Ari Lennox’s influence is hard to miss. One glance at her iconic artistry reveals a legendary discography of soulful ballads that position her as one of the most influential voices in R&B. Lennox’s talent of capturing the human experience through skillful storytelling using the power of song is commendable and continues to resonate with fans worldwide. Now, she’s expanding her reach thanks to her collaboration with KISS Colors & Care as their newest brand partner. This partnership is an honor for the singer, as the brand played a pivotal role in her upbringing.
“I’m so honored to be here. The most exciting aspect of working with KISS is that I’ve been a fan since I was younger. I’ve always been drawn to their products, especially their nail selection. As a young kid, I was not able to afford to get my nails done, and my parents did not want me to get them done because I was just too young; it was cool to have access to their nails and be able to be cute for an affordable price, and it just was convenient. I’ve always loved KISS, so when they contacted me and said they were expanding their brand to hair care, I was excited because I’m a big fan of hair care. I love taking care of my hair and doing different things with it, so I fell in love with what they were doing.”
Lennox’s legion of supportive fans has come to adore her not only for her robust skill set but also for her ability to express her emotions through song. Lennox doesn’t solely communicate that expression through her musical capabilities but through her hair choices as well. According to the artist, she sometimes uses her haircare and styling regimen as an escape from the realities of life.
“It’s really just an escape. I can wake up sad or depressed or sometimes, not every day, but let’s just say if I do experience these emotions, I have the power to change things, maybe with a little meditation or just getting in the shower and doing my hair in a beautiful style. I love doing a nice wash-and-go style and using a little olive oil to protect the ends and some edge control to give myself to spruce things up. It helps me escape from the present and helps me feel better. It helps me interact with the world better. If there’s nothing else I can change, I can spruce myself up and feel beautiful, look beautiful, and that can help other things internally.”
As Lennox continues to evolve on her life journey, her relationship with her hair follows suit—so much so that she believes it’s directly tied to her personal growth.
“This is a space in my life where I’ve been paying more attention than ever to my actions internally, mentally, and emotionally and just being more accountable in general. It is metaphorical, really, even with my hair. For example, if my hair isn’t growing, I’ll ask questions like, ‘Are you protecting it? Are you putting water in it? Are you using your satin bonnet? Are you combing it versus finger detangling? What are you doing?’ And it would go the same with my everyday life. So, paying more attention to my hair and even internally has helped me grow. That’s been helping me a great deal, just simply paying more attention to myself, observing myself, and I’ve been seeing better results with my hair, mental and personality, and things of that nature.”
Lennox’s message to those who may feel underrepresented in the beauty industry is that there’s room for all the diverse hairstyles that represent everyone, regardless of hair. Lennox hopes that her collaboration illustrates such.
“The message I hope is being spread here is that we are all included,” Lennox told ForbesBLK. “We are all seen, and we’re all necessary, and we matter. There’s a company out there that cares about catering to us versus just a certain type of hair, and it’s nice to just feel included and seen.”