Lovely Hoffman is an IRNE Award Winner, Broadway World Award recipient, and a respected, multi-talented performer and educator. We had the pleasure to catch up with this beauty and community trailblazer. Take a look and see what she had to say.
- What prompted you to write the song “My Black is Beautiful”?
I have been working with Black and Brown girls for over 10 years. In my experience, I learned that the root of a lot of the issues these young ladies dealt with was self-esteem. Whether it was their peer-to-peer relationships or confidence. Also, I would hear some of the very hurtful remarks children would say to each other. Witnessing this first hand compelled me to write a song that would create a platform for Black Girls to embrace their blackness and feel empowered.
- It is clear you have a passion to uplift young girls, but why black girls? Why not girls in general?
I am committed to sharing stories that affect young girls and women who look like me and who share similar challenges. We live in a society where the beauty standard has historically excluded Black and Brown girls. As a result, many girls have internalized this ideology that Blackness does not represent beauty. In the Black communities, and in many non-white communities, some believe that the more European you look the prettier you are. In fact, skin lightening creams, used by non-white groups to lighten their skin, is on the rise worldwide. So, this song was created to make Black and Brown girls, who are too often underrepresented, define beauty for themselves and to embrace their blackness.
When did you first realize, you wanted to be an entertainer?
I consider myself an artist. I have been singing since I was 8 years old. I started singing in the church and I never stopped. Being an artist just felt like something I was born to do. Since I was young people would always tell me that my singing affected them in a positive way. This was confirmation for me that I wanted to be a singer.
- If you could change something about the entertainment industry, what would it be and why?
I love the fact that many artists are unafraid to use their platform to tell their stories. I see this happening more because artists are controlling their own destiny. Artists are no longer relying on major record labels. They are doing for themselves. Artists are writing and distributing their own music. It is so empowering to see and I want to see more of this in the future.
Who were some of your role models growing up? Why?
Well, growing up, I really admire Brandy. She was this beautiful Black girl with dark skin and braids who I would watch on television every week. And she could sing really well. She was the closest musician on television that resembled me and I loved her. I also admired Lauren Hill because she was so smart and she used her platform to empower women and critic the world in which we live. These two women are among my greatest musical inspirations.
As a role model, yourself, what do you think is the most important quality a role model should have?
I think integrity and empathy are essential traits. People are always looking for someone who is honest and who care about the issues that matter and that affect them.
Where do you get your inspiration for your music?
I am inspired by the human experience whether it is love, pain, success, defeat, or the struggle. I am also attracted to telling stories that force people to challenge the status quo. Paul Roberson said, “every artist … must decide now where he stands.” In other words, artists have the responsibility to stand and use their platform to empower other and to impact change.
Tell me about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career.
One significant accomplishment in my career was being casted as Celie in the New England premier of The Color Purple. This was really a dream come true! I love the spiritual journey of Celie as told by Alice Walker. I always wanted to play this role because I connected with the character in so may ways. It was really life changing.
How do you think the school you went to influenced your career choice? How do you think where you grew up influenced your career choice?
I have been teaching for over 10 years. I was inspired to be an educator because I wanted to work with children in my community and provide them with the quality education that they deserved. When I attended college, I saw first-hand that the disparities and inequalities that existed in America were real. I grew up in a working-class neighborhood and at college I soon learned that many of my peers had access to opportunities and resources that I did not. I wanted to become an educator to ensure children in my community received a quality education that made them feel good about their heritage and that allowed them to compete with all children.
While in college, I also studied music and I knew that in addition to teaching, I also wanted to pursue my passion as an artist. Pursuing the two has really worked to my benefit. In fact, being an artist has made me a better educator and being an educator has made me a better artist. You see, as an educator you have to be in tune with the challenges of our youth and the struggles they are confronted with on a daily basis. Many of my songs speak to these experiences.
What’s your superpower, or what’s your spirit animal?
I am an Aquarius and according to astrology, we are humanitarians and visionaries. I think I have the power to inspire and uplift people. Empowering others is something I believe I was born to do. I feel like it is my purpose.
What are some issues that you dealt with when you were younger?
When I was younger I struggled with self-esteem because my skin was dark, my nose was round and my hair was curly. Black representation was non-existent in the media. When I did see Black women in the media they did not look like me. So, this impacted me, especially since I wanted to be a musician. I remember a friend telling me that one of my high school teachers said, “Lovely has a great voice but she will not make it in the industry because she does not have the look.” That was really hurtful. I had to learn to love myself and embrace my blackness.
How are they different to the current issues that girls and young women are facing?
I am not sure if things are different in terms of the beauty ideal. I wrote the song, “My Black Is Beautiful” because I saw how many of the young ladies I teach were being made fun of because of the way they looked. I saw many of my beautiful black children feeling insecure because they were Black. It is amazing how time progresses but how little things change. I believe talking about these challenges and getting to the root of these issues is the only way to solve the problem.
How have you used your past experiences to help others better their own lives?
Growing up my parents would always tell me how proud they were of me. And they still tell me this today. My parents are very optimistic and they have always encouraged me to pursue my dreams. I am the same way. I am a very positive and motivated individual. I am always encouraging and working with students. I try to do everything in my power to teach them that they are powerful and that they can achieve anything in life.
What’s your motto in life?
I believe that self-determination is the key to a quality life. I believe that defining ourselves, speaking for ourselves and doing for ourselves will help each and everyone one of us live our passion. I do not believe in sitting back and waiting for opportunities because they may never come. I believe, as individuals, we are powerful enough to control our own destiny.
How do you think women can start to feel good about themselves regardless of the media’s influence?
I think it is important for women to surround themselves with people who have a positive outlook on life. This has really helped me over the years. I have friends of all ages who push me outside of my comfort zone and who always give me a sense of perspective. So again, having a positive attitude and surrounding yourself with positive people is essential. I am also constantly learning about the history of my people and I am always looking for ways to improve my community, especially through the arts. This really makes me feel good like I am a valuable and contributing member of my community regardless of what society or the media says.
What makes you unique?
Empowerment and social justice is something that I am very passionate about. It drives me as an artist. So, I am always writing songs and creating work that encompass my passion. So, as an artist I believe it is important to use my platform to inspire and empower.
What kind of services do you think that we, as a community can put in place for our future generation of young women leaders?
Many cultures engage in a Rites of Passage ritual where young men and women are trained on how to become a man or woman. Rites of Passage forces young people to learn their history, reflect on their purpose in life and work collaboratively as a community. In my opinion, this process cultivates leadership. At my school, Helen Y. Davis Leadership Academy, we have a Rites of Passage program that is mandatory for all of our students and it is powerful to see how this process transforms our children.
Do you think social media negatively affects young girls/women’s self-esteem? How?
I think there are pros and cons to social media. Too often our children believe that social media represents real life and they feel inadequate when they do not measure up to what they see. Additionally, children measure their value or worth by how many likes or views they receive. So, it could negatively affect their self-esteem. Other times, children can learn a lot from the messages and stories that are shared online. So, it is really about media literacy and making sure our children know how to be responsible when on social media.
What makes you beautiful? What’s next for you?
There is a powerful quote that says, “Exterior beauty without the depth of a kind soul is merely decoration.” I think the things that make me beautiful are beyond skin deep. I love our people and our children. I am always looking for ways to help and empower others. I am always trying to be a better person. These are the things that I think make me beautiful.
So, much as happened within these last few months. I have had the opportunity to connect with so many powerful women throughout the country and have been given so many opportunities to perform and share my story. So, make sure you stay connected with me by visiting www.lovelyhoffman.com. I also have more music that I will be releasing soon so stay tuned!
