Tamu McPherson:

As a Parisian born, French Caribbean immigrant, now based in Brooklyn, you span multiple cultures in your experiences. Tell us about how your family and childhood influenced your hair and beauty standards and who were the important figures and important moments?

Adi Oasis:

My hair inspiration comes 100% from my dad's side of the family, which is the side from Martinique. My mom is white, from the countryside in France. She was 15 years old the first time she saw a Black person. And she remembers where, and showed me, by the way. So it's not her fault. She just did not know Black hair at all. And my hair was a mess, until I was going to my auntie's homes, or my grandmother. My grandmother was the ultimate hair boss in my life. Yeah. She was kind of the ultimate boss of everything in my life. She would braid my hair and comb it, and it hurt, and it was kind of part of the ritual of our love language, you know?

Tamu McPherson:

Absolutely. So many of our friends that we've spoken to refer to that time with whoever's caring for their hair as the ultimate love conversation, because it is in adoration of their crown. It is such an intimate time spent together, caring and nurturing for us. 

And when you are biracial, I think people take it for granted that one parent, just because of their circumstances, may not have ever had experience with the other culture. And as my origins are also very mixed–I have a similar story where my grandmother didn't even realize that she was half Black until her father came to visit her in the countryside in Jamaica, and she just didn't know. And when we think about our families in this context, what are our thoughts? What’s your aunt's name, your Martinique  aunt? What's her name?

Adi Oasis:

I have 20 thousand. My dad is one of 10! Two aunts in particular, Tati Francette and Tati Marcelle and, and in French and in Creole we say tati for auntie. And then also I have an older brother who's 17 years older than me and his wife, who very sadly passed away a few years ago. She was a big sister to me, and she's the one who did my hair, because my aunts… it really depended on where I was and who was available. My grandmother was in Martinique, so it was only in a summertime that I would get that kind of style. But my sister-in-law-slash-big sister was, was also the first one who gave me the whole legendary infamous perm and made my hair straight, and then it burned it after a while and I was so happy because I had long straight hair, because I had so much insecurity around my hair.

And just to jump from when you mentioned the honoring of our crown and the pride–I will say that I, as much as I wish that was the case in the West Indies, at least in my country, there's so much insecurity with Black hair. I mean my grandmother was born in 1923, so I'm sure it's changed now, but she's the one who gave me this perception, and a lot of the times it's just even hair-out curly, natural was unacceptable. It had to be in braids, in buns, or completely permed and burned, and they didn't know better. 

And we all know where that comes from. It retraces from so much cultural trauma and insecurity. But it's important to say it, because we need to address it so we can heal from it. And I think we're doing so much better. But I remember walking into my grandmother's home with my hair out with literal fear, and the last time I saw her, the first thing she said was, there's a comb right here, grab that and give it to me. I was 28 years old, and she literally combed my hair, because she could not stand my hair out.

It's important to talk about it, because if we don't, we don't know. We don't learn and get better.

Tamu McPherson:

100%. We're going to be talking about it a lot on the site going forward, because of the science and the research that's pointing out how dangerous chemical straighteners are to our health, and that they cause cancers. It’s not just a matter of the burns that we used to get. My hair was chemically straightened for a very long time. The reason why I went completely natural is that I had a burn that was so bad that it caused acute psoriasis. And that's just like when it's so severe. It happened here in Italy because–you know, in France I feel that the hair care industry for BIPOC women may be much more advanced than it is here in Italy. So not a lot of people knew how to do relaxers here.

And I went to a salon one day and the guy that was doing my relaxer, he just had his cousin do it. I've experienced that also in the US, but I just kind of feel like since more people are seeing relaxers, they know how to do it. His salon offered extensions and weaves and so he was great at that, but like the actual care of the relaxer, he really wasn't that experienced, nor was this cousin that was helping him out. And funny enough, here in Italy, after the dermatologist basically resolved this acute psoriasis, I went back to him because the relaxer, it didn't take, and the roots were still so kinky. I went back and I was like, well, can I get a relaxer now, like maybe four weeks after? And this Italian dermatologist said to me, I can't tell how you are feeling now, and I don't know what you want to look like in general, and this is your hair, but from a medical standpoint, I don't think you should ever, ever put that chemical in your head again.

So, we're absolutely going to talk about it. And I want to ask you at this point, what can you say to BIPOC women globally who are relaxing their hair just as a warning about the dangers that it poses to our health. It's important to note that we're addicted to relaxers in our communities also. Like we want that straight hair until today. However, with the science coming out, how important do you think it is to talk to our fellow sisters and brothers and explain like the risks associated with straightening our hair?

Adi Oasis:

You know, I'm not educated on the subject enough with the health risks. It just is kind of logical to me that chemicals on your skin are just never a good thing. But from my experience and from knowing the, the root behind it, like the reason the psychological mindset behind it: it's not healthy mentally to want to change yourself to that point. I understand why people do it because I've been there as a teenager. But society needs to change around us, and we need to change first, because we don't need to have straight hair.

That's really what it is. I'm looking at you and how beautiful your hair is and how it fits your face. It just, that's how you're supposed to be. And I can't imagine you with straight hair. And that would be my advice to somebody: you are beautiful as you are, and there's so many things we can do with Black hair. And I think we're getting there, like braids are coming back, it was a big thing in the 90s. Relaxers were also a big thing in the 90s. I'm seeing less relaxing and more braids, more, and you put on a wig for fun. You know, it doesn't have to damage your hair. It's just: are we able to just look at ourselves in the mirror the way we naturally came out and be okay with it? And that's, that's the most important thing is just accepting how we are. And it's difficult because I come from an entire culture of that, of you're not good how you are.

My only advice to anybody will be: your hair is beautiful and you don't have to look like a European person to be beautiful. After centuries of being told the opposite. 

Tamu McPherson:

The brainwashing. 

You use your hair to communicate in your performances, and you've given examples of how you change your hair and how you adorn your hair…. Elaborate: when did you realize that that was a powerful tool that you could incorporate into your work to inspire, to enhance your music and, and your performance in general?

Adi Oasis:

I don't know if I've ever seen it as something to inspire necessarily, but I've just learned along the years of my career that the more acceptance of myself I have, the more inspiration I tend to project. But I remember specifically where things started changing for me. I was wearing my hair natural since I was a teenager. I stopped relaxing my hair pretty early on because I have an older sister who kind of paved the way for me. But I moved to New York at 19 years old and for many, many reasons after five days of hanging out here, I decided to stay and never went back. 15 years later, I'm still here, but I remember walking on the streets in New York City in the East Village with my hair out–that was like mid 2000s. And it was when it was really like starting to be a thing, natural hair, and I was getting compliments on my hair everywhere I was walking, for the first time. I wasn't ashamed. And that really is the proof of how the outside eye influences your inner perception. It's just so sad and true. And I started feeling comfortable, confident. And then on stage, I just started having so much fun with my hair.

Tamu McPherson:

Do you do you come up with the concepts yourself?

Adi Oasis:

Well, here's the interesting thing. My stylist is not Black. She is of Greek descent, born in New York City. Her parents both came off the boat from Greece, and she has kinky hair. She has long, wavy hair. But the texture, she has like, you know, Greeks and they're very Mediterranean, so she looks Northern African, mainly. It is a bonding thing for us, because she relates more to me with hair than with white people. And she's kind of this in between. People never know what she is, and think she's Puerto Rican or Egyptian. She’s so open-minded and it is proof that you don't have to be Black to honor and understand Black hair. And she comes up with a lot of my hairstyles. She's the one that had the idea for the barrettes, and I have to give it to her! She was a writer at Vogue for eight years, and she finds inspiration and she understands that she’s styling a Black woman. We always want to keep it real and a little bit urban. She's never said we should do straight hair, like blow dry straight. She understands. And she uses a lot of these hair clips and stuff on her own daughter.

I think it's a good story, because when I was modeling in New York back in the day, I have so many horror stories from being on sets and the hair person does not know what to do with my hair. You don't have to be Black to understand Black hair. It's hair. And people need to start doing the work.

Tamu McPherson:

As she's done. When you were modeling, did you have instances where you spoke up to management, spoke up to whoever was heading production backstage, lead hair, makeup? Or was it just that you experienced it, like many other BIPOC models? 

Adi Oasis:

I would say the latter. It's just–it's just difficult to speak up when no one's there to listen.  And you know, they wouldn't understand. There was nothing to do in the moment because the person is already there. So it was pretty… you know, I wouldn't say the word traumatic because there are worse things, but it was really terrible to be in these situations when we are made to feel like we're less. Like we don't belong or we're different. And I'm not different. It's hair. You are the one that doesn't know how to do hair. So I had that conversation with myself, but it was difficult to do anything to change it at the time. You know, I don't know what I would say to a young model that's sitting in that chair right now. There were moments where I just ended up doing it myself. 

Tamu McPherson:

I think things are changing. But what I've heard is, it's like quick fix now. Like, we're all going to have braids or we're all going to have like short hair, or you're going to have shorter even than mine. That's kind of how they streamline it. Beyond that there really isn't anything new being offered. I still feel like there's like a long way to go, you know?

Adi Oasis:

Yeah, for sure.

Tamu McPherson:

I want to go back to your grandma. What do you think about her generation? I mean, I know that within our community, our elders were policing us because of the trauma they experienced via colonialism. Now, looking back, are you able to appreciate why she policed your appearance like that?

Adi Oasis:

I mean, I understand it. There was not much to do to change her. I built enough resilience and self-confidence that I just kind of did it for her at that point. Because some people you just cannot change them.. She passed at 99, and she lived a good life! I have compassion and I understand. But it has to stay in the past, that generational behavior and belief, you know?

It goes beyond hair, to skin color and colorism within the islands. And you know, just sort of this understanding that being lighter is “better”. That needs to go. It just needs to end. So whatever conversations we need to have to change that…

Tamu McPherson:

I mean it's so complex, because here we are talking about hair, but colorism is a huge issue all across the Caribbean–also in Jamaica. And I mean, we have classism too, but of course it’s tied to colonialism. Most upper-class people in Jamaica tend to be light-skinned and/or white, but not Black. And you see it and you feel it when you go home, even though it's 2023–the systemic structures are still there, because it's so deep in the fabric of society, you know. But it is through these conversations and constantly talking about it.

Do you feel, this year, that we're slightly moving away from being so active and so vocal about these topics? Or within your circle? Or do you still see people very vocal and very active?

Adi Oasis:

I think we're in phase two. I'm just making that up now. But with every change, it starts with the conversation and then you apply the change, and then it takes a while to settle in. But, from my observation, we are way less in the conversation phase, and we have moved up to the phase where the awareness was created and it's more about action. Because I do see Black women all across the board, and I'm seeing the impact. And we talked earlier about the U.S. versus Europe, and I think when it comes to Black culture, popular Black culture, it comes a lot from the U.S. and it impacts the rest of the diaspora.

And I see the impact in Black girls when I walk around the streets in Paris–it's a lot more braids, it's a lot more natural hair, which wasn't the case before when I moved to New York and was going back to Paris, it was not settled in yet. So I think we are in that phase of trend. It is a trend to have braids. It is a trend to post YouTube videos of tutorials for Black hair. There is a platform for Black women out there and they're using it and they're turning it into beauty and owning it. I don't hear people talking about it as much as I hear people acting on it, which is good.

Tamu McPherson:

So, I want to talk about aging, because I really am starting to see myself aging and we want to look at younger generations and how they experience or think about the idea of aging. We have a lot of young people now having preventative procedures, which is very foreign to me because I didn't think about aging until like… I couldn't see anymore. I have several pairs of reading glasses now and I cannot get rid of the puffiness under my eyes. So now I'm looking for ways to deal with this. 

Adi Oasis:

I mean, Botox is almost like the new gloss. It's like, what's the latest cool lipstick? and then everybody gets it. When I'm seeing it for younger generation, I don't know if it's aging as much for my generation. It's related to aging for sure. I have some friends that do it, most of my friends don't. But for the 20s and the the kids in their early 20s that are doing it, it's almost sadder. It's more about ] looking similar to other people and conforming, yet again. It was a perm before, and now we're re-touching our faces. And there's a certain aesthetic. It’s really crazy. I'm like, you guys are all looking at the same. It's like when you see teenagers all dressed the same, which is a natural thing for when you're still shaping up your yourself and your self-confidence to just kind of do what other people do. And we all have to look alike. But the trend has taken them to actually permanently changing their faces.

Tamu McPherson:

Because that is the beauty standard that they're being fed right now. It is sad because there truly isn't any clear desire being exhibited to want to be unique or look like yourself. And also, the standard is being created and dictated by women who are not BIPOC. It’s appropriating our features, taking from the culture and pursuing looks that were naturally ours, that we don't need to enhance in any kind of way. And so, obviously I'm talking about the Kardashians of the world who like enhance their lips or I don't know, went up with the cheekbones and like those are things that we naturally have that we don't need to pursue.

But it's funny how it comes back into our culture. Like, why are we plumping our lips? We were born with beautiful full lips. But you're right, I think as our generation ages, we also have to combat everything that is involved with aging today, because it's not as simple as when our mothers were aging. There's like pollution, there is all sorts of stuff in our food that's like just destroying our bodies, and the weathering that happens to us in this world. We're still like fighting to find our place in society, even though it's 2023. 

Who are your icons, who do you look for personal inspiration?

Adi Oasis:

Grace Jones.

That's it. She she's owning all the things we've been talking about. Yes. Short, kinky hair, dark skin, femininity meets masculinity. I have this giant picture of her, but it's also kind of an untouchable, like liking basketball and talking about Michael Jordan. Like what are your chances of being like Michael Jordan? My chances of ever looking like Grace Jones are slim to none! But she is an inspiration, because she's the embodiment of what society has been constantly telling us was not beauty. And she just stood up to become the most iconic, most beautiful, respected woman in the world. And it's truly her attitude and her self-confidence. You know? 

I talk about Venus and Serena Williams all the time. Showing up at 17 years old at the U.S. Open with beads in their hair. What a bold statement that was. And they’ve been so chastised and called ugly so many times. Why is she ugly? Can you tell me why? Based on her features and her strength and her skin color. It's just really the embodiment of complete racism, because you're comparing her to Sharapova, who's European. Russian, with very thin, thin nose and blue eyes and straight hair. It's only because colorism and society has told you that this woman is more beautiful. Because to me, Serena's extremely beautiful. 

Tamu McPherson:

She really embodies the essence of beauty.

Adi Oasis:

To them, she doesn't, and it's their problem. And it's important for me to name dark-skinned women, because, you know, I could say Halle Berry. But colorism is a real thing, you know? So as a light-skinned woman, I do see that I'm treated a bit different sometimes. It depends on the country I'm in. And it's an interesting thing, but I do want to make space for that.

Tamu McPherson:

Do you consider the color of your skin a privilege?

Adi Oasis:

I don't really see it that way because I wasn't raised in America. 

In America I'm Black, no matter what. And it's a good perspective to have at some point, because I grew up in France and there is kind of an exoticism attached to women from Martinique. There was a lot of insecurity for me growing up that stemmed from hearing: you are exotic, you're this woman from Martinique. It's complicated. But I came to the US and it's like, no, you're Black no matter what. And it was good to be rooted into the concept of: your problems are my problems. Yeah. And we all get better together.

Tamu McPherson:

And that being treated in that way in France, was it unsettling for you? When you were navigating your life there, I guess you couldn't help feeling that people were treating you a certain kind of way because of this perverse curiosity?

Adi Oasis:

That was a part of it. But a lot of it was racism too. A lot of it is like, you're not as good. Being a little girl while on TV anything related to the world of beauty, dolls, hair products, are all white based. So I did feel different. 

The issue in France too is the question: Where are you from, all the time? Which I understand comes from curiosity sometimes. Like if you're a person of color in Europe, you are from somewhere else. It's changing a little bit now. But my dad is from the generation of people of color that moved to France and no one of color was there before. Which is our strength, in a way, because we have our own language, we have our own culture and we are kind of standing as our own within that society. We're in France, but we're Creole. We eat rice and beans and we speak Creole.  It is a good way to stand in your own pride and just have your own identity. And very often, people want to know, what's your identity? 

I understand the curiosity. It's not always welcome though. Like we're having a conversation about something else. I speak French just as well, perhaps better than you. Why do you need to know? I'm French.

I would like to be considered French first, and they need to work on that. There's work to do. You don't have to be white to be French. And that's still not completely settled in with a lot of people.