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Courtesy of HuluKiana Ledé‘s performance for Hulu’s Your Attention Please: The Concert special Thursday night was inspired by Stacey Abrams’ efforts in turning Georgia blue, as well as the Black women’s suffragist movement.
While singing her KIKI ballads, the R&B singer wore an all-white ensemble and matching ruffled neck piece to pay homage to the notable color worn by suffragists in the decades-long fight for women to have the right to vote.
“I really wanted to pay homage to suffragist movement in the 1930s and Black suffragists,” says Ledé. “I felt very connected to their power this year because we were making it such a big deal and we needed to win for our well-being and for our lives.”
“Still, I wanted to take some inspiration and some power from them and I think it’s just important to celebrate your ancestors and everything they’ve done for us,” she continued. “They really paved the road for us to be able to use our right to vote.”
Ledé said she’s constantly encouraged to support other women by her mother, whom she described as a “very strong” woman.
“The amount of [stuff] that she had to go through in her life to have stability…and then have me and for her to support my dreams and still be her own strong, independent person was really inspirational to me,” Ledé explains. “She always taught me that, ‘I’m stronger and better, no matter what happens.'”
She said she also learned to support other women after competing in beauty pageants and gaining two younger sisters.
“[My mom] always stressed that I needed to become friends no matter, whether we’re competing or not,” added Ledé. “And it’s better to build a sisterhood.”
By Rachel George
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black during homage Kiana Ledé Movement performance suffragist womens
