Malaysian singer-songwriter Yuna breaks free from conventional beauty standards in "Pantone 17 13 30." The song pairs a subdued R&B beat with lyrics that both celebrate her darker skin tone and extend an invitation to witness her beauty — and see the beauty in themselves, too.
The latest installment of Positive Vibes Only, GRAMMY.com's performance series spotlighting uplifting music, finds Yuna in a stripped-down studio setting. Shot in black-and-white, this rendition pares down the song's mellow production to just an electric guitar and Yuna's warm, dreamy vocals.
There's power in the easygoing vibes of "Pantone 17 13 30." Rather than a belted-out self-confidence anthem, Yuna opts for something breezier — keeping the music muted enough to make room for a message inspired by insecurities she's faced and conquered.
"Growing up I used to play in the sun (I was active in sports) and my skin would be so tan and that was deemed 'unpretty,'" she explained of the song’s inspiration on Instagram. "This affected my confidence and the way I thought about my skin color for many years. Where I come from a lot of girls are so focused on trying to have fairer skin using harmful whitening skin products without realizing they are SO beautiful with their natural dark or tan skin."
"Pantone 17 13 30" is one of four tracks on Yuna’s project Y1, which is just the beginning for Yuna in 2022. The singer announced a series of mini-projects that she'll release throughout the year, leading up to her fifth studio album, Y5. Y1 and Y2 are both out now, with the rest to follow.
In the meantime, enjoy Yuna's performance of "Pantone 17 13 30" above, and click here to watch more episodes of Positive Vibes Only.
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