, Screen Actors Guild and Academy awards, where she brought the house down with her performance of “Stand Up” — the film’s Oscar-nominated song, which she co-wrote. But an album of her own work was always the plan.“Music was a huge part of my childhood,” she says. “My mom would play music in the house every weekend when she was tidying up, whenever she cooked and when we’d go to school.” With exposure to an array of artists and eras, from Annie Lennox to Boney M.
Professionally it’s Erivo’s job to embody other people, but personally she’s very comfortable in her own skin and her fashion choices. Serving fearless looks has consistently landed her on best-dressed lists. “I’ve had really wonderful moments, and I blame it on my stylist, Jason Bolden,” she says. “He understands what I want, how I want to see myself, and he also understands that I’m not afraid, so we really have fun playing with pieces”—which makes choosing a personal favourite impossible.
Photography by Royal Gilbert. Dress, price upon request, Giambattista Valli. Necklace , $3,290, Sterling King. Septum ring and studs and necklace , Erivo’s own. Her practice of self-expression extends to her elongated fingertips. During our chat, she describes her present nail art as “black-and-white snakeskin coming through lava.” A fan of a soft-almond-stiletto nail shape, Erivo first fell in love with how her hands looked with long nails after her godmother took her to a salon when she was 16. “I was really obsessed with Barbra Streisand—I still am—and her hands are always manicured,” she says. “Even when she played Yentl, her fingers were manicured.