Last summer the black female population was on board with a soulful singer as she let the world know that “Girls need love too”. Summer Walker an R&B singer from Atlanta Georgia is only 23 and force to vocally be reckoned with. From her EP “Last Day of Summer” to her debut album “Over it”. Summer showed us all she is just more than a pretty face. Her music speaks to young women who find themselves on the other end of the relationship spectrum. She sings of women who are strong and independent and don’t need a man for anything, but also those same women who want a little affection every now and again.
Just recently after the 2019 Soul Train Awards presented by BET; Summer took home an award for Best New Artist. She also took home a lot of hate and criticism because of how she “presented” herself to the public eye. Summer does not hide who she is, she embraces her personality on her social media platforms. At first some fans saw her as kind of dorky, maybe just a bit shy, and very laid back. Not many knew of the social anxiety that Summer faces. Sure, she has a top charting album and was on tour. However, what many of the “outsiders” tend to forget is that Summer Walker is still a person. It’s not just the “non famous” world that deals with social anxiety and mental illnesses. No one is exempt and Summer is a prime example. She has made her social anxiety known to the public numerous times and didn’t expect the feedback she got.
After the world became known of Summer’s anxiety, they started to bully her. She was placed on different memes for her awkward stance in her Soul Train Award photo. Made into a gif for how quickly she accepted her award no one understood her nervousness and she was even ridiculed for being a stripper. Let’s just say this, the world still has a lot to learn about various types of mental and invisible illnesses and anxiety.
Black women are told to be strong, independent, sexy and they are the foundation of their family. Black women are not allowed to sweat. They must take care of the kids, the house, the car, the bills, and maybe themselves. While putting on a smile for the cameras no one is looking at the black woman to have any mental issues. All black women must be as strong as an ox and seen as a superhero for all. They must not have any flaws.
Summer Walker took to social media immediately after the criticism and expressed how she felt. A heart-breaking moment for the singer, but this is what needed to be said. When she canceled her tour there was a slight uproar as fans just did not understand. Summer has come to terms with her anxiety and introverted lifestyle. Others took to social media saying she should simply “get over it” not realizing that she has already made the strongest step she could in even starting a tour. –This lets us know even further that much research and education is needed amongst the community, in order not to make ignorant judgements and assumptions that pertain to real and documented issues.
Summer has a unique personality. She has tattoos all over her body from her head to her toes. Her natural hair is worn short, but she has a voice of gold and know how to appeal to every audience she interacts with. She doesn’t like to be the center of attention despite the position she is in. With Summer speaking so boldly on her social anxiety this may inspire those in the fame world and those who are hiding behind a mask to finally speak out and no longer push themselves to lengths that will only hurt them in the long run.
We stand with you Summer Walker