Singer Miguel isn’t letting the quarantine stop his grind. Even in the midst of a global pandemic, he’s staying in touch with fans and dropping new music. His latest single “Funeral” dips its toe into the heavy metal realm – further proof that he’s the ultimate R&B chameleon. Let Miguel tell it, his constant reinvention is just a symptom of a “getting bored easily.” One thing the California native never tires of, however, is supporting Black-owned businesses.
This year, Miguel is teaming up with Facebook’s Buy Black Friday – a new campaign that encourages Facebook users to support, celebrate and shop from Black-owned businesses each Friday. Their specially curated gift guide spotlights influential Black designers, business owners, creators and craftsmen that are bringing the best products worthy of being under your tree this year. Miguel, who was a headlining performer at Facebook’s virtual #BuyBlack Friday Show, says this was a campaign that excited him from the start.
“Between working on music and some of the other creative things I”ve been pouring myself into, it can be hard to keep up,” he tells ESSENCE. “The moment I heard of this show happening on Facebook about buying Black, centering entrepreneurs of color, it was easy to want to jump right into it.”
In case you weren’t aware, the act of “buying Black” isn’t a new habit for Miguel. He tells us that the Black-owned vegan restaurant “Stuff I Eat” as one of his go-to restaurants in Los Angeles. He also gives props to fashion brands Telfar (owned by Liberian-American designer Telfar Clemens) and Pyer Moss (owned by Miguel’s friend, designer Kirby Jean-Raymond) for not shaking up the fashion world, but creating “narratives centered around Black stories and culture.)
Miguel is especially in the gift-giving mood after celebrating his second wedding anniversary with his wife, model Nazanin Mandi. Two back-to-back holidays for which to find the perfect gift can put a lot of pressure on newlyweds, but Miguel says his strategy for surprising his lady is always lead by his heart.
“I always look for a card that’s going to make her laugh and cry,” he says with no hesitation. “Then, I include a note that’s heartfelt. That’s not something you have to look for or buy. It’s one of those things only you can do. I look for what’s going to be heartfelt and well thought out. Everyone speaks different love languages, but my focus is on doing things that are meaningful. If I buy her a gift, [it’s attached to] a moment or a part of our story.”
To explore the Black-owned brands that Facebook is highlighting, click here for their Buy Black Friday gift guide.