The Bleaching of Rihanna
Ever been watching a music video and think to yourself ‘Hey, didn’t that artist used to be black?’ OK, now imagine it isn’t the mid-nineties and the artist in question is not Michael Jackson.
This is exactly how I felt while watching Maroon 5’s most recent video titled “If I Never See You Face Again”, featuring Rihanna.
Especially pay attention to the scenes starting 31 seconds in. The ones in the ‘red’ room. Rihanna looks downright bleached. At a minute and 15 seconds she is standing right next to lead singer Adam Levine, a certified white boy, and there is barely a shade of difference between them. I immediately start thinking, ‘Has she always been so pale and I’ve just been completely oblivious.’ Short answer, no.
An earlier big release of Rihanna’s. Decidedly darker, no? What is going on here?
As far as photographs go her skin tone does seem to vary quite a bit no matter what time period, so it’s probably safe to say this isn’t something she is doing herself via something like skin bleaching. So why?
It seems pretty obvious that some people are still uncomfortable with attractive women not just being ‘black’ but in general, not white. Absolutely gorgeous women from Halle Berry to Jennifer Lopez have been victims to the lightening of the Photoshop dodge tool. Is it the individuals who are the editors and filmographers who are consciously making these decisions? Is it a corporate line to make them “more attractive” to the main stream? Or is it simply an unconscious reaction to an internalized ideal of “light = beautiful”?
And I do think it has to deal with a type of appeal. Given my limited research, I’ve noticed that those classified as “latino” men are also usually lightened. But it is much rarer for a male to have their skin lightened for a publication, in fact they are more likely to be darkened in certain circumstances. When an artist is supposed to be edgier and “darker”, tadaa, they make them physically darker; this is particularly popular for music artists such as 50 Cent, because you know, people with dark skin complexions are scary and dangerous.
It’s downright depressing.
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When my sister and I watched that marron 5 video i also did notice her skin was white. Rihanna use to be darker than me, I am a very light brown…because she was a more golden beautiful brown like my sister. now she is as white as that white man! it’s sickening. the more famous she becomes, the more stupid and white she seems. I could tolerate her annoying voice before because she was shedding light on smaller caribean islands with her music..but now ..she is just a black girl gone white. she can;t even sing and as for me, an aspiring singer, it’s daunting how white is always better in this society..that it’s sickening.