The song's original version with only Arie singing featured
acoustic guitar and prominent
bass over a
midtempo drum track. This version was released
digitally on November 15, 2005 through online music services such as
iTunes,
Rhapsody, and
Amazon.com,[1] followed by the
CD single release on December 6, 2005.[2] "I Am Not My Hair" was the most successful release from Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship, being the only single to chart on the U.S.
Billboard Hot 100 and the
UK Singles Chart, peaking at numbers ninety-seven and sixty-five, respectively.
A
remix featuring Senegalese-American singer
Akon, entitled Konvict Remix, was released to U.S.
rhythmic[3] and
urban[4] radio formats on April 3, 2006, and later to iTunes on June 20, 2006. The song's
music video, directed by Barnaby Roper, used this remix. Akon's writing credit was added with the release of the remix. The remix was added on later editions of the album, replacing the original version.
On the April 16, 2007 episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, Arie stated that her record label insisted that Akon be added to the single to make the song more mainstream.[5] She said that she did not want Akon to be featured on the song, without mentioning his name.
According to Arie, the original version of "I Am Not My Hair" was a duet with
pop rock singer
Pink.[6] The song's original concept originated from Pink's decision to do away with her
pinklocks, while the last verse was written after Arie watched
Melissa Etheridge's performance at the
2005 Grammy Awards, where she appeared bald from
chemotherapy to treat
breast cancer.[6] This version was made available on iTunes on October 17, 2006, and was used in the
Lifetime television film Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy, which premiered on October 23, 2006.
Music video
A music video was produced to promote the single. The video was directed by Barnaby Roper and used the Konvict Remix of the song.