ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT - The African Mirror

Oct

13

2020

‘We need each other’: Black classical musicians are building supportive communities

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

GLORIA BLIZZARD, MFA Candidate, University of King's College, Dalhousie University GILLIAN TURNBULL, Contract lecturer, Music section, Department of Philosophy, Ryerson University MUSIC has been significant for many during COVID-19 isolation, and in these same months, Black musicians have amplified the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement. While pop or hip hop music are genres whose agility and responsiveness make them natural sites for popular commentary, this threatens to neglect other arenas of music making. Some arts organizations in Canada have pledged support for Black Lives Matter, turned their platforms over to Black artists or spotlighted their work. Recently a…

Oct

10

2020

By The African Mirror

Cut from the same cloth, Nigerian waste fabric becomes art

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

NNEKA CHILE MARCELLINA Akpojotor weaves past thumping sewing machines and leaves a Lagos shop with a bag brimming with discarded fabric. The colourful pieces, which would typically be burned or thrown into the Nigerian city's lagoon as waste, find a second life in the hands of the artist. Akpojotor, 31, creates portraits using discarded pieces of Ankara, a brightly coloured African fabric that is ubiquitous from the slums of Lagos to high-powered meetings in the capital, Abuja. She says the meaning of the cloth helped fuel her work. "I was so inspired by those materials," she said. "In this part…

Oct

09

2020

By The African Mirror

Kelly Rowland reveals that she’s expecting baby no. 2

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

MPHO RANTAO FORMER Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland has surprised fans with the reveal of her cover of Women’s Health’s October issue in the United States, but the singer was trending on the tongues of social media users this week for a totally different reason. The 39 year-old singer posed on the beach for the cover shot by Djeneba Aduayom, wearing an orange dress and displaying her baby bump. She made the reveal when she posted her cover image on Instagram. The singer is married to businessman Tim Weatherspoon, and the couple have a son named Titan. The couple had…

Oct

07

2020

By The African Mirror

South African DJ becomes CEO of international alcohol brand

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER SOUTH African entertainer DJ Zinhle Jiyane is in a bubbly mood as the new chief executive of international sparkling wine beverage Boulevard Nectar Rose. The Forbes Africa Entertainer of the Year and businesswoman has become the first South African entertainer to obtain equity in an international brand. Jiyane made the announcement on her Instagram page, stating that she had managed to acquire equity in the sparkling wine brand and was officially the brand’s new CEO. https://www.instagram.com/p/CF_rm3gDRKC/ “I actually don’t know what to say, we’ve been working on this for over a year now and at the beginning…

Nov

13

2020

By The African Mirror

Beyoncè on 2020 her year of joy: “This is the most relaxed I’ve felt in my career”

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

MPHO RANTAO R&B sensation Beyoncé made headlines as the cover model for Vogue UK’s December edition, creating three different covers for next month’s edition of the magazine. Shot by British Vogue’s youngest photographer Kennedi Carter, and interviewed by the magazine’s editor, Edward Enninful, Beyoncé details her life post-her Homecoming performance and post-Black Is King, the visual film that was a tribute to her Lion King: The Gift album. Enninful described the singer as a perfectionist to the core, a Virgo in the true sense, adding that the singer wanted her Vogue moment to be, “filled with positivity as this trickiest…

Nov

13

2020

By The African Mirror

Cardi B apologises for disrespecting Hindu Goddess Durga

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

MPHO RANTAO NEW York rapper Cardi B has apologised for offending millions of Hindus across the world by making use of the image of a Goddess Durga in a recent photoshoot. In the offensive image, Cardi B is depicted as the Hindi Goddess Durga, posing with some footwear from her new ‘Club C’ collection with Reebok, set to be released on November 13. The cover by Footwear News. Picture: Instagram/footwearnews The ‘Bodak Yellow’ singer took part in the shoot for her cover spread for Footwear News, where she spoke about her latest collaboration, her life under lockdown and her music. …

Nov

11

2020

By The African Mirror

Lupita Nyong’o produced ‘Americanah’ adaptation scrapped by HBO Max

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

MPHO RANTAO AFTER news of a series adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah coming to television screens hit social media in 2019, HBO Max has announced that they have scrapped the project. The news comes after the announcement by Variety that one of the show’s producers, Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong'o was forced to leave the project due to conflicting schedules and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Americanah novel by Ngozi Adichie tells the tale of a young Nigerian woman named Ifemelu, who immigrated to the United States to attend university before her subsequent return to the Nigerian capital of Lagos…

Nov

10

2020

By The African Mirror

Kenya’s social star Elsa Majimbo wins at E! People’s Choice Awards

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

MPHO RANTAO VIRAL sensation Elsa Majimbo has bagged her first international award as a comedian - and it’s all thanks to her many fans across the globe. Majimbo was awarded the ‘African Social Star of 2020 at E!’s People’s Choice Awards, which were held virtually in the United States. She beat out Nigerian vlogger Dimma Umeh and Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi from South Africa, who were placed in second and third place respectively. Fans and social media users worldwide were encouraged in the month of October to vote for their favourite stars in over 40 categories across pop culture, music,…

Nov

09

2020

By The African Mirror

#Jerusalema hitmaker wins Best African Act at the 2020 MTV EMAs

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER SOUTH African history and trendsetting musician MasterKG - whose hit Jerusalema attracted over 150-million views - has notched another prestigious award. MasterKG and his fans are celebrating after he won the coveted Best African Act at the 2020 MTV EMAs. The hitmaker is over the moon after his latest achievement. In a recorded speech, an excited MasterKG thanked his fans and supporters who helped propel Jerusalema to dizzy heights. “I would love to thank my sister Nomcebo, my team Open Mic Productions and everyone who supported MasterKG. Thank you so much. To all my fans all over…

Oct

17

2020

By The African Mirror

New African-made films challenge Hollywood stereotypes

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

NAZANINE MOSHIRI and ANGELA UKOMADU PRODUCERS of two African-made films premiering on Netflix this month believe their work will show there's subscriber appetite for movies that go deeper than the Hollywood stereotypes that often make African viewers groan. Subscribers to the world's largest streaming service can now watch Poacher, a Kenyan drama about elephant poaching and Òlòtūré, a Nigerian thriller about a journalist whose world falls apart after she goes undercover as a sex worker. The films avoid the simplistic portrayals that viewers in Africa often resent, the producers say. Netflix has begun screening more content produced in Africa, and…