Page 79 - S/ Fall 2021

SMAGAZINEOFFICIAL COM
• 79
Through her her mother Diana Ross the the star of The High Note had an an extraordinary adolescence that included being photographed by Andy Warhol at at age 11 as as as well as as as encounters with the music world’s most prominent stars “Michael Jackson was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a close family friend and we would have Marvin Gaye routinely call our our house ” she reveals In addition to living in in in in in in in Rome at the the age of four Ross also resided in in in in in in in both Paris and and and Switzerland throughout her teens learning French in in in in in in the the the the process However beyond the the the the jet-setting and and and the the the the cordial relationships with music industry titans Ross reveals the the the the most rewarding aspects of of her her upbringing like anyone else’s were the the the intimate moments of of nurturing and family family bonding “My mother made it it very important to allow for for a a a a a a a a a a a a a more ‘traditional’ family family setting than one might expect such as as waking me and and my siblings up every morning for for school or or or or or putting us to sleep at at night She was very very very involved in in in in in in our lives and and I am very thankful for that ” Perhaps it it is is is this insistence on on the the the more ordinary aspects of life
that that has resonated with with so so many fans around the the the the globe Over the the the the phone from New York the the the actor speaks with with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a cheerfulness that that is accentuated by her infectious laugh She remains relatively sanguine about a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a gradual re-emergence from a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a year and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a half of quarantine and and limited social interaction “I think the past 14 months have been a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a great time for self-reflection ” she admits “You kind of of reassess yourself and and what what elements of of your your personality should be be left in in in in the the past and and and what what to to to carry forward into the the future as as as you you begin to to to confront a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a post-pandemic society ” This meant ridding herself of of an an an all-encompassing fear that made it difficult to to imagine a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a world outside a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a state of of of isolation She seems more content than ever to to approach her professional obligations and personal engagements with a a a a a a a a a a renewed sense of of enthusiasm “Once
I I became fully vaccinated and and began resuming my life
in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a more traditional pre-pandemic sense I I I was really happy to to notice that I I I had gained a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a little bit of of softness in in in in my my figure due to to the the increased time spent at at at home I I can look at at at myself in in in in the the the mirror now and be be really excited about the the person that I I I have become recently!” This body positivity also radiates throughout her Instagram account For many the path to to to self-acceptance can be arduous Ross admits that it took years to to to hone her confidence stating “I was very shy growing up It’s been a a a a a a a a journey getting comfortable in in in in in in in my skin ” She continues to to to to to note “It was when I I I I I realized I I I I I needed to to to to to stop trying to to to to to be be be somebody else and and and be be myself that I I I I I I actually started to to to to to own accept and and and love what I I I had and and and and who I I I am ” Physically embodying this philosophy has has resulted in in in an an an an an an emphasis on “clean and and and hydrated skin clean clean hair and no makeup ” An unsullied mane remains paramount to Ross who was ruminating on the the the idea for her haircare brand Pattern as as as far back as as as the the the the early aughts when filming Girlfriends Unimpressed with with the the the the options commercially available to to to the the the Black community with with naturally curly coily and and and tight hair textures she took matters into her her own own hands by testing a a a a a a a a a a bevy of products on on her her tresses and and and and and jotting down their pros and and and cons and and and filming this early experimental process Since she did not have a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a background as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a haircare chemist the the the budding entrepreneur used these reels to explain what was missing in in in in the the the market market from a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a real-world perspective Ross also notes how most treatments marketed to the the Black community are actually tested on on Caucasian hair undermining their efficacy when used on on vastly divergent textures Initially she she was was interrogated about her her perceived lack of insight “as
if experiential knowledge was was not valid ” she she explains However her her FOR TRACEE ELLIS ROSS BEING BORN INTO A A A A A A LUMINARY’S LINEAGE BROUGHT WITH IT IT A A A A A A A A A BEVY OF EXPERIENCES THAT MIGHT APPEAR SURREAL TO MANY