Alicia Keys showcases her natural beauty in a stunning makeup-free photoshoot for V Magazine. The 35-year-old artist graces the cover with her bare face and natural curls in a series of five covers captured by Inez and Vinoodh for the magazine’s Winter 2016/2017 issue. In her interview, she candidly discusses the societal pressure on wоmen to wear makeup, highlighting the expectation that wоmen look tired if they choose not to wear it.

Following her decision to stop wearing makeup, which she wrote about in an essay for Lenny Letter in May, Alicia made headlines when she attended the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards without makeup. She emphasizes that this pressure is not limited to the entertainment or fashion industries but is ingrained in collective consciousness.

While Alicia emphasizes that she’s not against makeup, she advocates for celebrating the innate beauty that all wоmen possess. Her cover for V Magazine showcases her bare face paired with large hoop earrings and a low-cut pinstripe blazer, reflecting her natural glow.

In addition to her music career, Alicia has been busy as one of the Season 12 coaches on The Voice and released her first single in four years, “In Common,” in May. Her album HERE was set to release on November 4, featuring tracks like “Elaine Brown,” named after the activist and Black Panther chairwoman. Alicia believes in the power of music to bring about positive change, particularly in addressing the social imbalances felt by many.