The ongoing Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd has also resulted in more and more Black entertainers speaking up about the treatment they have received from the entertainment industry. The latest one to speak up is former X Factor contestant Misha B, who says a racist and unflattering stereotype of Black women was forced on her.
The BBC reports that the 28-year-old singer accused the show of having a corrupted agenda and was integral in her developing post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal thoughts. Misha B made the revelations on her Instagram page a day ago.
According to the singer, the show producers pushed a narrative of over-confidence on her due to her race. Her accusations were given more weight by the videos of judges’ comments that have started circulating since she made her claims.
X Factor judge Louis Walsh, for instance, accused her of being a bully towards another contestant, while Tulisa, another X Factor judge, said that Misha B’s “feistiness” could be interpreted as meanness.
On her Instagram, the singer said she was not the first Black woman to be described as feisty and mean and that those comments impressed upon her that the show producers would be depicting her as an “angry black girl.”
She called out Walsh’s comment that she was “over confident” as “verbal violence,” explaining that she is so tired of being constantly told she is “too confident or too loud” all of her life.
Also seeming to corroborate Misha B’s story is the 2018 autobiography of X Factor judge Gary Barlow, which details an incident where he was asked to emphasize the singer’s supposed bullying while on air.
With regard to the allegations, Deadline says the show’s producers are looking into the claim. The publication quotes a spokesperson as saying that they are reaching out to Misha B with regard to her concerns and that they always look out for the welfare of their contestants. The spokesperson also reaffirmed the show’s commitment to equality and diversity.
Misha B is not the only Black entertainer to bring up the treatment she has received from the entertainment industry. One of the biggest names to do so is superstar Beyoncé herself, who talked about the racism and sexism she encountered in the music industry in the speech she delivered for YouTube’s Dear Class of 2020.
Michale B. Jordan has also spoken out about the need for more Black creatives, executives, and consultants in the entertainment industry during a protest he attended several days ago. He called on Hollywood agencies and studios to adopt inclusion riders that would help ensure diversity in front of and behind the camera.