Photography Breyona Holt / Exquisite Eye

“What have you become?”—it’s a question we might all be asking ourselves this year, or maybe directing to 2020 more generally. While this first line from “Let It Go”—the first track off her Life on Earth EP released in July—might be about the blindness of love, Summer Walker inspires self-reflection.

The idea of defining a sense of self, and the tension of being defined by others isn’t something Walker is a stranger to—from stripping, to overseeing her own cleaning business she finds empowerment through self-sufficiency. Walker even taught herself how to play guitar by way of Youtube tutorials. With her debut album earning the biggest streaming debut ever for a female R&B recording artist, and collabs with industry stalwarts from Drake, to Usher, to PARTYNEXTDOOR, Walker is making it happen for herself. This commitment to self actualization, along with her readiness to leverage her platform for advocacy work, demonstrates that Walker understands that the personal is always political. It’s this spirit, combined with a finesse of her craft, that resonates as a UniqueForm. Photographed by Breyona Holt in Atlanta and styled in Valentino, Summer Walker drips sophistication without eschewing character, redefining what it means to truly become.

Summer Walker wears Valentino.