Teyana Taylor turned a viral hair fail into a full-circle beauty moment when she surprised a Dallas content creator with a personal glam tutorial after the woman’s attempt to recreate her signature cut took over TikTok.
After Chanell Sykes, a Dallas-based social media creator who posts as @lovechanellenje, went viral in January for trying to replicate Teyana’s cropped curly hairstyle, the singer and Oscar-nominated One Battle After Another actress stepped in to show her how it’s really done.
Chanell has long called Teyana’s one of her biggest hair inspirations. On Jan. 7, she shared a TikTok debuting her take on Taylor’s signature pixie. Laughing through tears, she asked her partner off-camera, “What do you think? I was going for Teyana Taylor.”
His reaction quickly became part of the clip’s appeal. “Teyana who? When did you do this? Was she in, uh, Hidden Figures?” he asked, before adding that the cut made her look “like an extra on Stranger Things” and was “giving Bruce Lee.”
Chanell jokingly labeled the attempt an “epic fail,” but the video struck a chord online. The post gained traction, earned her a feature on Sherri, and sparked conversation across social media about the challenges of pulling off a precision cut like Teyana Taylor’s.
At the end of the viral clip, Chanell asked for help from anyone in the Dallas area who could assist her in achieving the look she originally wanted. Instead of a local stylist reaching out, Teyana herself took notice.
Teyana’s team contacted Chanell, and soon the star and her glam squad arranged an in-person surprise session. In the video capturing the moment, Teyana greets Chanell with a playful, “Alright, so what you going for today?” before getting to work alongside her team.
The session went beyond a simple restyle. Teyana and her glam squad walked Chanell through the process, offering styling guidance, maintenance tips, and the small finishing details that define the cropped look. By the end, the cut reflected the polished, sculpted shape that made Teyana Taylor’s hairstyle so recognizable in the first place.
Chanell Sykes later described the experience as deeply meaningful. “Teyana’s glam squad is top tier. Every hair was in place, the makeup was done to perfection, and her coming in to do the finishing touch just felt like a chef’s kiss,” she told People. She said Teyana didn’t just correct the cut but made sure she understood how to maintain it herself. “It’s a moment I’ll always hold close,” Chanell said.
What began as a lighthearted TikTok about a hairstyle that missed the mark became a moment of connection between a celebrity and a fan who openly admires her. In the end, the viral fail turned into a makeover!
