India.Arie blasts skin lightening rumors

R&B star India.Arie has blasted reports suggesting she has had her skin bleached after her colouring appeared much lighter on the cover art for her new album Cocoa Butter.

Rumors swirled online on Friday (29Mar13) claiming that the Imagine hitmaker had taken drastic action to lighten her skin tone - but Arie has shot down the allegations, insisting any difference to her usually darker colouring was purely a result of lighting techniques and nothing more permanent.

In a series of posts on Twitter.com, she writes, "Personally speaking! i'm (sic) happy to say I have NOT BLEACHED my skin... 1. I wouldn't endanger my health that way 2. i'm so in love with myself I have no DESIRE to BLEACH myself. Lol... 3. The GLOW you see IS (magnificent) lighting 4. THE LIGHT you see, Well thats (sic) all ME!!"