Adele and other celebs who were criticised for cultural appropriation; Read here

Several American popstars have been accused of cultural appropriation time and again. From Adele's recent Bantu Knots to Beyonce’s Henna and more, so many iconic singers have been in the news and called out for cultural appropriation. Read about these celebrities:

Celebs who got called out for Cultural appropriation

Adele’s Bantu knots

Pop Singer Adele took to her Instagram on August 31st to share a picture from her day at the Notting Hill Carnival. The singer sported a Jamaican flag bathing suit and Bantu Knots. Bantu Knots are an Afro hairstyle done to protect the hair and are usually sported by a tribe that speaks the Bantu language.

While most of her fans appreciated her in comments, things got a little out of hand as she was accused of cultural appropriation. Jamaican people also rose to the singer’s support as they said they had no problems with her clothes or hair and for them, this is nothing but cultural appropriation.

 

Kim K’s Maang Tikka

Kim Kardashian in April 2020 wore a maxi skirt and crop top and accessorised it with Indian accessories. The thing that caught the eye of her followers was the 'Maang Tikka'. Her adorning this accessory did not go well with the Asians as she received major flak for it.

Twitterati said everything from, ‘if you love the culture so much try donating to these countries’, to ‘bringing up when Kardashian on her family TV show said that Indian food is disgusting.’ Another South Asian user said: 'My culture isn’t your “aesthetic” or “style” so please show some respect and not use it for you to model in. Cultural appropriation is not okay.'

 

Beyoncé’s Henna and Jewelry

In 2016, Beyoncé did a song with Coldplay called Hymn For The Weekend. The singer had sported a complete desi avatar for the song which was also shot in the Indian cities of Mumbai and Kolkata. Beyoncé wore heavy Indian jewellery and henna along with a lehenga in the video. She received major flak for cultural appropriation. The video also had sequences that showed Indian stereotypes.

Ariana's 7 Rings tattoo

Ariana Grande also came in the public’s negative eye when she got tatted-up after her song, 7 Rings. Her tattoo, which was just a couple of Kanji letters, was supposed to mean ‘7 Rings’ but ended up meaning ‘BBQ Grill'. The pop-singer later acknowledged that she doesn’t know how to read or write Kanji.

Apparently, Ariana after some guidance got some additions made to the tattoo. She also received flak for cultural appropriation for wearing black and queer culture outfits during her Sweetener tour.

 

Katy Perry's geisha look

Katy Perry got called out for her dressing up as a geisha for her performance at the AMA’s of 2013. She was also noticed and criticised for her hairdo in her music video of This Is How We Do and usage of symbols from Ancient Egypt in the Dark Horse music video. She was widely accused of cultural appropriation.

Promo Pic Courtesy: Still from Hymn for the Weekend and Adele's Instagram

Also Read: Ellen DeGeneres Says 'we Are Starting A New Chapter'; Kicks Off New Season Of Her Show

Also Read: Did You Know Tom Felton Hadn't Read 'Harry Potter' Books Before Being Cast As Malfoy?