Our soul sister from across the pond, Laura Mvula, just got a bitter serving of “southern hospitality”, here on the state side. Mvula, who recently dropped her sophomore record The Dreaming Room, caught a flight into the beach-side city, where she is expected to kick off her 2017 tour. However, a sour taste in the mouth is more likely what the artist was left with, rather than a golden tan, when the singer maintains gross mistreatment at the Miami Airport, in Florida, yesterday. Seriously TSA? You’re more mean than the gators.
The Fader reports, “…Mvula detailed an incident at Miami International Airport in which she alleges that she was held for 4 hours and mocked by a member of staff. Mvula, who released her latest album The Dreaming Room earlier in 2016, wrote on Instagram that she was ‘spoken to like I was a genuine criminal’ before being let go. She added that the ordeal,which happened on December 29, had been ‘a mistake made by an inspector.'”
The mysterious “mistake” made by the inspector is still up in the air, although 4 hours in a holding room begs the question, what were they so convinced the woman did?
A rightfully traumatized Mvula tells her fans and followers, “No filter for a few reasons: I hope you can see my beautiful/ugly brokeness. I didn’t realise how good I’ve had it til today. I was held at customs in Miami for 4 hours, in the end it was all down to a mistake made by an inspector. I was spoken to like I was a genuine criminal, even mocked by an officer at one point I guess to try and trigger some kind of unruly behaviour from me… it didn’t work. But it occurred to me what trauma it must be for victims of really serious bullying by officials and more seriously what it must be to endure police brutality. Our world is sick and hateful but I believe there is always beauty to be found, even in the darkest places. It will be a happy new year somehow. I’m confident.”
Hopefully the event re-opens much needed dialogue amongst Americans and international communities in regards to the “universal human condition” we so often forget ties us all together, and makes us all on an even plane.
~Find the post from Mvula, herself, below.
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