It wouldn’t be much of an exaggeration to say that Ariana Grande’s entire world got turned upside down in the three years in between 2015’s Dangerous Woman and its 2018 follow-up. As she leans facedown against a Chevrolet suburban, her hair in cornrows and her shoulders covered by a fur coat, the superstar conveys hurt and strength in one impactful image she is forced to take a breather and collect herself, only to strike back harder. The cover art to Beyoncé’s 2016 masterpiece is taken from the “Don’t Hurt Yourself” music video, and immediately hits you with the dual themes of the LP. Set against a black background, the warmth of the photographic portrait(s) is almost palpable.
If you didn’t get it from the title Young, Gifted and Black, Aretha Franklin was proudly and boldly representing for the African-American community on this 1972 classic, and the cover photo – which shows two sets of gently smiling Arethas facing each other wearing turban head wraps that glow an earthy orange against stained-glass windows – speaks to her African pride and musical upbringing in the church. Aretha Franklin, ‘Young, Gifted & Black’ (1972)
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