Michelle Obama surprised her podcast audience by revealing that she recently had 10 new ear piercings “in one session.”The former first lady, known for her style and ability to set trends, shared the moment with her brother and co-host, Craig Robinson, during an episode of the IMO show.The confession not only left Robinson speechless, but generated laughter and curiosity due to the spontaneity of the decision and the naturalness with which Michelle approached the subject.
The conversation between the brothers began with a relaxed tone, where both reflected on the mutual learning since they started the podcast. Robinson, 63, was quick to joke about his sister’s new look, ensuring that he had noticed the changes even though Michelle thought otherwise.”You tried to pierce your ears and you thought I hadn’t noticed. And I see you’ve gotten a lot of new piercings,” he commented mischievously.Michelle, for her part, responded amused: “I don’t think you realized.”That complicit exchange anticipated the story behind the decision.
The former first lady, who is now 62 years old, explained how the idea came about: “I have always thought about getting more ear piercings, but I never decided.”She remembered that before becoming a mother she already had a second earring, although she later stopped using it out of simple disinterest.Over the years, the trend among young people and the proliferation of new jewelry models inspired him to take the leap.
“Today, the young people in my life get more piercings. There are more pretty ornaments,” she said while showing her recent acquisition.For Michelle, the result resembles “a constellation, with sparkles” in the ear, an image that defines the current aesthetic of piercing fashion.
During the recording, Robinson asked him how many new piercings he really had.Michelle admitted that her initial intention was to just try a few, but in the moment, spontaneity took over: “I told the piercer, ‘Oh, put one there and put another one (there). Oh yeah, let’s try one there.’ So, in one sitting, I got 10 piercings.”Laughing, Robinson reacted with an “Ouch!”, and Michelle reassured him that the experience “wasn’t bad at all.”
The story was not only in the family sphere, but also addressed the reaction of Barack Obama, Michelle’s husband and former president of the United States. According to the former first lady, it took Barack several days to notice the new look. “It took a couple of days,” she said, laughing.Michelle said that, at first, Barack only commented on her hairstyle: “He told me: ‘You didn’t put your hair up, you let it down.’”Michelle, true to her carefree style, replied humorously: “I don’t know. I like sleeping with you every night, you know?”Finally, the former president identified the piercings three days after Michelle did them, a detail that generated more jokes between the brothers.“Don’t tell him that I realized it before him,” Robinson asked, to which Michelle responded: “I think so.”
The conversation also allowed Michelle Obama to reflect on the process of rediscovering her personal style after her time in the White House, a period in which her image was constantly analyzed and subject to criticism.In a previous interview, Michelle addressed this topic in the wake of her style book, The Look, where she examines how public perception influenced her fashion choices.
The former first lady highlighted the “freedom” she now feels to wear the look she wants, including her favorite hairstyle: braids.”Braids allow me to do my hair, and it’s one less thing I have to think about. When I’m not in public, I swim, play tennis, and braids represent that freedom for me,” she explained.
Michelle also shared that during her husband’s two presidential terms she avoided wearing that hairstyle, because she was not sure if the country was ready to see it on a public figure of his importance.“The Crown Act [which protects employees and students from hair-related racial discrimination] had not yet been passed, and like with fashion, I didn’t want my hair to become a distraction,” Michelle Obama revealed.
This reflection highlights the symbolic weight of aesthetic decisions in Afro-descendant public figures and how representation can be conditioned by social and political factors.
Today, far from the strict protocols of the White House, Michelle Obama enjoys greater autonomy to experiment with her image, from piercings to hairstyles, celebrating a period of freedom and self-affirmation. The conversation with her brother and her story about Barack Obama’s reaction illustrate the naturalness with which she faces these changes and the value of small daily rebellions in the search for authenticity.
