The beautiful and talented Laura Izibor is “On the Couch!” Finally, right? This gorgeous and accomplished recording artist has opened for many big hitters, including Aretha Franklin, India.Arie, Estelle, Maxwell and John Legend. I caught up with her in the studio and she dished on her flawless natural curls—in the most amazing accent. It’s not every day you talk to a Black woman with an Irish accent. Dope.
Her Hair Story
I’m mixed race—my mother is white and my father, Nigerian. My mother did an unbelievably good job considering I was her first child with thick, kinky, afro hair. To this day, she she likes me to keep it natural and hates when I do anything to it. I so appreciate that about her today, but when I was little, I thought it was unfair. Growing up I was made to wear it natural, and I really wasn’t fond of it because there weren’t many kids that looked like me at all. So I would keep it back in a really tight bun, which would somewhat pull it straight. I never wore it out.
When I became a pre-teen, around 12 or 13, I tried to embrace my hair and accept my individuality, and I began wearing my hair out and wild. But then, like that India.Arie song, I went and got it relaxed. I was about 13 and wore it relaxed for a couple of years. It dried my hair out terribly and was very difficult to maintain, so while growing out the relaxer, I got braids.
Around 16, I regretfully went down the Jheri Curl path, not knowing that I actually had my own curls. My hair was just dead from all the years I tortured it, and there was no discernible curl pattern. So, yes, I got a Jheri Curl and I wore it for like a year. Then I came to New York around 17 and met a friend who is still one of my dearest friends today. She’s from the Bronx and she just straight up said, “Girl, what are you doing with your hair?’ I was like, “What? What you talking about?” She said, “You need to get that grease out of your head! Come with me.” So we set a date and she washed my hair and gave me a leave-in conditioner, saying, “Here’s a leave-in conditioner. You already have a curl! This will help you moisturize and define it.”
I was shocked, amazed, and forever grateful. I didn’t know I had curls! What a surprise! From that day on I banished the grease, locked the Jheri Curl away, and just started rocking different variations of my natural hair. Sometimes I’d brush it out, or sometimes I’d define it. I love my hair now, and the millions of the things I can do with it.
