Proof That Lion Babe Is About to Be Your Next Big Beauty Crush

By Emily Orofino
Getty | Astrid Stawiarz
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If you've yet to hear of the neo-soul music duo Lion Babe, it's time you got acquainted — because they're on the cusp of becoming a household name. Jillian Hervey is the pair's electrifying frontwoman, whose sound is like a deeper, smokier Corinne Bailey Rae. Hervey also is one of the stunning new faces of MAC Cosmetics' recent campaign Future Forward, for which she created a shade of Liquid Last Eyeliner ($21) that applies (and shimmers like) molten gold. When we sat down in MAC Cosmetics' Union Square store in New York City, she spilled on her beauty style, greatest influences, and more.

As it turns out, picking what product to design with MAC was an easy choice for Hervey. "My eyes are naturally almond-shaped and I do like to accentuate them," she explained. "And the gold . . . I love to play with metallics on stage." Another main component of her performance look is her incredible thick, long, wavy strands, which she whips around as she sings at festivals like Coachella.

However, while her hair is rumored to be the catalyst behind the group's name, that's not quite true. Fans had been referring to her as a lion since she had decided to embrace her natural texture and had dyed it her signature honeyed-blond hue for the first time. But from there, Hervey found a deeper inspiration. "It was more [about] the spirit of a lion," she said.

A curly lion mane like hers is even more susceptible to damage after coloring as textured hair is naturally more brittle, so she strategizes to keep it healthy. She tries to space out her dye appointments as much as possible and relies on keratin treatments for strength. "I actually color and then do keratin, because it'll really just seal everything," Hervey remarked.

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In case you have been reading along and doing double takes at Hervey's photos, you're not imagining things — she does look familiar. That's because she's the daughter of legendary singer, actress, and pageant queen Vanessa Williams. The Lion Babe musician told us that her mother's career influenced her to persevere with her own dreams of performing.

While her mom occasionally passes along beauty product recommendations like the prescription-strength lash-lengthening serum Latisse and Proactiv Deep Cleansing Wash ($35), Hervey cites Wlliams's elegance as the ultimate lesson she's learned from her.

"She’s very elegant and graceful, whether she’s facing challenges in life or how she handles herself with people," she gushed. "The way she carries herself as a person is something that when you’re around it, you hope to embody it."

The way Hervey carries herself is poised and graceful, too, but it's not just due to her mother's nurturing. The singer is also a trained dancer and named legendary choreographer Pina Bausch as one of her greatest sources of inspiration. Hervey still dances quite frequently, especially during shows, but she would likely have pursued that passion as a career if Lion Babe hadn't succeeded. "I’d probably be in a company or performances around Brooklyn, which hopefully that would have taken me somewhere."

Above all, though, we know that Hervey's star is just beginning to shine due to two defining characteristics: the kind of personality that motivates her to succeed and how that has shaped her outlook on creating new work. Hervey listed musicians like Prince, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, and Tina Turner as guiding forces in shaping her artistry.

"People with really strong presences and unique looks who’ve been able to last and have been themselves . . . that’s the best kind of artist," Hervey insisted. "The ones you can tell aren’t really competing with anyone except themselves. That’s always what I try to do." She's tried and triumphed — once you hear her sing and see her perform, you know that this lion babe is already in a class of her own.