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Halle Bailey for Cosmopolitan

Source: Lenne Chai for Cosmopolitan / Lenne Chai for Cosmopolitan

Halle Bailey proves she’s all grown up in Cosmopolitan’s September/October issue. The singer and actress opens up about her evolution from a child star to the musical phenomenon she is today, how being in love inspires her music, and her experience filming The Color Purple.

Halle Bailey talks her transition from a teen star in Cosmopolitan

The transition from a child star to a reputable actress can be challenging. The public has a hard time accepting the change. For Bailey, she is stepping into her grown-woman era and figuring it out along the way.

“There will always be a conversation because I started so young. There’s a sort of protectiveness or ownership that people feel they have over your story because they’ve known you for so long. Part of me thinks that’s a beautiful thing, to know that you have that support from people and they just want to see good things happen to you. But it’s also really easy for us to comment on what other people are doing…to say a lot of stuff. I think the transition will continue to happen naturally. It’s on people to figure it out, not necessarily on me,” she tells Cosmo.

Bailey on her style evolution

Halle Bailey for Cosmopolitan

Source: Lenne Chai for Cosmopolitan / Lenne Chai for Cosmopolitan

We’ve watched the starlet’s red carpet style evolve over the years. Bailey went from dainty, cohesive dresses she wore with her sister to couture gowns with sexy cutouts. And as she continues to grow, she is figuring out what works best for her.

“I look back at some of my pictures on the red carpet and laugh. But as I’m getting older and my body is changing, I’m learning who I am. I want to be sexy. I want to feel good. I want to wear clothes that embrace where I am in life. My confidence has gotten deeper and bigger with the help of my sister. She’s always been an extroverted, sexy, demanding kind of presence. As I’ve watched her, I’m like, That’s so cool. I hope one day I can do that. She’s helping my find my footing in this whole adult-woman world.”

Bailey on loc versatility

Bailey serves fashion goals effortlessly, but we’re also drawn to the versatility she exudes with her natural hair. Until the Bailey sisters, we didn’t know the extent of how a person could switch up their locs, donning various hairstyles. The Little Mermaid actress shares what it was like growing up with locs and how fun it is to change her hair now and then.

Halle Bailey for Cosmopolitan

Source: Lenne Chai for Cosmopolitan / Lenne Chai for Cosmopolitan

“I love my locs. They’re like a sense of security for me because I’ve had them ever since I was young. I’m used to them being a bit bigger and not being able to fit them under your wigs. It’s really cool to be able to switch up your looks from time to time but still embrace your natural self.”

Halle Bailey tells Cosmopolitan people will ‘lose their minds’ over The Color Purple performances

Bailey snagged two significant films this year. This summer, she sent the internet into a frenzy with the release of The Little Mermaid. Now, the actress will play the younger version of Nettie in the highly anticipated adaptation of The Color Purple.

“It was beautifully Blackity Black. Set was like going to a cookout—it felt like a family reunion, honestly, like you’re surrounded by your aunties and cousins. I was just excited to be there as a fan of everyone. The movie is a labor of love. I mean, we all care so much about the original story and really wanted to do a good job with this reimagining. People are going to lose their minds over Fantasia’s and Taraji’s performances. I get chills just thinking about it.”

Halle Bailey for Cosmopolitan

Source: Lenne Chai for Cosmopolitan / Lenne Chai for Cosmopolitan

Bailey discusses her music and being in love for the first time

Bailey is a victim of public scrutiny because she’s in the public eye. Falling in love in front of the world can be stressful, especially since society holds her to an unattainable standard. Despite that, the award-winning singer is navigating love the best way she can, allowing it to inspire her music.

“All musical inspiration really just comes from life experiences. Love has been a really big one for me too, because that’s something I’m experiencing for the first time, and it’s, like, ‘whoa’ in your brain. It’s just fireworks, a spark for creativity. You know, you have puppy love experiences, you think that’s love. But this is my first deep, deep, real love.”

You can read Halle Bailey’s Cosmopolitan interview  here.

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Halle Bailey Talks ‘The Color Purple,’ The Evolution Of Her Style, And Being In Love For The First Time In The Sept Issue Of ‘Cosmopolitan’  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com