We recently posted a photo of Talia on our Instagram page and it became one of our most liked posts that week. Her vibrant curly mane struck a chord with many of our followers… and us too! SO we reached out to this talented singer to see if she’d be willing to share her curl secrets. Read on to see how she learned to embrace her curls. It may surprise you…
1. How long have you been wearing your hair in its curly/natural state?
I’ve been wearing my hair in its curly/natural state consistently for just about ten years. I grew up in the 90s when stick straight hair was in. No one around me really knew what to do with curls back then, so I always considered my hair an enormous burden. I got teased relentlessly until I left high school. (MAN I wish the internet/this website had been around then, so I could have met other people celebrating their curls!)
In any event, it wasn’t, so I straightened my hair every day for years. As a result it was dry, incredibly damaged, and brittle. When I was 18 I moved to a very warm/humid climate for the year, and my “straight” hair literally wouldn’t last more than ten minutes. I decided then that it was time to stop fighting against myself and began my journey.
That choice was out of necessity, but later on that year I made a choice out of principle to stop straightening my hair. I read Malcolm X’s’ autobiography, and though I am neither black nor mixed-race, I related strongly to his recollection of “conking” hair with chemicals like lye to make it look like the straight hair of the dominant culture.
I never used chemicals to relax or calm my hair, but I certainly wasn’t in any space to accept, let alone celebrate, my natural hair. When I made *that* choice: to celebrate my natural self, my hair routine took a real turn toward a joyful rewarding experience.
2. Can you summarize your current hair regimen?
I use DevaCurl No Poo once every three days, DevaCurl One Condition every two days, and DevaCurl ultra hold defining gel + a dryer and diffuser whenever my hair is wet. Once every one-two weeks I deep condition.
3. What are your staple hair products?
I have a serious soft spot in my heart for DevaCurl. They were the first place to really understand me when my mother brought my damaged messy self in at age 15. So I’m a Deva girl through and through:
• DevaCurl No Poo
• DevaCurl One Condition
• DevaCurl Ultra Hold Gel
SHOP THE PRODUCTS
4. What are your favorite hairstyles?
I mostly wear my hair down, whenever I can. My safety hairstyle when I don’t have the time is a twist w/ all my hair basically piled at the top of my head with a clip. I let some curls cascade down.
5. Who is your celebrity curl crush?!
Good question! Lately I’m in to Ilana Glazer from Broad City… I really love how she just fearlessly wears her hair. Also pretty obsessed with Britney Watkins’ hair. I could go on. I’ll spare you.
6. Does having curly hair help you stand out in the music industry?
I’m not sure if having curly hair helps me stand out in the music industry, but I can say that I make my best music when I’m at my most authentic, and my most authentic is when my hair is my own. And hey, if having big ass rad hair helps me stand out I’m all for it!
7. What was the last compliment you received about your hair?!
The last compliment I heard about my hair was that it was “luscious.” It kind of creeped me out? Haha. Truth be told, even ten years into a healthy hair routine I still have to fight the instinct to correct someone when they compliment me. Now I just say “Thank You! I love it too!”
8. For many naturals it’s a journey to fully understand their hair. It’s a process of trial and error. What was your “Curls Understood” moment (the moment you felt like, “I’ve got this!” or any essential advice you wish you had known at the beginning of your hair journey)?
I think that only happened recently. I cut my hair really short a few years back and it was kind of traumatic. I didn’t do it right and I didn’t know how to take care of it. Growing it out took *years* and when it finally got to a length I felt comfortable with I began to really invest in a consistent, specific routine. At some point I started to realize that, for the first time in my life, my hair and I were finally starting to be friends. There’s something so powerful about celebrating yourself for who you really are, and honestly, every time I celebrate my hair and myself it feels like my Curls Understood moment.
See more of Talia…
Site: TaliaTaliaTalia.com
Instagram: @talia_music
Facebook: OfficialTalia
Photo Credit: Talia Music
