News | Entertainment
29 Mar 2024 4:30
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Emeli Sandé tried to straighten her hair as a young girl because she "hadn't really seen anyone who looked like her on television"

    The 'Clown' hitmaker is glad to see the Black Lives Matter movement has encouraged more conversation on racism, as she remembers wishing she looked different as a child and had less curls


    She said: "I wish I could go back to that girl at 13 or 14 and tell her your natural beauty is great. I was always straightening my hair, taking the curls out with relaxer. Looking back, that's so sad. Relaxer has strong chemicals, but I was trying to be different because I hadn't really seen anyone who looked like me on television. The message of Black Lives Matter is wonderful.

    "Everyone wants to learn. There needs to be a [re-evaluation] of what children are taught at school. Whenever I heard about black people in history, it was that 400 years ago we were slaves. But so many stories are not told: positive messaging of black people's contributions throughout history - especially within the UK. These things shouldn't be left to the parents to teach."

    And the 33-year-old singer struggled to "understand" racist comments at a young age, but now realises the pain it caused her mom.

    Speaking to The Sunday Times magazine, she added: "I hadn't realised the pain my mum felt seeing us exposed to racism at such a young age. When I was about four years old there was a school fair.

    "We had our faces painted and an older lady said, 'Oh, I didn't know butterflies could be brown.' I remember mum had heard it and I hadn't properly understood because we were too young. I think it was really disturbing for her - she saw the reality of racism more than we did at that age."

    © 2024 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     28 Mar: Lily Allen was introduced to Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher as Rita Ora - and was too mortified to disclose who she really was
     28 Mar: Mel B's fiance visited her father's grave to "ask permission" to propose to her
     28 Mar: Kris Jenner won't spend quality one-on-one time with her grandchildren because it would cost her too much time and money
     28 Mar: Halle Berry's perimenopause symptoms were mistaken for herpes
     28 Mar: Keke Palmer wants 10 kids
     28 Mar: Taylor Swift's father won't face legal action after allegedly punching a paparazzo
     28 Mar: Joey King's relationship "hasn't changed much" since she got married
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    The Crusaders' struggles to start Super Rugby have drawn concern from Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    The Government's made a new pay offer to Police More...



     Today's News

    Business:
    The Government's made a new pay offer to Police 21:57

    Entertainment:
    Lily Allen was introduced to Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher as Rita Ora - and was too mortified to disclose who she really was 21:53

    Entertainment:
    Mel B's fiance visited her father's grave to "ask permission" to propose to her 21:23

    Accident and Emergency:
    State Highway 6 is blocked by a serious crash, South of Lake Paringa in the South Island's Tasman region 21:17

    Accident and Emergency:
    State Highway One is has now reopened between Kaikoura and Riverlands - after a two-vehicle collision at Kekerengu, north of Kaikoura, this morning 21:17

    International:
    Shopper swallowed as shopping mall floor collapses in eastern China 21:07

    Entertainment:
    Kris Jenner won't spend quality one-on-one time with her grandchildren because it would cost her too much time and money 20:53

    Law and Order:
    A person has died following an incident at a restaurant in Auckland's Browns Bay 20:27

    Entertainment:
    Halle Berry's perimenopause symptoms were mistaken for herpes 20:23

    Entertainment:
    Keke Palmer wants 10 kids 19:53


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2024 New Zealand City Ltd