It is exciting to see how the vast digital presence of young Zambian artists/creatives is fueling new and dynamic takes on humor, politics, satire, pop culture, technology, innovation, imagination and much more. Carrying on from were Part 1 had left; a set of five creatives ends this series.
From the visible hits on Instagram to film clips on YouTube and massive portfolios on blogs/websites. These creatives are taking up space and setting the ball rolling. They are our favorite photographers, content creators, models, visual artists and so on. These creatives are the blueprint selling and using social media to generate buzz and setting trends. They are profiting from their creativity and shaping the industry. Let us dive in and get to know these creatives in detail and how they use social media to generate buzz.
1. Chisanga Taylor
Chisanga is a self-portrait photographer, painter, model and actress. She holds a BA in Drama and Theatre completed in 2019 with honours. She’s appeared on different on-screen projects including the popular ‵Lusaka Starter Pack′
Her self-portrait’s and Instagram reels are one of a kind and her ability to keep everyone at the tip of their toes with her behind the scenes of her creative process is a special kind of influence she has mastered to do very well.
On being different, Chisanga shares that, ″one of the main ways Zambian creatives are pushing themselves and their brands is centered on being their true selves. Being mixed race in Zambia has definitely been a unique experience but I use that uniqueness and my differences and push that into my art, whether it be my self-photography or my paintings.″
Chisanga narrates her love and influence of fashion on her creativity stating that ″I am always excited to see everyone’s interpretation of fashion and culture in their art forms.″
When asked about social media buzz Chisanga highlights that; ″The biggest challenge in creating buzz is trying to stay on trend or making sure you’re doing what the celebrities are doing. However, today there are so many self-made influencers/creatives who have made their mark by being different, and the difference was they were themselves. At the end of the day all you need to do is be different, be you.″
2. Niva Hankede
With over 32K Instagram followers, Niva is a renowned content creator, influencer, Photographer and videographer. His the founder of ‵Druberg Official′ and popular for his skills behind the lens at ‵Druberg Cam′ His unique dapper-style has also set him apart from other fashion creatives in the industry. Niva has shot for numerous campaigns, brands and fashion shows, which has positioned him as one of Zambia’s best creative photographer.
Niva highlights that with the coming of new tools, Zambian creatives are using reels on Instagram and TIKTOK videos, to entertain or educate their audiences on various topics and skills they possess. This has helped Zambian creatives, regardless of movement restrictions, to still be able to connect with their audiences in an even more entertaining way.
″Zambian Bloggers and writers are now creating more traffic to their websites by either adding links to their bios or the use of link buttons. This helps creatives with engagement. Zambian creatives have also found a way to create more awareness to their brand by using giveaways and in turn, this increases their visibility.″ Niva shares.
3. Sampa Kaidee
Born and raised in Lusaka, Zambia but based in Cape Town, South Africa, Sampa is a model and fashion stylist. She has walked for a number of runways including our very own Zambia Fashion Week and recently walked at the glamourous high fashion event, Lusaka-July. Adding on, she recently was signed to 20 Model Management in South Africa. There is definitely no denying the fact that Sampa is aimed for super model stardom.
Sampas journey begun by building a foundation on social media and that led to her breakthrough as many users began paying attention to her work. Her audience has been able to see her evolve as a model over the years.
″Social media has opened incredible doors for me and has allowed me to interact with people beyond the borders of Zambia. I have been able to work with photographers, makeup artists, stylists and fashion designers, which has helped me, build my portfolio as a freelance model in Zambia and I’m now receiving recognition on the international scene.″ Sampa explains.
″Theres no limit to who you can reach and social media allows us to see the world from a different perspective that is full of endless opportunities.″ in ending, these words from the model truly are ‵certified big facts!′
4. Dana Patel
The power of storytelling in photography is one that cannot be overlooked. It is deep, ignites emotion and connects humanity. Dana highlights this very well in the images she captures and has everyone at the tip of their toes waiting for her next post on social media.
Born and raised in San Diego, California and studied Public Health. Dana is a self-taught photographer specialized in landscape and portrait photography and available for assignments and hire. She is fueled by her innate passion for discovery and is inspired by the natural beauty of the world around us. Her website is a whimsical art gallery of beautiful images, a portfolio worthy of everyone’s gaze.
When asked about her creative journey, Dana shares; ″personally, when I started sharing images, I didn’thave any expectations and truthfully, I didn’t know many people. I was simply sharing my images because I liked them, and they meant something to me. However, because of social media I have made genuine connections with people who share similar interests as well as developed a brand for my work.″
″Zambian creatives are using social media to not only share their own work but to also support and share the work of others. It’s created a bit of a community that is really showcasing the talents of creatives in Zambia.″Dana explains.
4. Mix Kasamwa
Rapper, scriptwriter, vlogger, dancer and video director, Mix Kasamwa has an Instagram following of over 50K and has been trending all over social media for his wavy phrase/slogan ‵The hardest ohn in Lsk′ from the comedy series ‵Lusaka Starter Pack′ His worked for brands like MTN, infinix, Fanta and Prime Joint.
His edgy style definitely complements his persona and it is safe to say he has created a sub culture of his own guided by bilingual terms that can be found in what he calls ‵The Lsk Dictionary′
The dictionary comprises of popular words/phrases such as ‘Saht, Tong, Bookie, Bally, Buta, Chop, Eksay, Guza, ohn and Drip’, the list is endless.
When asked about how he uses social media to generate buzz, he shares; ″I feel Zambians are catching on digital and social media marketing pretty well. The only issue is lack of knowledge in terms of monetizing and pricing.″
With all the above gems shared by our favourite social media boos, there is absolutely no doubt that Zambian creatives are headed for more success in their respective fields. The second part of the October blog ends the creative feature series. Don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comment section below and share.
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See you in the next blog.
