In this painting, I depicted an African woman standing under the soft spotlight of a jazz bar stage. She’s a dark-skinned, sensual woman — elegant and mysterious — lost in the music as she sings. Her bold red lips glow against her warm brown skin, echoing the passionate red strokes that cut through the canvas like emotion in motion. She is a Black woman, a woman of color, an African singer whose presence is magnetic, timeless, and powerful.
Inspired by the vintage spirit of retro New York jazz clubs, I wanted to bring forward the glamour and soul of the scene. The wide white hat, the vintage microphone, the richly textured green background — all frame her voice in visual rhythm. She sings the iconic line “I put a spell on you,” a quote from the legendary song performed by Nina Simone. This is a painting with text, a painting with a message.
It is a pop-art portrait of a woman who doesn’t just perform — she enchants. Her voice flows through every brushstroke. Her silence sings.