ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT - The African Mirror

May

09

2025

At the Met Gala, fashion on the frontlines of resistance

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

This story was originally reported by Errin Haines of The 19th. Meet Errin and read more of her reporting on gender, politics and policy. This column first appeared in The Amendment, a biweekly newsletter by Errin Haines, The 19th’s editor-at-large. Subscribe today to get early access to her analysis. WHEN Black Dandyism was announced as this year’s theme for the Met Gala, expectation and anticipation was high for fashion’s biggest stage to also be its Blackest and boldest ever. The stakes were raised Monday night at an event that has always been about statements, where the sartorial has often met the political.…

May

03

2025

By ABAYOMI AWELEWA

Mabel Segun: Nigerian children’s writer, poet and broadcaster

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

MABEL Dorothy Okanima Segun, who passed away on 6 March 2025, at 95, was a prominent figure in Nigerian literature. Her life was an extraordinary mix of broadcasting, children’s storytelling, poetry, playwriting, and sport. She captured human experience through the eyes of the young, as seen in her timeless work My Father’s Daughter (1965). In the book, she writes, “I wanted to be like my father, strong and wise, but I learned that strength comes in many forms, even in the quiet courage of a child.” As a poet, her lyrical finesse shone in Conflict and Other Poems, where lines…

Apr

26

2025

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Podcasts are powering a shift in Africa’s reproductive health dialogue

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

WOMEN-FOCUSED podcasts are gaining ground across Africa, emerging as powerful platforms to share knowledge and challenge sexual and reproductive health taboos. Once niche and overlooked, podcasts by African women are now confronting the continent’s most sensitive issues — menstrual health, contraception, early pregnancy, gender-based violence, and mental health — through raw and relatable storytelling. “Digital platforms, especially podcasts, are opening up new spaces where African women can finally hear honest, relatable conversations on their terms,” Hope Simiyu, a medical doctor and sex and reproductive health (SRH) advocate, told bird story agency. Simiyu, who hosts 'A Dose of Health – The…

Apr

22

2025

By TINASHE MUSHAKAVANHU

Zimbabwe’s house of stone: the gallery that showcases a famous sculpture tradition

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

ZIMBABWE is the house of stone, both literally and figuratively, with its very name derived from the ancient stone city of Great Zimbabwe. Stone is more than just a material here – it’s the totem pole of the country’s identity, shaping both its history and artistic legacy. And there’s no better place to witness this than Chapungu Sculpture Park. On the outskirts of Harare’s industrial zone, the sprawling estate is both a gallery for stone artistry and a living landscape, home to over 90 varieties of indigenous trees, with a tributary of the Mukuvisi River running through it. Art and…

Apr

19

2025

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Botswana is stepping into the spotlight in bid to become Africa’s next film hub

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

BOTSWANA is borrowing a page from South Africa’s cinematic playbook and strategically deploying film-friendly policies to revitalise its creative economy and position the southern African nation as an international filming hub. According to Mary Bohanze, a film tutor at the South African Film Academy, early adoption of supportive policies and legislation has been vital to turbocharging South Africa’s film industry, “which is now a regional benchmark.” “South Africa’s success has created a gravitational pull for regional players. Botswana’s emergence shows how one strong market can catalyse growth in neighbouring countries.” South Africa's film and TV sector has long been a…

Apr

18

2025

By KYLIE THOMAS

Ernest Cole: the South African photographer at the centre of a powerful and heartbreaking film

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

ERNEST COLE is famous for photographing the everyday realities of South Africa’s racist apartheid system. His 1967 book House of Bondage ensured his damning critique of the white minority regime was seen by the world. But its publication sent him into exile, and he was banned at home. The startling discovery of a vast archive of his work in a Swedish bank vault in 2017 has returned him to public view. House of Bondage was republished in 2023, and then, in 2024, celebrated Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck made Ernest Cole: Lost and Found. It would win the documentary prize at…

Apr

17

2025

By SETH ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Ethiopia’s viral dating show eyes Africa with Swahili and Pidgin dubs

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE afternoon sun slants through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Metasebia Yoseph’s office, casting a harsh glow on potted plants and vibrant abstract paintings that line the walls. The co-founder of D!NK Multimedia leans forward, her voice animated, as she recounts the journey of Latey: Looking for Love — a reality TV show that has upended Ethiopia’s cultural scene. Filmed in sleek Addis Ababa lounges, bowling alleys and ice-skating rinks — a far cry from Western clichés of coffee ceremonies — the show’s 10 female contestants navigate love, ambition, and societal expectations, all while racking up millions of YouTube views. Latey…

Apr

11

2025

By The African Mirror

Keyshia Cole live in SA this month

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE highly anticipated Keyshia Cole: Live in South Africa tour taking place later this month is almost upon us. The show organisers revealed the incredible local talent set to share the stage with the Grammy-nominated superstar. Keyshia Cole, known for her powerhouse vocals and soul-stirring performances, has etched her name in music history with chart-topping hits like 'Love', 'Heaven Sent' and 'Let It Go'. Her magnetic stage presence and raw, emotional lyrics have earned her a devoted fanbase worldwide – and South Africa is no exception. Get ready for an electrifying experience! Joining the upcoming tour is none other than…

Apr

09

2025

By LUCY DURÁN

Amadou Bagayoko: the blind Malian musician whose joyful songs changed west African music

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AMADOU Bagayoko (1954-2025), iconic Malian guitarist, singer and composer of the famed duo Amadou & Mariam – known as “the blind couple of Mali” – passed away on 4 April in Bamako. He was 70. The married singers, who met when she was 18 and he 21, took traditional Mali music and blended it with Western rock and many other influences to shape a whole new sound that was both rich and playful. They would sell millions of albums for hits like Sunday in Bamako and Sabali. They would tour the world, opening the 2006 men’s Football World Cup, closing…

Apr

04

2025

By JYHENE KEBSI

Tunisia’s rap revolution: 5 women who are redefining hip-hop

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

WOMEN rappers were not really a feature of Tunisia’s typically masculine and chauvinist hip-hop scene until the revolution that overthrew Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011. Now there are several politically conscious female voices rising in the rap scene. Gender studies scholar Jyhene Kebsi has published a research paper on how their lyrics highlight the multiple inequalities that women in Tunisia – and the world – must overcome. How have male Tunisian rappers generally treated women in their songs and videos? The gender politics of Tunisian men’s rap is complex, but we can talk about one of its tendencies. Although…