Mereba looks back at her hair journey, from her childhood wash-day ritual to how she now expresses freedom through her tresses.
Mereba on Hair As a Powerful Storytelling Tool, and Channeling Freedom Through Her New EP
Texture Diaries is a space for Black people across industries to reflect on their journeys to self-love, and how accepting their hair, in all its glory, played a pivotal role in this process. Each week, they share their favorite hair rituals, products, and the biggest lessons they’ve learned when it comes to affirming their beauty and owning their unique hair texture.
“Ah, those teenage years when I was emo with a fresh press. On the right is me with my favorite hairstyle as a little one: braids and bobbles. This photograph is sadly not too different from the way I was looking in front of my stove at the beginning of quarantine."
Photos: Courtesy of MerebaMereba’s songs and meditative visuals offer a calming oasis in a chaotic time. The Ethiopian-American musician’s new EP, AZEB, is her latest sensorial escape. Its title is Mereba’s middle name, meaning where the sun rises in Amharic. “It’s like a compass, but not a physical compass. It’s a light in the sky that helps people find their way when they’re lost,” Mereba tells Vogue over the phone from Los Angeles. The name of the project is fitting, as she says “these songs really helped guide me through dark times. I really hope they do that for others, too.” The seven-track album is filled with uplifting songs including its single, “Rider,” for which Mereba created a music video that is a display of Black love, freedom, and beauty, expressed in part through elegant protective styles—from faux locs to cornrows—created by hairstylist Nena SoulFly.
“In my favorite look of Rider while the desert wind was blowing 25+ miles per hour.”
Photo: Courtesy of MerebaThis story originally appeared on: Vogue - Author:Akili King
