CHANNEL 24 TV NEWS ANCHOR & GUINEAN SISTA , FOLLY BAH -THIBAULT!

Fierce hein Folly:)

Serious look of Folly

Chemise a petits pois blancs sur fond noir

Vert olive and blanco

Rather elegant this sis:)

Our guinean sista , Folly Bah-Thibault is one of the few minorities working for France 24.

France 24, is slowling but surely being a great competitor to CNN & BBC. The news are translated in French, Arabic, and English of course. They host a palette of shows focusing on world issues.

Not only do they broadcast live on TV, but they also use web technologies . If you aren't able for example to catch Folly's show on thursdays, you can view the podcasts on France 24's website.

Folly hosts in english a weekly show called " This Week in Africa" where she shares news about what's happening in Africa.
It's still a new concept therefore it's not perfect, for example early one the show was receiving criticism for focusing mainly on French speaking Africa. The network took notes and is working on expanding to other sides of Africa.

I personally caught one of the podcast and I learned a lot about what's happening in Madagascar, the state of health of the Nigerian President, the rapes in Guinea ect...interesting:)
Folly has a good diction, she presents well as well:)
Here's "this week in Africa" web page :
http://www.france24.com/en/taxonomy/emission/18020

Djaa my Guinean sistas sont trop dedans:)
Eyeee Wayeee:)

L'OPERA DU SAHEL,AN AFRICAN OPERA STORY ABOUT BINTOU WERE IN DAKAR SENEGAL!

Djeneba Kone as Binetou Were

Dancers from Africa

Carlou D , a senegalese artist in the role of Diallo

Djeneba Kone playing a touching Binetou Were

Some of the cast members in their beautiful costumes

These women stayed in character the whole time

Beautiful costume.I have to say that they went all out..

Nice, these men looked so awesome

Red sign of death, sign of birth

Awesome play

So much culture

Great dancers

Diallo and Bintou Were

If u can see it, please do

This young philosophy university student by the name of Awa was sitting besides me during the show. After the show I asked her how she felt about the play and she replied that she was totally in love with it. She said that this was her 2nd time attending the show, she loved it so much that she had to see it again partly due to her admiration for one of the lead actors Carlou D.

I have to say that he was really really good,even though I know his music and his image , he was so believable in the role of Diallo that I only recognized him at the end of the show.

Let's start from the begin' , L'Opera du Sahel was the idea of Netherlands Prince Claus who wanted to see an opera by African people showcasing African natural talents. The actors come from diverse countries such as Nigeria, Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Mali, Cape Verde, Mauritania, Guinea, Gambia, Burkina Fasso..I've noticed that the actors and singers all have various accents when they speak and sing.

The cast lead by newcomer Djeneba Kone has been supervised and trained by top notch professionals such as Wasis Diop, Germaine Acogny, Ze Manel,Flora Thefaine , Oumou Sy, Nawal,Koulsy Lamko and many more...with teachers like this this play cannot go wrong.
This opera is about a group of Sahel people who are tired of living on a dry land , tired of their conditions of living, hungry for something new , hungry and thirsty for Europe. The lead role is played by Malian actress and singer Djeneba Kone who was picked among many other talented artists for this huge role that will change her career forever. She said that she cried when she heard that she had the part, with this opportunity she's been able to support financially her family, travel around the word, improve her singing ability.

I really liked her voice, loved how she stayed into character the whole time, her timing was great, she played the part of a rebellious former child -soldier who against the elders recomendations wanted to brave the unknown with the baby she's carrying to settle in Europe. Carlou D in the adaptation I saw in Dakar played the role of Diallo an intimidating, opportunist warrior who lead those people to Europe. His wish is for Bintou Were to makeher the father of the child she's carrying so that he'll be granted assylum. The singing, the acting of the entire cast was amazing, the costumes by Oumou Sy were gorgeous...I truly enjoyed myself and hope that one day you guys all get to see it:)
Here's the official site:
http://www.sahelopera.com
Check a clip , HERE

Djaa we have some really talented artisted :)
Eyeee Wayee:)

AMINA ABDALA, JUST A BADASS 3D FABULAFRICANA GRAPHIC DESIGNER!

College BobignyCollege Pasteur

Cinema Malakoff

3D Graphic Designer, Expert in Animation, Motion Graphic Architecture design skills in texturing,skills in modelling design..ect..I don't know a thing about these things...but she does with 10 years of experience in that field.
This fabulafricana lives and works in Tokyo, I guess if she can survive in that city filled with talented graphic designers than she must have "serious skills".
Some of the architecture design projects she worked on include the Cinema Complex Malakoff, the Mansion Odakyu, ect..
Amina has also done some motion graphic designing work for Japanese TV commercial among other things.
She's also done some art directorial work for the Japanese MTV Music Awards show 2008,Lightrythmstudios,Mazda and so many other companies...this fabulafricana's resume is serious....:)

Here's her website:
www.amina-abdala.com

Djaaa Fabulafricanas are the bomb:)
Eyeee Wayee:)

BROWN EARTH COSMETICS LINE BY GHANAIAN DUO YAW DJIN AND EDWARD ASANTE!

Whipped Shea butter...mmmmm I want some lol

Calendula Oil Lipbalm..wonder how that feels on our lipilips

Mangoe Butter..mmmm why can't they be based in Senegal?!

Lavender on my mind...mmmmm

Ok real talk, it was not easy figuring out the names of the owners of this cosmetics line..man it felt like a true detective mission....next time african business owners make it easy on us please lol...kayaaa:)

So Brown Earth they said..., simple yet original name I thought for a skincare line, anywhoo let me get back to what I was saying...Brown Earth is a cosmetics line founded in 2002 by Ghanaian business partners, Yaw Djin & Edward Asante.
Their products are created with flower essences, minerals, salts and herbs, those ingredients are mixed in together at top-notch Uk and French laboratories.They sell their products on line, in a few stores and spas.

Trough my research I found a Philadelphia spa that uses their products. Among diverse products such as deodarants , butter creams ect, they of course they sell shea butter based products.Yaw and Edward must have seen their mamas used this african ressource and must have seen how moisturised and gorg' their skin looked. I love the packaging of their products it just screams healthy living , quality, and treat to me...loves it.

Some of the products they sell include, lavender& geranium bath oil, natural whipped shea butter , coconut butter yummmm, mangoe butter..mmmm lol.
Am I the only one that gets excited buying skin care products with exotic names lol..I wonder anywhoo...:) As you can tell I'm being very silly today..hey it's the holidays:)

Here's their webbie:
www.sheabutter.co.uk

Djaa my brothas from Ghana sont dedans:)
Eyeee Wayeee:)

IVORIAN FABULAFRICANA, CHRISTIANNE KING ON THE UPCOMING PROJECT RUNWAY CYCLE 7!

This drawing is realy cool, really has character

I love the soft colors and earthy tones of this dress

I love it, love the colors, reminds of that Alicia Keys's album cover

Oh Waouh..fierce is not the word

Angelic mais demon

Z'aime!

Christianne King on her beautiful day wearing her own design...:)
Heyyy my people, and another fabulafricana on Project Runway starting January 14th at 10:00 PM..hopefuly she'll do as well or even better than Liberian fabulafricana Korto Momolu.Christianne hails from Abidjan,la ville du chaud meme koi:)
She hand-sewed her first garment at the age of 15 years old, she loves colors, she knew the first time that she was Project Runway that she belonged on that platform, she loves living in LA. Her fav' designers are Marchesa and Balenciaga. She considers herself to be very creative and versatile. As you know contestants have different challenges to face, she would hate to deal with is any menswear related challenges.
She's a huge fan of Lady Gaga , Charlize Theron, Angella Bassett and Jada Pinkett Smith. If she was to pick a challenge it would be the grocery store one, as she thinks that she would be able to show her creativity.

If you would like to know more about Christianne, click on the following link:
www.mylifetime.com

Djaa les gos d'Abidjan sont dedans:)
Eyeee Wayee:)

ROKIA TRAORE IN DAKAR, DECEMBER 2009!

An exhausted but glowing Rokia at the end of the night


Yes , Oui I know I've been slacking a lot lately lol...got carried out with my usual December blues..but I'm back ,backkk and ready to work...thank you for being patient with me:)

So I just went to see Miss Rokia Traore who was performing in Dakar last week. I've had the chance to watch her perform in New York City a couple of years ago at Canergie Hall. Her first CD , "Mouneissa" helped me out so many times during those college lonely dorm nights, lol I remenber that I would wear my african loincloth ,put on my socks (lame I know lol) light up candles and put her CD on repeat and go to sleep. Her soft voice reminded me of my sweet Africa, made me feel what being African meant to me, made me long for those baptism ceremonies under the hot sun, made me long for trips on our local buses "car rapide " as we would say in Senegal and "dourou dourouni "in Mali.

Through her sweet voice I remenbered my mother's advices, my aunties sweet but firm advices about how to conduct myself within the society. Rokia made me try to solve the puzzle of authentic bambara, she just helped me feel "my Africa".

Ok yes you get that I love her, however if you were to ask people like my mother or father or some other Malian adults how they felt about her, they would basically tell you with a laugh that they don't connect with her. In Mali, a lot of people feel that her music is too "world music" , "too white", they would rather listen to Oumou Sangare, or Salif Keita. They don't understand Rokia's musical language, right before leaving for the concert I was having a conversation with my mother about her , and she was telling me that Rokia's music was for the diaspora not for them..

I left a bit frustrated as I wanted mum to be as excited as I was but anywhoo...As I kinda expected it, there were just a few brown faces among the public, my black people I guess weren't feeling Rokia enough to spend 8000 CFA Francs..Yes I know it was a bit expensive but that's about the same amount or even less that people spend on a regular "Dakar saturday night" at the local clubs ect..I'm just saying.

With a new haircut , sahara inspired pants and a simple tank top Miss Rokia came on stage tout doucement,she blessed us at first with a slow traditional song on the guitar , it as if she was asking the blessings of the ancestors. The concert lasted a good 2 hours , I wasn't too familiar with her new CD "Tchemantie" as I didn't want to listen to it prior to going to see her. She took us on a visit to that chapter of personal musical journey, lyrics in french , english bues rythm a bit of pop and good old Rock & Roll. Some of the songs that stood out for me are"Dounia", "Zen" and "Tounka"

She talked to us about the alarming consequences of mass imigration and how she felt that the best thing would be for Africans to be able to come and go as they please , and how Mama Africa needs us..she's absolutely right but that's a different post..

Rokia was really generous with us that night, at the end of her concert she let totally loose danced, improvised songs on stage, came down to greet some of her fans and danced with them..

I'm so used to seeing her so poised , this was def' a new Rokia I was experiencing..It seemed as if she was happy in her own skin, happy with her musical choices and just having a good time..

Yep I left , looking forward to discovering again in a future musical chapter, I wonder what she will do that time...

Here are a few cool links:

Rokia performing Tounka, HERE

http://www.rokiatraore.net/

Djaa my Bamana Sistas sont trop dedans:)

Eyeee Wayeee:)