It's this idea of abundance and leisure, which Black people are not allowed. We've not been given that before. We've had to make it."
Her parents taught her the audacity of living out loud.
"None of this feels new. None of this feels foreign, especially being a Black woman: it's something that we should normalize more. Stepping into wealth. Stepping in Black love, and it should be easy, like, damn, I don't want to struggle all the time."
Her advice? Fall in love with your life as it is now and the rest will fall into place.
"It's looking at what you might define as luxury and assuming that you can have it. A great first step? Romanticize your morning routine. Romanticize a day in your life. Finding luxury in smaller moments and then integrating it into your life in that way and so you can create luxury for yourself. So often or for the longest time, luxury has been out of touch for us [and] now it's within reach."
Amber Janae | @ajscribes
For Amber Janae, her lifestyle is one that she has always known. The author and lifestyle blogger opens up:
"I come from a lineage of women who are very strong, very independent. I've always grown up around women who, regardless of being married or in long term relationships, they always have their own. They're always able to provide for themselves, live well, but also look really amazing while doing so [...] just quality everything."
In turn, Amber sees luxury as a form of peace.
"Ultimately, I'm living in luxury when I know that everything around me brings me a sense of calm. [...] so the idea that luxury—Black women in luxury or just Black women experiencing luxury in itself—is only tied to material things, completely takes away from living a life of luxury because you continue to feed into the things or pour into the things that live outside of you."
Her advice? Find out what you classify as 'luxury,' and do that. A LOT.
"Just be one with whatever your definition is of being a Black woman and living in luxury. Learn what excites you. Learn what brings you peace. Learn what calms your spirit and continue to strive for those things. Stand on that."
Unapologetic audacity for the win!
Read the full article here.
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Featured image by Getty Images
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Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
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
Serena Williams Hits Back At Skin-Bleaching Accusations: 'I’m A Dark, Black Woman, And I Love Who I Am'
Serena Williams is clapping back at skin-bleaching accusations. During a makeup tutorial for her beauty brand, Wyn Beauty, the tennis legend took the opportunity to address the "haters."
“And then I put just that neutral color, that is actually my skin color, and no, for you haters out there, I do not bleach my skin,” she said. “There is a thing called sunlight, and in that sunlight, you get different colors.”
The rumors started after the mom of two posted a video of herself and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, at their daughter's school play. In the video, she appeared to look a few shades lighter. During her response, she revealed that she was volunteering at the play and wore stage makeup.
“Yes, I’m calling you out on this because it is ridiculous that everyone’s like, ‘Oh, she bleached her skin,’" she said. "I’m a dark, Black woman, and I love who I am, and I love how I look and that's just not my thing.”
The 23-time Grand Slam champion also said that she doesn't judge anyone who bleaches their skin as she "stays in my lane."
Serena has always had style on and off the court, and even collaborated with Nike with her own collection Serena Williams Design Crew. However, the tennis champ has now pivoted into beauty.
Wyn Beauty was launched in April 2024 with at 10-piece collection of lip, eye, and complexion products. The brand was inspired by Serena's time on the court and the packaging is reminiscent of a tennis ball due to its chartreuse color.
“Throughout my career, I was always searching for makeup that looked good after hours on the court, mixing products myself and creating my own formulas while traveling the world,” she said in a statement. As she continues to make a name for herself in the beauty industry, I'm sure we will see a lot more looks from the tennis star.
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Feature image by Marc Piasecki/WireImage