A Nigerian model, Yoruba Barbie, has recounted how she was rejected on a music video set because the colour of her skin ‘doesn’t fit the aesthetic’
According to her, the music artiste wanted a light skinned model and members of the crew said there was nothing they could do about it.
She took to her Twitter page on Tuesday to narrate the ordeal and said that was the most insulted she has ever been in the whole of her career.
She wrote: “8am on Sunday, I left my house in Ikeja to the set of a mv at Lekki. Some minutes after noon, the artiste arrived on set and said he changed his mind. He wants a light skinned model because my skin tone ‘doesn’t fit the aesthetic’ 🧵
“At this time, I was done with makeup and half way through my hair, so l was thinking it must probably be a joke. Am I supposed to whip out bleaching cream and turn myself into the skin tone that fits the aesthetic?
“The members of the crew tell me that it’s the artiste’s video and there’s nothing they can do about it. This is very funny to me because the artiste himself casted me for the role a week ago. And it wasn’t until an hour to filming that he decided he wanted a lightskinned girl.
“They said I will be given a compensation fee which isn’t even half the pay for the job but I should be grateful because they could have just told me bye bye.
“Throughout everything the director and the artist refused to address me personally and instead resorted to sending members of the crew to me. They told me to go home, it happens all the time, lightskinned women are preferable for mvs.
“They kept telling me how the situation could have been much worse. ‘What if I had started filming before the artiste changed his mind?’ I should be grateful they decided to give me some money because they originally just wanted to pay for my transport alone.
“I can’t begin to describe how insulted I felt. The fact that this didn’t happen in Europe or Asia makes it all the more hurtful. It’s always baffling to see how outrageously colorist our society and the industry is.
“I’m a dark skinned woman and if I don’t fit the aesthetic or meet up to your beauty standards, don’t book me. It’s that simple. There are thousands of lightskinned women to choose from.
“Models are not accessories. We are not shoes or bags that you can change and replace as you see fit. We are people and we deserve to be treated as such.”
Her tweets have since generated reactions from Nigerians with many sympathetic towards her plight.
A tweep, Kola Oshalusi tweeted: “This is outrageous. The more reason why creative talents should be represented and contracts duly signed.”
@sbands_ also reacted, stating: “I don’t want you to feel like I’m trying to invalidate your feelings or story but this does happen in Europe and Asia…..a lot. Your experience unfortunately happens globally and it’s really sad. Sorry this happened to you and you are beautiful 💕”
@blazingplanner advised her to collect greater percentage of her fee next time.
“Next time collect 50% – 70% of your payment before embarking on any job.”
“Didn’t they see your headshots prior? That’s disrespectful,” @imohumoren said.
While @BasamLygas tweeted: “Grateful because the job is a favour or what !! Sometimes gigs in this country ain’t worth the stress. Normally your agents should collect full pay on your behalf since you already fulfilled your contractual obligations.”
