The move comes after the singer wrote an essay for Lenny Letter last month explaining the freedom she's felt since deciding to embrace her natural beauty. "Every time I left the house, I would be worried if I didn't put on makeup," wrote Keys. "What if someone wanted a picture?? What if they POSTED it??? These were the insecure, superficial, but honest thoughts I was thinking. And all of it, one way or another, was based too much on what other people thought of me."
Deciding she had enough of trying to put on a face (literally) for the world, she followed with this powerful statement: "I don't want to cover up anymore. Not my face, not my mind, not my soul, not my thoughts, not my dreams, not my struggles, not my emotional growth. Nothing."
Now over a month later, we can see that Keys is still living and breathing every word she penned. Not only is last night's appearance proof, but she's appeared fresh-faced in her music video, "In Common," and even covered a magazine makeup-free.
In a still for her music video "In Common":
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On the cover of Fault magazine:
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Out and about:
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We're not saying any of us have to give up makeup (because it can certainly be fun and empowering), but we love that Keys is sticking by her message—and is clearly happy with the results! You do you, and that's a beautiful thing.
And while we're on the topic of badass women, watch Serena Williams dance like Tina Turner:
