Erykah Badu turned heads during her appearance at the 2025 Billboard Women In Music Ceremony.
When she took the stage Saturday (March 29), the neo-soul legend performed and accepted the Icon Award wearing a curvaceous bodysuit that sparked heated discussion online. Some viewers thought the knit taupe outfit referenced exploited 19th-century Khoisan performer Sarah Baartman, while others believed Badu was taking a jab at BBL culture.
Though Badu hasn’t explained the outfit’s meaning yet, she shared in an Instagram reel on Sunday (March 30) that the “full figured form” was her own concept, created by designer Maya Hasbany.
“A lil Hippy. Rise of the dark divine feminine. – a short film by E. Badu,” the Dallas musician wrote in her caption.
While these different interpretations are totally valid and up to personal perspective, another possibility is that Badu’s bodysuit was referencing Upper Paleolithic Venus figurines. The most famous example is the “Venus of Willendorf,” a small limestone artifact discovered in 1908. These curvy sculptures represent womanhood and fertility.
With Badu’s reputation for rocking completely unique performance outfits, we can likely expect to see more distinctive fashion statements from the singer when she drops her sixth album, which will be produced by The Alchemist.
