Bonnie Raitt's Pop Of Gorgeous Gray Hair Has Become Her Signature Look

Bonnie Raitt's music catalog is just as recognizable as her hair — the blues-rock legend's signature 'do is as rare as they come, and she may even be among the celebs you never realized are natural redheads. Born with wavy red tresses, she's among the 1-2% of the global population with this uncommon hair color. But on top of that is Raitt's famous white streak at the front of her hairline, which has become synonymous with her image. The singer has poliosis, otherwise known as a "Mallen streak," a rare condition that causes hair to grow white or gray due to the absence of melanin (color) in the hair follicles. These lightened areas of hair can appear on the head, eyebrows, or eyelashes at any age, even from birth, and are often hereditary.

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Raitt's Mallen streak didn't appear until she was in her 20s. "The silver-white streak is natural. I was 24 [when it came in], and you can sort of see it on album covers," she told Parade. Over the years, what had become her signature hair began looking even more polished. Her natural, copper-toned tresses appeared brighter with strawberry-red hues throughout, creating a striking contrast against her white patch. "By 1981 it was expanding, and my red was fading, so I started dyeing my hair [around the streak]," she said, continuing, "No one else in my family has it. I've been told it means you've been kissed by an angel."

Much like fictional characters Cruela de Vil and Sweeney Todd,  Bonnie Raitt's white streak is pretty cool. It's no wonder she continues dyeing the surrounding red hair to maintain this signature look. Though she's diligent about covering her grays in other spots, it doesn't mean the "Something to Talk About" singer is fighting the passage of time. In fact, Raitt is among many fellow celebs over 50 that are embracing aging in Hollywood. In a 2017 interview with The London Free Press, she said music has allowed her to age gracefully. "In blues and roots, you sell less but you can last a lot longer and age gracefully," she said. "If the music excites you, you keep growing and stay interesting and find new ways of saying things in the grooves you love."

The singer also told The Guardian that she credits her sobriety for helping her reach the age she is today. "I am so proud to have lasted this long because so many of our friends suffered from poor health, or their lives were shortened by accidents or suicide or drug addiction. I'm so grateful for my 38 years of sobriety — which is probably why I'm still here just in terms of perspective, emotionally and spiritually." In the meantime, Raitt does what it takes to stay healthy, focusing on 'getting enough sleep and getting some exercise.'