Lauryn Hills Surprise Coachella Set Was Elevated With an Artful Balmain Ensemble
Lauryn Hill totally shocked Coachella concertgoers when she took the stage Sunday night in support of her son, YG Marley, who was one of the featured acts at the springtime festival. During her appearance, the rapper belted out a number of her classics, like “Ex-Factor” and “Lost Ones,” and was joined by fellow Fugee Wyclef Jean for a rendition of “Killing Me Softly.” And as if all this weren’t thrilling enough, Hill also elevated her surprise set with an artful ensemble courtesy of Balmain.
The Grammy winner came onstage in a black and yellow fit from the label’s men’s Fall/Winter ’24 ready-to-wear collection. The pantsuit is part of the French fashion’s house collaboration with Ghanaian artist Prince Gyasi—a native of the country’s capital, Accra, who has become globally renowned for his color-blocked photos, which joyfully and vibrantly depict African culture.
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Umberto Fratini
Hill’s electric-yellow set included a sharp-shouldered blazer and straight-leg slacks decorated with a print inspired by Gyasi’s 2022 piece Nami (Large). The buttery ensemble featured a large black silhouette of the figure from that work, who holds up a hoop from which long colorful ribbons are fluttering back. As in the original image, the silhouette wore a bright red silk loincloth, which continued across both legs of the pantsuit.
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The rapper’s vivid suit coordinated perfectly with the stage’s background visuals when a huge Ethiopian flag bearing the Lion of Judah flashed across the screen. (This specific iteration of the flag is often flown by members of the Rastafarian faith like YG’s grandfather, legendary reggae musician Bob Marley.)
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Underneath the pantsuit, Hill added a black button-up and cinched her pants with a thick belt featuring giant bejeweled buckles. She also wore white beads in her hair and threw on sky-blue eye shadow, which added another bright pop of color to the overall look. It was a powerful ensemble that commanded the attention of the audience, and it was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to an artist who has always suffused every aspect of her work with meaning.
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Joel is the editorial and social media assistant for HarpersBAZAAR.com, where he covers all things celebrity news. When he steps away from the keyboard, you can likely find him singing off-key at concerts, scavenging thrift stores for loud wardrobe staples, or perusing bookstores for the next great gay romance novel.
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