Pharrell has responded to quite a bit of backlash over his “G I R L” cover from critics who said he decided not to feature a Black woman on the cover.
According to Pharrell, however, one of the women on the cover is Black and his critics are the ones who are guilty of discriminating against someone’s skin color — not him.
Twitter went into an uproar upon the release of his album cover, which features Pharrell standing in a bathrobe next to three other women who are also in robes and sunglasses.
His critics quickly criticized him for not having a Black woman on the cover but during an interview with Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club, he explained that the critics are wrong for suggesting that one woman on the album cover isn’t dark enough to be considered Black even though she is of African descent.
“You know what really disappointed me is that, man, they jumped the gun,” Pharrell said. “Because the one I’m standing closest to is Black. She’s a Black girl from like Wisconsin that I used to date like over 10 years ago, or 12 years ago. And it’s just that that just must suck for people to just look at something and to assume that they know what’s going on.”
He also said he was confused as to why he didn’t count as a Black figure on the cover and responded to accusations that the cover was too sexualized.
The image is up to the interpretation of the audience, but Pharrell said that sexualizing women was the farthest thing from what he intended to do.
The singer and producer said that if his critics would have listened to his album they would realize what he’s trying to do.
“…If they just bothered to listen to my album, they would know that my album was an ode to women, period,” he said. “And the one thing that I’m trying to kill…The one thing I was just trying to help and aid in changing is this crazy statuesque standard of you gotta be white, waif and thin for you to be beautiful.”
Later in the interview he dished about his upcoming single “Marilyn Monroe” that promotes wanting women of different sizes, shapes and colors.
“G I R L” is scheduled for release on Monday.