Beyoncé’s ‘Countdown’ Pays Homage to Black Model Donyale Luna

The Detroit native was the first African-American model to appear on the cover of a Vogue in March of 1966.

By Jorge Rivas Oct 07, 2011

On Thursday night, Beyoncé premiered her eagerly anticipated "Countdown" video. In the new fan favorite, the pop diva does a bit of time travel back to the sixties.

Most people will recognize the video’s references to Audrey Hepburn in "Funny Face" and the monochromatic scenes from Whitney Houston’s "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." But there’s a quick one that’s a bit more historically significant — and easy to miss.

About 32 seconds into the video Beyoncé references the famous eye make-up and eye-between-the-fingers pose of Donyale Luna, the Detroit native who became the first African-American model to appear on the cover of a Vogue’s March 1966 British issue.

"Countdown" is Beyoncé’s third single from her fourth solo album "4." The track samples Boyz II Men’s 1991 R&B single "Uhh Ahh." The video was directed by Adria Petty, who also directed Beyoncé’s "Sweet Dreams."