Beyonce Skin Lightening Scrutinized in New Album Cover

By Christine Thomasos, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Beyonce’s new promotional image for her album “4” has sparked some controversy regarding the singer’s skin complexion.

The new mother appeared scantily clad in the image, sprawled over a leopard couch with a fair skin tone, blond hair and light eyebrows. Some people expressed shock and concern regarding the image on Twitter.

“Beyonce is clearly going through an identity crisis," an observer tweeted. "I guess being a beautiful black woman isn't enough!"

The promotional image is not the first time Beyonce has been accused of lightening her skin in an image. The singer appeared in a 2008 L’Oreal advertisement with a fair skin tone, causing many to speak out about the implications.

However, representatives for L’Oreal denied tampering with the singer’s skin.

"It is categorically untrue that L'Oréal Paris altered Ms. Knowles' features or skin-tone in the campaign for Feria hair color," said a company statement made to FOX networks. "We highly value our relationship with Ms. Knowles."

After the recent fair-skinned image surfaced, D. Channsin Berry, creator of the “Dark Girls” documentary, commented on the controversy. He told The New York Daily News that the singer may need to work with God on some internal issues.

“I wish she had people around her telling her that God doesn’t make mistakes, that you are beautiful the way you are,” Berry said. “What does something like this do for a young girl who’s so impressionable and … says ‘Mommy, I want my skin to look like Beyoncé’s,’ that’s dangerous.”

Despite the backlash that the singer is receiving, she is not the first celebrity to be accused of lightening her skin physically or in an image. Singer Rihanna, former professional baseball player Sammy Sosa and rapper Lil’ Kim are only a few of the many celebrities of color to be questioned about skin lightening.

Although the verdict is still out on Beyonce’s image, Vybez Kartel, a Jamaican dancehall artist, admitted to bleaching his skin. The musician blamed the societal values in place for his desire to use a skin lightening “cake soap.”

“When black women stop straightening their hair and wearing wigs and weaves, when white women stop getting lip and butt injections and implants … then I'll stop using the 'cake soap' and we'll all live naturally ever after," Kartel said.