Hairstyle File: Erykah Badu

Nice, FRANCE: US singer Erikah Badu performs during the opening of the Nice Jazz Festival, 19 July 2006 in the Gardens Cimiez in Nice.

DALLAS, TX – FEBRUARY 06: Erykah Badu attends the 5th Annual ‘Game Over’ Party at the House of Hennessy on February 6, 2011 in Dallas, Texas.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA – OCTOBER 16: Erykah Badu performs at the Cypress Hill Smokeout 2010 at NOS event center on October 16, 2010 in San Bernardino, California.

NEW YORK – OCTOBER 14: Erykah Badu attends the 2010 Hennessy Artistry concert series at Cipriani Wall Street on October 14, 2010 in New York City.

CHICAGO – AUGUST 08: Erykah Badu performs during the 2010 Lollapalooza festival in Grant Park on August 8, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois.

NEW YORK – MARCH 29: Erykah Badu visits BET’s ‘106 & Park’ at BET Studios on March 29, 2010 in New York City.

MANCHESTER, TN – JUNE 14: Erykah Badu performs during the 2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival on June 14, 2009 in Manchester, Tennessee.

NEW ORLEANS, UNITED STATES – APRIL 25: Erykah Badu performing at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on April 25, 2009.

NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 02: Singer Erykah Badu attends the 3rd Annual Black Girls Rock! Awards at Jazz at Lincoln Center on November 2, 2008 in New York City.

LOUISVILLE, KY – MAY31: Erykah Badu, singer and special guest of My Morning Jacket performs on their tour, My Morning Jacket ‘Unstaged: An Original Series From American Express, in Partnership with VEVO and YouTube’ at the Louisville Palace Theatre on May 31, 2011 in Louisville, Kentucky

AUSTIN, TX – MARCH 18: Erykah Badu poses for a portrait backstage at the Fader Fort by Fiat during the 2011 SXSW Music Festival on March 18, 2011 in Austin, Texas.

When Erykah Badu first blazed onto the music scene in ‘96, she was instantly crowned the queen of the neo-soul bohemian movement—and her hair, swept up into the endless folds of a mile-high headwrap, was instantly deemed iconic. We all thought the wrap was going to be Badu’s signature look, but the boho-bluesy songstress kept us guessing with a parade of afros, braids, dreadlocks and, in one memorable case, a 1960s Supreme-esque wig. In celebration of Badu’s fifth studio album, “New Amerykah, Part II: Return of the Ankh” (in stores next month), let’s take a look back at Badu’s hairstyle evolution since her early incense-waving, tea-sipping, Tyrone-calling days as a music industry newcomer.

At the ’99 Grammy Awards, Badu hit the red carpet with a new twist on her famous wrap—she left the top open, giving us a peek at her dreadlocks.

In 2000, Erykah Badu paired a Southern belle straw hat with glossy, chest-length dreadlock extensions.

In 2001 Grammy’s, Badu made headlines with her gorgeous shaved head and tribal-chic yellow makeup. One of her most striking looks!

Badu had a Pocahontas moment at the 2002 Grammys, where she sported mile-long micro-braid extensions with green accents. Love the metallic headband!

At a 2003 photo shoot, Badu paired a striking, full afro with a fresh face of tawny-toned makeup.

In 2005 Luther Vandross tribute concert, Erykah wore a modified afro with freshly unwrapped double-strand twists.

Erykah Badu hit the “Dave Chapelle Block Party” premiere wearing carefully molded flapper waves topped off by a striped newsboy cap.

Badu brought down the house at the North Sea Jazz Festival with her searing song selection and her tough girl style: Shades, leather, and a fab little faux-hawk.

Badu was enjoying a retro ’60s moment here, with her cat eye glasses, polkadot blouse and Supremes-era bouffant wig.

At the Austin City Limits Festival, Erykah rocked the mic wearing a frizzy-in-a-cute-way, shoulder length look.

Badu kept it short, sweet, and sleek while onstage at the Bonnarroo Music Art and Festival.

At an event at the Hollywood Palladium, Badu paired her chic little ’fro with all-eye-on-me fuschia eyeshadow.

Erykah Badu has always kept us guessing with her collection of deliciously out-there coifs, but her new ‘do might take the cake. The singer debuted a show-stopping, platinum blonde faux-hawk at the 2010 Lollapalooza festival. It took us a minute (platinum is so…vivid), but we’re loving Badu’s retro-punky new look.

Erykah Badu’s gilded, two-strand headband perfectly compliments her hippie chic locks.