Rapper Cardi B wowed the crowd at Sunday’s 60th Annual Grammy Awards in New York City with her on-stage performance of Finesse with Bruno Mars – and her red-carpet style.
The 25-year-old Bodak Yellow singer showed up at Madison Square Garden in a dramatic, white structural dress by designer Ashi, that reportedly took 150 hours to make.
It was Cardi’s sparkling nails, though, that made us stop and rewind the show to get a better glimpse.
Nailed it! Cari B, 25, who was nominated for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance at Sunday night’s Grammy Awards, debuted a crystal-encrusted manicure at the show
Queen of Bling: She visited Jenny Bui at Nails on 7th in the Bronx for her sparkling stiletto nails
The long, white Swarovski crystal-studded acrylic talons were created by manicurist Jenny Bui of Nails on 7th in the Bronx, where Cardi, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, is from.
Jenny has been doing Cardi’s nails for more than five years – since the Grammy nominee was still performing as a stripper.
A study of the former Love and Hip Hop star’s Instagram reveals that she visits Jenny religiously at least once a month and refuses to let anyone else near her nails.
Every few weeks, Cardi, who is engaged to fellow rapper Offset, posts a picture or video of her light-reflecting nails tagging her nail technician and oftentimes writes captions like, ‘I only do my nails with Jenny from Bronx’.
An edgy angel: Cardi’s manicure perfectly accented her white, structural Ashi gown
Quick change: At the Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Party the night before, Cardi opted for a surprisingly simple red manicure
For Cardi’s Grammy nails, Jenny used products from her own line, Jenny’s Secret, to keep the crystals and tiny rose gold pearls in place. If the singer doesn’t want to change things up before, the manicure should last about a month.
Of the pair’s myriad of nail collaborations, the latest is shockingly one of the more simple.
Jenny told Vogue.com that Cardi requested ‘not too much bling’ so her nails wouldn’t compete with her dress.
If Sunday’s nails, which reportedly still took more than two hours to do, were considered less intricate than usual, what do some of Jenny’s more over-the-top creations look like?
Bling bling: Cardi has been going to Jenny for intricate manicures for more than five years
Loyal to her core: She always gives the nail tech a shout-out on her Instagram, once writing, ‘I only do my nails with Jenny from the Bronx’
It’s all relative: Compared to some of Cardi’s nail looks, like the ones pictured here, her white Grammy’s manicure was practically minimal-ist
These nails won’t break: For manis that last a month, Jenny adheres the most expensive Swarovski crystals she can find with her own line of products called Jenny’s Secret
Now that’s love: Jenny once gave Cardi a mani featuring the rapper’s fiance Offset’s face
Cardi’s love for Jenny is clearly reciprocated.
Jenny told Billboard: ‘My ringtone is Bodak Yellow’ and I play all of her music in the salon. Sometimes the customers will say they hear Cardi’s song enough on the radio, and then they hear it in my salon, but I tell them that I don’t care, I’m still playing it. My girl supports me, and I have to support her back! She doesn’t even treat me like her nail tech; she treats me like her family.’
Like family: Cardi (left) and Jenny (right) are each other’s biggest champions