(October 29, 2025) There is a lot of chatter on social media that tells young people, and particularly girls and young women, that there is one standard of beauty that they should aspire to and chase after. If a person meets that standard, the world accepts them and social media celebrates them. If they don’t meet that standard, it can be tough.
Many artists, thinkers and social commentators push back against this, and musicians lead the resistance, using their songs to critique oppressive (and frankly white supremacist) standards of beauty. Singer Nikki Russell, a Florida based artist signed to Mark Morrison’s record label, adds her voice to the conversation with the sensual and inspirational tune “Red Lipstick.”
“Red Lipstick” is a song that calls on women to set their own standard and celebrate that standard. It is a modern pop & R&B anthem of self love that calls on every woman to ignore the haters and embrace her inner runway model and allow that model to strut.
Russell explains: “In today’s society there is too much emphasis placed on fitting one aesthetic. Girls’ self-value is at an all-time low. I wrote this song to show that we see you as beautiful even though you don’t necessarily fit into the pre labelled box that society calls beauty. You matter and you are worthy of love.”
Check out Nikki Russell’s empowering anthem “Red Lipstick” here.
By Howard Dukes
