To kick start off our year, we are introducing two POWERFUL covers this month and the first being Power’s leading lady Naturi Naughton. We had the pleasure of catching up with the lovely singer/actress in L.A. to shoot a breath taking cover and spread.
Shot on location by celebrity photographer Allen Cooley, we wanted to step outside of our comfort zone and shoot something a little more glamorous for the Winter glam issue.
For the issue Naturi reflects on her experience with 3LW, having to rebuild her career and finally having all the POWER. Check out a few quotes from her interview.
Reflecting on 3LW
“During 3LW I was told so many things, a lot of them weren’t always positive, but you know I’m a brown skin black woman. At the time there were certain fads. I use to sometimes feel inadequate or feel like I wasn’t enough. The group had a lot to do with that by telling me; my voice was too soulful, [since] I was a darker skin girl I wasn’t as popular. It was a certain image I had to dress and be a certain way in order to be acceptable.”
When asked to identify who was behind these words geared towards her image she states, “I would say management mainly, the group mem… [pauses]. I mean it was so long ago. I just know it was a lot of different angles, but mainly it was the inner circle of our management and production company.”
“When I came out of 3LW I had been rocked to my core. I had never been so shaken up by life. As a teenager I was in the platinum selling girl group who had a number one song on TRL, 106 & Park, life was crazy, but yet I had no money. I was broke. I was starting from the ground up. I didn’t have a deal. I had to go back to school and find myself. It was a blessing actually. It was hard, but it was the best thing that could ever happen to me.”
In the midst of reflecting over the chaos she repeated, “It was a great learning experience that had its ups and downs. I’m really grateful for it all.” Preceded with, “It shaped me to learn more about myself.”
On her character Tasha from Power
In past roles Naughton has usually been casted as an adolescent or a young minded woman. In this current role she’s shattering the idea of ever being considered a safe actress. Tasha is the kind of woman who takes charge and focuses on maintaining wealth by any means. Although on the surface she may exude confidence and passion Naughton describes the character as insecure and vulnerable. She states, I connect to her vulnerability. Tasha is seemingly very strong she’s presenting this idea of perfection that makes her look insecure. And I have felt that way sometimes. Where people think ‘Oh well you have it all together’, but not know how I truly feel as an actress in this business. Some days being a black woman in Hollywood its not easy. I feel vulnerable, misunderstood, and overlooked sometimes. That kind of vulnerability comes from a real place.”
Shot By Allen Cooley, Styled by Julian R. Lark, Make up by Mel Hunter and Hair by Crystal Givens
Story by: Sebastien Gaudin
Pick up the Winter Glam Issue This Month at your Local Barnes and Nobles
