Erykah Badu Explains The Importance Of Fashion, Artistic Expression And Why Rihanna Excites Her

Queen of neo-soul, Erykah Badu, has been tapping into other forms of artistry, outside of music. Particularly, in fashion. Badu is one of those rare artists whose image and sound outshine her name. Her unapologetic style is unique and recognizable in everything she does.

Givenchy's radical Spring 2014 campaign had Badu's vibrant, bohemian aesthetic all over it. It's no surprise that she styled it herself. Last year, head of Givenchy, Riccardo Tisci, asked Badu if she'd be the face of his Afro-Japanese spring collection. Without hesitation, she agreed. Being a fan of Tisci, Badu credits him with "finishing my musical sentences visually with his designs." She happily modeled and styled the multicultural collection, whose ads make a welcome statement in fashion with their racially diverse lineup.

In an interview with Paper Magazine, Badu discusses her classic music, fashion with Tisci and her feelings on transitioning into different art forms. The singer/songwriter explained the importance of artistic expression and why Rihanna excites her.

"I love watching Rihanna in fashion," she told the magazine. "I like to see her take chances and risks. I like seeing Naomi Campbell in the forefront. They're bold women who stand out and use their bodies as canvases to introduce this functional art to the world. They carry it in a way that is very inspiring."

She went on to speak about her thoughts on the increasing number of musicians turning to fashion, through collaborations and campaigns to fund their art.

"Music has never been lucrative to me. I think my image is more popular than my album sales," Badu said. "The stage is where I shine and pay my bills. But art is art to me. There's nothing new about cross-pollination in art to me because it's all one thing: an expression of who I am. I've always directed all of my videos and been in total control of my image. I write all of the lyrics, stage and produce all of the shows. It's something that comes very naturally to me. It's therapy. It makes me feel awesome, happy, centered and balanced when I can turn out some piece of art -- whether the world sees it or not. It's what keeps me going and breathing."

Read the full interview on Paper Mag.