Harper's Bazaar: The Playlist by Jazmine Sullivan

If fashion and music go hand in hand—and of course they do—then think of playlists like a wardrobe, personally curated and deeply reflective of the wearer’s lifestyle, outlook and more. This particular one shows the diverse stylings and inspirations of R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan, the musical director of the September issue of fashion magazine Harper’s Bazaar, which is producing a series of playlists with different musicians, available only on Apple Music. For Sullivan, bigging up women is both a professional and personal endeavour. Her most recent project, Heaux Tales, was created to uplift them, peppered with raw monologues from the women in her own life. “It centres on their stories so others could hear them, identify with them and feel seen,” she explains to Apple Music. When Sullivan’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019, Sullivan joined a campaign to encourage Black women to get mammograms: “When my mom got sick, it became about easing somebody else’s pain.” Curated by Sullivan, this month’s playlist is focused on the theme of purpose, which the singer defines as “fulfilling your personal dreams and goals while also finding a way to give back in meaningful ways”. This collection of empowering tunes begins with Stevie Wonder’s “Visions”, because, according to Sullivan, “in everything that he does, he tries to bring joy, hope and love to the world”. Also included are Beyoncé’s “BIGGER”, for “making you look outside of your own personal woes”, and Queen’s “We Are the Champions”, as the “ultimate hype-yourself-up song”. With each issue of Harper’s Bazaar, we’ll launch a new playlist with picks by their latest musical director, so stay tuned.