By now it should be known that Ariana Grande—accompanied by her famous dog-turned-model, Toulouse, of course—is the cover star of Vogue's August 2019 issue. Since the release, I've been too thrilled to even notice that there are some people who have such negative things to say about it.

Many are quick to say that Ariana looks very different. This is true: she isn't wearing the usual dramatic makeup she wears on stage, she left her choker behind, and she even ditched her famous ponytail, leaving her natural brown curls to peek through. Yet, her makeup, attire, and hairstyle aren't the unfamiliarity some critics are referring to—it's the shade of her skin.

Some claim that the singer looks much darker than she normally does. According to a Yahoo article, some even asked, "When did she become black?" and "Why tf does she look like a woman of color tho?" I was appalled when I saw these comments.

First of all, it's summertime and most people get some type of tan during the warm months of the year. Second, Ariana is Italian and, like most of her fans know, she's always had a complexion on the darker side. Third, even if she uses some type of self-tanner, when has using beauty products for a photoshoot been a crime? Other celebrities are known for using much more drastic measures (have you heard of Photoshop?) to alter their appearance. At least Ariana isn't using a computer to alter the shape of her body.

But the most important thing is this: Ariana has never needed to present herself as anyone other than her true, genuine self in order to succeed. Her uniquely angelic voice is what has catapulted Ariana to the top of the music industry. Obviously, her genuine personality and adorable looks have also made her become so well-known and loved. However, it's her talent that has made her rise to fame—not something as superficial as how tan her skin is.

Ariana has never needed to rely on her appearance to capture the spotlight, so the idea of her darkening her skin with some ulterior motive of gaining publicity is laughable. She didn't have to darken her skin when she first began singing in order to get attention, so why should she start now? Her talent (and soul) is what the woman has become so loved for, so let's leave her tan out of it.