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I N V E S T I G AT I O N

AFRICAN SPIRITUALIT Y THE QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD BE ASKING YOUR DOCTOR

WHY THE WEEKND IS SO HARD TO RESIST

IN YOUR 20S, 30S, 40S & OVER 50S

AFRICA’S NEW MUSIC KING ON HIS REAL DREAM, MENTAL HEALTH & THE EGO

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 R70 ( INCL VAT ) OTHER COUNTRIES R52.17 GQ.CO.ZA

UFC HEAV YWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION, FRANCIS NGANNOU MPHO LETSHOLONYANE POLO G MOTSHIDISI MOHONO

09 10 21

DEPARTMENTS 06 Letter from the Editor FEATURES 78 Focalistic, photographed in his hometown Ga-Rankuwa 86 African spirituality: the (big) difference between healing and black magic

G Q

THE COVER Photography by Obakeng Molepe. All prices quoted in this issue are approximate and subject to change.

ESSENTIALS 13 Fashion’s loudest voices 20 SA’s leading women sports anchors share their career highlights 24 Sports stars’ grooming tips and tricks for the GQ guy 26 Optimal health, no matter your age 27 The music megastars defining the sounds of tomorrow (as nominated by GQ’s 21 global editions) 36 Meet Abel Tesfaye, the artist behind the dark public persona, The Weeknd GEAR 47 Celebs’ favourite cars: Mercedes-Benz GLS 400D, BMW M5 and Mini Clubman S 50 Audi’s Quattro models launch in SA SPORT 54 Francis Ngannou, from a poverty stricken village in Cameroon to the UFC Heavyweight Champion 57 Wimbledon hopeful, Lloyd Harris WEALTH 58 Should you approach your sports career as a business?

C O N T E N T S

ST YLE 65 The local brands at the forefront of men’s fashion 74 Leago Scars, Thrift King 94 Directory

EDITOR'S LETTER

AN YO N E W H O KN OWS ME W I L L TEL L YO U

I don’t believe in the concept of one person representing an entire group at the table. Whether they’re the only man or woman, I disagree with it. There needs to be more than one of us at any table because guess what? There’s room for everyone. Over the years, I’ve seen people break barriers, thinking there’s only enough room at the top for one person. The moment another brother’s on the come up, there’s this mentality that only one of us should shine. So, the person who’s already there might try to block the one coming in. Sometimes, they do it on purpose, other times unconsciously, but somehow there’s this belief that we can’t all shine at the same time. I want to state unequivocally that that isn’t true. We can all shine, and as I said before,

06 GQ.CO.ZA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

there’s room for us all. So, how do we dismantle that mentality without discord or fearing people won’t recognise our voice or talents? We collaborate. We use your talent, mine and everyone else’s to make a more significant impact. The core of that belief is one reason I’m elated about our GQ global cover and Voices of the Future collaboration. Our cover star, The Weeknd’s cover on every issue of GQ around the world dropped on the same day. That’s some epic stuff. In our Voices of the Future collaboration, we introduce you to the biggest up-and-coming musical acts from each country in which GQ is published – 21, to be exact. We could’ve competed with one another, but instead, we collaborated for maximum impact. Speaking of strength, we knew there was no way

we could’ve produced our sports issue without an exclusive interview with one of the strongest men in the world, UFC World Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou from Cameroon. He chats about winning and more (p54). We also speak to top women sports broadcasters about what it means to be a woman working in a traditionally maledominated industry (p20). Cementing our message of collaboration is our second cover star, African superstar Focalistic, whose motto is ‘collaboration over competition’. Our shoot with him for this month’s cover was history making. For the first time in GQ South Africa’s 22 years, we shot a cover in a township, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria, in Zone 2, where Focalistic grew up. Here’s hoping you enjoy reading this issue as much as we loved producing it. Until next time. MOLIFE KUMONA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY S I M Z M K H WA N A Z I AT H E R O C R E AT I V E M A N AG E M E N T

COLLABORATION IS THE NEW COMPETITION

PUBLISHED BY CONDÉ NAST

EDITOR-IN- CHIEF Molife Kumona EDITORIAL

Lesley Mathys Walter Hay ward

GROUP MANAGING AND SY NDICATION EDITOR MANAGING AND SY NDICATION EDITOR

FA SHION

Jason Alexander Basson Mira Leibowitz Tania Durand

GROUP FASHION DIRECTOR FASHION EDITOR FASHION AS SIS TANT

CONDÉ NAST ENTERTAINMENT

ART

Robyn Schaf fner Nosipho Ngqula Asanda Kumbaca

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ROGER LYNCH GLOBAL CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER & PRESIDENT, U.S. REVENUE PAMELA DRUCKER MANN GLOBAL CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER ANNA WINTOUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER JACKIE MARKS CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER DEIRDRE FINDLAY CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER STAN DUNCAN CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DANIELLE CARRIG CHIEF OF STAFF SAMANTHA MORGAN CHIEF PRODUCT & TECHNOLOGY OFFICER SANJAY BHAKTA CHIEF DATA OFFICER KARTHIC BALA CHIEF CLIENT OFFICER JAMIE JOUNING CHIEF CONTENT OPERATIONS OFFICER CHRISTIANE MACK

CONTRIBU TING AR T DIRECTOR GR APHIC DESIGNER GR APHIC DESIGNER

PRESIDENT AGNES CHU

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD JONATHAN NEWHOUSE

COPY

Lisa Abdellah

SENIOR COP Y EDITOR

GROOMING

Jesé Lillienfeldt-Har tman

CONTENT PRODUCER

FE ATURE S

Shannon Manuel Thobeka Phanyeko

SENIOR CONTENT PRODUCER CONTENT PRODUCER

C ONTRIBUTING EDITORS Dieter Losskarn (MOTORING) CONTRIBUTORS Abboud, Verena Aichinger, Juan Luis Ascanio, Neha Bajaj, Gustavo Bortolotti, Gillian Campbell, Brian Cantarosso, Daronn Carr, Fernando Carrillo, Baby Choma, Richard Cook, George Cortina, Michelle Dacillo, Elena Dudina, Anakwee Eiam-Ong, Amira Elraghy, Kareem Fawzy, Mark Anthony Green, Danielle Gruberger, Keith Henning, Sandra Garcia Heras, Ryan Hing, Alastair Ho, Cidji Humbert, Bianca Jahara, Shin Hye Jee, Johnson, Saskia Jung, Awa Kaloga, Susie Kourinian, Mthokozisi Langa, Mahdi Latief, Lyra, Gerardo Maldonado, Vukile Malusi, Tshimaro Mbiola, Koo Hyun Mi, Siphesihle Mkhize, Lewis Munro, Christine Nelli, Nomfundo Ndlovu, Anna Maria Negri, Wadene Ngubane, Wanda van Niekerk, Clinton Osasenaga Idehen, Perukelly, Thanupol Phoothepamornkul, Keketso Pii, Vanessa Pinto, Nik Piras, Omar River, Tomi Roppongi, Jake Sammis, Ahmed Serour, Cebo Sibisi, Hee Sookwon, Daniel Spogter, Bastian Springer, Sukhon Srimarattanakul, Natalia Torres, Yelena Travkin, Brandon Vega, Kevin Wang, Will Welch, Tyler Williams, Dristen Wyman-Seale, Ksenia Yarmak, Ting Young, Julia Zauzolkova PHOTO GR APHERS AND ILLUS TR ATORS Prod Antzoulis, Vanya Berezkin, Anthony Bila, Imraan Christian, Luke Day, Luke Doman, Hick Duarte, Burçin Ergün, Ulysee Fréchelin, Half and Halve, Daniel Jackson, Quaid Jones, Theresa Kaindl, Romain Laprade, Karla Lisker, Jor Martinez, Simz Mkhwanazi, Obakeng Molepe, Sinotho Msweli, Mohit Mukhi, Koon Phattchakhun, Daniel Riera, James J Robinson, Aidan Tobias, Tobias Sagmeister, Claudia Leigh Selzer, Aaron Sinclair, Mr Triangle, Manuel Velez, Jinlong Yang C ONTENT NATION MEDIA (P T Y ) LTD CEO Mbuso Khoza HEAD OF FINANCE Paul Myburgh FINANCE CONTROLLER Marjorie Lotterie GROUP PRODUCTION MANAGER Jean Jacobs / PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Charné Phillips CIRCULATIONS MANAGER Frederick Smit / CIRCULATIONS CO-ORDINATOR Bertina Ellis PERSONAL ASSISTANT AND OFFICE MANAGER Karen Shields ADVER TIS ING HEAD OF SALES AND MONETISATION Tumi Moatshe / ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGERS Lorraine Bradley and Wendy Robinson (JHB), Charlotte Nutman (CT) / ADVERTISING LIAISON MANAGER Natasha O ’ Connor / SALES REPRESENTATIVE ITALY Angelo Careddu (OBERON MEDIA) DIGITAL ACTING DIGITAL MANAGER (CONTENT) Arthur Mukhari / ACTING DIGITAL MANAGER (TECH) Viné Lucas CONTENT PRODUCER Farah Khalfe / CONTENT PRODUCER Amy Saunders CONTENT PRODUCER Luthando Vikilahle BR AND PROPERTIE S BRAND PROPERTIES MANAGER Desiree Kriel E VENT S EVENTS CO-ORDINATOR Lindiswa Putuma DIREC TORS CHAIRMAN Dr Iqbal Survé, Gaamien Colbie and Amina Moodley CAPE TOWN HE AD OFFICE Content Nation Media (Pty) Ltd, 10th floor, Convention Towers, Heerengracht St, Cape Town City Centre, 8000. PO Box 16414, Vlaeberg, 8018. Tel: 021-344-0500; Email: gq @ condenast.co.za REPRODUCTION Studio Repro PRINTING Novus Print Montague Gardens DISTRIBUTION Allied Publishing, 32 Wepener Street, Booysens, Johannesburg RESEARCH Publisher Research Council PRODUCT MANAGER Soraya Pretorius, 011-248-2418 © 2020 Content Nation Media (Pty) Ltd. Copyright subsists in all work published in this magazine. Any reproduction or adaptation, in whole or in part, without written permission of the publishers is strictly prohibited and is an act of copyright infringement which may, in certain circumstances, constitute a criminal offence. ‘The paper used for this publication is a recyclable and renewable product. It has been produced using wood sourced from sustainably managed forests and elemental or total chlorine free bleached pulp. The producing mills have third-party management systems in place, applying standards such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. This magazine can be recycled either through your kerbside collection or at a local recycling point. Log onto www.prasa.co.za to find your nearest sites.

ISSNs: 1562-4366

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ALPINE EAGLE XL CHRONO The pure yet bold Alpine Eagle XL Chrono is a column-wheel chronograph equipped with a ﬂyback function. Its 44 mm case houses the Chopard 03.05-C chronometer-certiﬁed automatic movement, for which three patents have been registered. This exceptional timepiece is made of Lucent Steel A223, an exclusive ultra-resistant metal based on four years of research and development. Proudly handcrafted by our artisans, it represents the expertise and innovation cultivated in our Manufacture.

GQ PROMOTION

Discover PS Paul Smith Happy Collection a message of cheerful positivity to inject a little optimism into your wardrobe. Paul Smith is the classic British label. For those who might not know PS Paul Smith, think of it as the mainline’s cool younger brother, sharing the same DNA and values as the brand but offering menswear and womenswear inspired by sportswear and the street. It embodies elegant casual wear – nylon outerwear and quilted midlayers, denim shirts and casual essentials such as sweatshirts, hoodies, polo shirts and sweatpants, all in bright colours, made in relaxed ﬁts using sustainable manufacturing processes. Happiness means something different depending on a person’s situation. PS Paul Smith’s logo, arranged like a smiley face emblazoned across the garments, is not just an empty gesture. You can’t achieve happiness through goodwill but action, community and support. The feeling of being with friends, connecting with nature or listening to music – these moments of joy inspired the PS Paul Smith Happy collection of colourful organic cotton essentials for men such as t-shirts, golfers and tracksuits. *Now available in all Paul Smith stores.

‘During this challenging year, one of the things that is certainly helped me is keeping a positive and happy attitude. With the launch of PS Paul Smith Happy collection, we wanted to give some of the proceeds to the mental health charity YoungMinds, whose work is crucial, especially during these difﬁcult times.’ – Paul Smith Stockists: Paul Smith Sandton City 011 883 3709 Paul Smith Hyde Park 011 268 0352 Paul Smith Mall of Africa 011 805 0911 Paul Smith V&A Waterfront 021 424 0354

PHOTOGRAPHY SUPPLIED

PAUL S MI T H P RE SEN T S T HE NE W HAP P Y C OL L EC T ION WI T H

THE MONEY SHOT

FINESSE

VERY BEST

PHOTOGRAPHY SUPPLIED

AT ITS

THE ROLL S-ROYCE BOAT TAIL is not only the most expensive car in

the world; it’s also its coachbuilding department’s first creation. This hand-built machine has a unique wood-decked tail inspired by classic yachts, and rumour has it Beyoncé and Jay-Z own it. (R400 million, rolls-roycemotorcars.com)

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 GQ.CO.ZA 11

GQ PROMOTION

Extraordinary People TECNO’s Phantom Xtraordinaire Show takes a trip down memory lane with celebrities on their journeys to stardom

probably ﬁxated on celebrities. Don’t fret. That’s pretty normal. Back in the day, people looked to monarchs for social and even fashion cues. Part of our curiosity is learning what makes the great “great”, which inspired TECNO’s latest project, the Phantom Xtraordinaire Show. The brand also took a bold and extraordinary step with the release of its recent sub-brand, Phantom X. With Phantom X, TECNO left the familiar territory it’s operated in since its birth to embark on a journey that encompasses the brand’s vision, encapsulated and reframed for a new audience of more demanding, high-end premium consumers. The Phantom X speaks of an audience that continuously works to achieve more and represents a bold and unique group that goes all out to attain success. And this brand persona was captured in the Phantom Xtraordinaire Show. Hosting the talk show was youthful, fun-loving Tobi Bakre, whose friendly and relatable aura eased celebrities into sharing their stories openly and genuinely. The six-episode show featured Nollywood actress Rita Dominic, business consultant and inspirational speaker Fela Durotoye, pioneer beauty entrepreneur Tara Durotoye, WNBA draft Evelyn Akhator and founder of SLOT Nnamdi Ezeigbo. They openly shared the challenges they’ve had to slay to stay on the path they chose for themselves. The show wasn’t entirely serious. Each episode featured a game segment called ‘Choose Your Dare’, in which celebrities had to pick between two Phantom X phones that contained dares. Rita Dominic spilt lots of tea. But the part of her interview that’ll live rent-free in the minds of viewers for a long time was when she had to perform a rap song – yes, Rita Dominic rapped! Another favourite was Fela Durotoye’s episode. He shared noteworthy wisdom, but his power bike race with Tobi Bakre was a highlight – no one could’ve watched that without a slightly raised heartbeat! During her episode, Tara Durotoye boldly wiped off her lovely makeup. And in episode four, Evelyn Akhator beautiﬁed Tobi Bakre

by wrapping his head in traditional headgear popularly known as a gele. Nnamdi Ezeigbo got us all emotional as he called his wife on the show and expressed his love for her. Who knew Nigerian men could be that romantic? In the ﬁnal episode, Tara and Fela Durotoye played a game of charades. If we didn’t know how pertinent

communication is to a relationship before, we do now! Without a doubt, the experience from this show is one that viewers will carry with them for a long time. Anyone can be bold and extraordinary. *Catch TECNO’s Phantom Xtraordinaire Show on youtube.com/c/TECNOMobile

PHOTOGRAPHY SUPPLIED

IF YOU’RE A S HUM AN A S T HE RE S T OF US, YOU’RE MOS T

W H AT D O E S L U X U RY M E A N TO YO U ? Is it

THREADS

S T Y L I N G A N D C R E AT I V E D I R E C T I O N : C E B O S I B I S I ; P H OTO G R A P H Y : S I N OT H O M S W E L I ; M A K E U P : WA D E N E N G U B A N E ; M O D E L : V U K I L E M A L U S I AT B O S S M O D E L S ; C L OT H I N G : S I P H O M B U TO

just a price tag or a label? Today, it means so much more than that: time, consideration, quality, honesty, thought process, handcraft, textile, ethicality, a uniqueness of perspective that adds something of value to the zeitgeist, or a narrative that has the potential to reshape the world in crucial ways. It’s not often you come across these voices in fashion. But Durban University of Technology graduate Sipho Mbuto is one such character, and we look forward to seeing this star rise. »

This rising star’s work encompasses many facets of today’s industry, all executed through an indelible love of craftsmanship expressed in his relationship with fabric, textile sourcing and development, sustainability, community, identity and freedom of association or expression

SIPHO 13

ESSENTIALS

Threads M U LT I C O L O R BB HO ODIE R1 845 Adidas x Pharrell Williams

L IMI T ED MECHANIS M JERSE Y IN BLO CK P INK

S MIL E Y SOCCER BALL INYEL LOW

R3 200 Pas Normal Studios

R1 499 China Town Market at Shelflife

KIM J ONE S EDITION AIR M A X ’ 95 SNE AKERS IN GRE Y AND OR ANGE R3 250 Nike

DR AW S T RIN G B AG IN LIGHT WEIGHT NYLON WI T H E XCLUSIVE LOGO R2 650 Boss

Your guide tosport luxe AT H L E I S U R E H A S G O N E H I G H - FA S H I O N . Nothing’s

M U LT I C O L O R BB SHORTS R1 725 Adidas x Pharrell Williams

more motivating than getting some new gear to ﬂex in. Whether you’re into cycling, hiking, surﬁng or hitting the tennis court, there’s a high-end luxury piece for you. Check out some of our favourites.

14 GQ.CO.ZA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

ENCODER SUNGL A SSES R4 065 Oakley

SURF B OARD POR Louis Vuitton

Threads

ESSENTIALS

Arm candy Jewellery for the South African man

GALAXY & CO UNVEIL S ITS NEWEST COLLECTION O F M E N ’ S J E W E L L E RY , comprised of ﬁve unique ranges made of leather, beads and precious metals. You’re guaranteed to ﬁnd a piece you’ll love. *Available online only »

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 GQ.CO.ZA 15

ESSENTIALS

Threads

Front runners A brief look into four of SA’s influential streetwear brands

T H I S CA P E TOW N - B A S E D S U S TA I N A B L E R E A DY-TO W E A R B R A N D I S BY D E S I G N E R KEITH HENNING AND ARTIST J O DY PAU L S E N . Its signature is an artful contemporary twist on classic and utilitarian menswear, consciously constructed and sustainably sourced in South Africa. AKJP’s core focus is on quality, intending to make people feel conﬁdent wearing its clothing, regardless of their gender or age. It also has a concept store in Cape Town, housing 30 of SA’s most soughtafter local designers, called AKJP Studio. The brand plans to expand that platform to promote local designers and producers to international locations with an authentic South African footprint. AKJP continuously works on the label. So, keep an eye out for its new men’s resort-wear collection, which will drop this summer.

Words by Mira Leibowitz

AJKP

DEAD. ‘ E S TA B L I S H E D I N 2 0 1 5 , D E A D. I S A P R E M I U M L I F E S T Y L E B R A N D T H AT SPECIALISES IN THE C R E AT I O N O F P R E M I U M STREET WEAR GARMENTS A M O N G S T A C O N G LO M E R AT E O F OT H E R P R O D U C T S A N D S E RV I C E O F F E R I N G S S U C H A S D E A D. R A D I O, D E A D. I C E C R E A M , D E A D. D E S I G N E R WAT E R A N D “ T H E D E A D. S TO C K S O I R E E S O U T H E R N

A F R I CA P O P U P TO U R ”, TO N A M E A F E W. ‘We plan to develop a visual footprint online and create or fast-track current and relatable topics within the public domain. Fashion is an ever-changing phenomenon, so we’re currently exploring different ways to inﬂuence our consumers via our position within the fashion community. ‘To see how we’re doing this, visit dead93.com.’

16 GQ.CO.ZA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

Threads

ESSENTIALS

SOLSOL T H I S M E N S W E A R B R A N D S TA R T E D I N D U R B A N B AC K I N L AT E 2 0 1 3 A N D S H O R T LY A F T E R M OV E D TO CA P E TOW N . I T S C L A S S I C S T R E E T W E A R , A N D R E A DY-TO -W E A R M E N S W E A R S TA P L E S , H AV E R E TA I L E D I N S TO R E S I N T E R N AT I O N A L LY A N D S H OW N AT PA R I S M E N S W E A R W E E K . Think French terry hoodie or six-panel cap paired with a mohair and merino cardigan. After experiencing a couple of quiet months having to close the store due to Covid-19, the brand has bounced back in 2021 with a successful collaboration with Sealand Gear and an array of collections throughout the year. In 2022, SOL-SOL will focus more on considered collections, collaborations, sustainability and revisiting international stores with whom they’ve worked before.

DEAD.: PHOTOGRAPHY: ANTHONY BILA, SOL-SOL: PHOTOGRAPHY: LUKE DOMAN; AKJP: PHOTOGRAPHY: CLAUDIA LEIGH SELZER: STYLING: KEITH HENNING; MODEL: TSHIMARO M B I O L A ; A R T C L U B A N D F R I E N D S : P H O T O G R A P H Y : H A L F A N D H A LV E ; M O D E L : R YA N H I N G . R YA N W E A R S T O P S T I T C H E D R O YA L D U N G A R E E S B Y A R T C L U B A N D F R I E N D S

ART CLUB & FRIENDS ‘ I F YO U H AV E N ’ T M E T U S Y E T, H I ! W E ’ R E A R TC L U B A N D F R I E N D S , T H E INDEPENDENT BRAND FOR ARTISTS, BY A R T I S T S . W E D O N ’ T G E N D E R O U R P I E C E S , A N D CA P E TOW N I S OUR HOME. ‘We consider our clothes a uniform for the brave, and our customers often say we’re a constant reminder to play. Like so many other brands, we’re in survival mode at the moment. The main challenge we’re facing is adjusting to the unpredictability of production timing and how it affects our plans. That’s pushed us to focus on creating with the resources we have, as there’s no room for mistakes, so it’s brought out an ingenuity that wasn’t as prominent before. ‘We’re also in the process of taking most of our production in-house. It’s a challenging but exciting step for us, as it allows us to focus wholeheartedly on creating pieces that bring joy and inspiration to our community at a time where there isn’t a lot to look forward to.’

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 GQ.CO.ZA 17

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RE A DY T O RE A D

ESSENTIALS

Women we love

WOMEN IN

SPORT SA’s leading anchors share their career highlights Words by Shannon Manuel

‘Being a woman in sport is a testament to how important it is to chase your passions. I never feel as if I’m working. Also, I like setting a good example for young women. Four years ago, I started a gettogether for women in sport to empower the youth with information about different career paths in the industry. They enjoyed it and found it eye-opening. It didn’t happen last year due to Covid-19, but I plan to host it online this year. It’s my way of giving back,’ says Mpho Letsholonyane. She began her career in broadcasting as a YFM DJ and today is well-known for her phenomenal work as a sports anchor. Her TV career highlights include working at SuperSport since 2009, covering the 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN), the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2015 and 2017, the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games, and hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup. On the radio, she’s been a sports reporter on Metro FM and hosted the Ultimate Sport Show, which won a Liberty Radio Award in 2017. ‘I’ve been interested in sports since I was a child. My father is a Kaizer Chiefs supporter and boxing fan. He and his friends would watch sport, and being a daddy’s girl, I gravitated towards that – they made it look so cool. Bridget Masinga told me SuperSport was looking for women presenters, and I jumped at the opportunity to talk about my passion. It was a no brainer. ‘There were fewer women in sport when I started my career than there are today. I looked up to Cynthia Chaka and later Carol Tshabalala. I’m always blown away by how the industry’s since embraced us, print, radio, TV and behind the scenes. I look forwards to

MPHO LETSHOLONYANE SPORTS PRESENTER AND RADIO PERSONALIT Y

working on productions where the director or producer is a woman. More importantly, if sport is your passion, your gender shouldn’t stop you from following your dreams. ‘I think we’ve achieved a lot as journalists. Busi Mokoena covered Banyana at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Motshidisi Mohono anchored the match in which the Springboks won the 2019 Rugby World Cup (a Black girl did that!), and I anchored the 2018 FIFA World Cup. You couldn’t watch the UEFA Euros without seeing Tshabalala or Julia Stuart. We’ve held our own, done extremely well and shattered many ceilings.’ Asked whether she’s experienced resistance as a field reporter in a male-dominated arena, Letsholonyane replies, ‘I love being on the field because you hear from the coaches firsthand. Honestly, resistance never comes from teams or staff but rather from football fans, some of whom still believe women have no place in sport and others that I’m only doing this because I’m married to a footballer – which is hilarious! I’ve learnt to take it all in my stride. Sport is my happy place, but you can’t make everyone happy – and that’s OK.’

MINNIE DLAMINI-JONES

PHOTOGRAPHY SUPPLIED

S P O RTS A N D L I F E S T Y L E B ROA D CA S T E R A N D PRESENTER

‘The lifestyle-meets-sports show HomeGround, the first and only of its kind to be simulcast on SuperSport and Mzansi Magic and one of the biggest on the continent, addresses the fact more women are watching sport. I was determined to change the way the media portrays female sports presenters. I’ve always worked in full-glam and can proudly say more women in sport embrace their femininity and sense of fashion on screen as a result. ‘I embrace what makes me stand out and, although controversial, it works. I’m not afraid to be glammed up and look and feel sexy while doing my job to the best of my abilities. Women used to tone down their femininity so that people would take them seriously, but I’ve always done the opposite. Women can do it all with red lips and heels! ‘There was some resistance, as with anything new or different, but I was determined to break the mould. The playing field has transformed since I entered. SuperSport has more female anchors then ever before, proving representation matters. When a young girl has dreams of working in sports, they need to see it’s possible. ‘There were many women before me who paved the way: Carol Tshabalala, Kass Naidoo, Lebo Motsoeli and Nothemba Madumo, to name a few. ‘I’ve many treasured career milestones. I hosted the PSL Awards within a few months of starting as a sport presenter. My proudest

moment has to be hosting the biggest lifestyle show globally during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, From Russia with Love. ‘My dad was an athlete and believes sport makes you well-rounded, so he encouraged me to participate. I learnt how to work in a team and understand you can’t do everything in life on your own. Doing individual sports such as tennis, my first love, I learnt accountability, and you get out what you put in. I played other sports growing up besides provincial tennis: netball, athletics, touch rugby. I watched the sports I couldn’t play. ‘There are so many amazing women athletes, but we need more supporters of all genders to drive visibility. The more we support, the more sponsors we attract. I believe the world’s ready to put money behind women’s sport. We need to play our part by showing up for women’s sports as we do men’s. »

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 GQ.CO.ZA 21

JULIA STUART S P O RTS P R E S E N T E R A N D ANCHOR

‘More women are playing leading roles in sports journalism and broadcasting than ever, locally and abroad. Women used to be glorified iPad holders, read tweets on magazine shows and acted as eye candy. Now, I think it’s more acceptable for a woman to anchor a major sporting event. ‘I view being a woman in sport as a big responsibility. We’re paving the way so the next generation of women won’t have to work twice as hard for opportunities. I feel a sense of responsibility to be a good broadcaster so that when the next woman comes along, people won’t hesitate to give her a job based on her gender. When I was growing up, there weren’t women who looked like me in sports on TV, so, hopefully, girls see me and know they can do it too if they want to. ‘I agree we’ve made a lot of progress within the sports anchoring and sports journalism industries, but we also need to re-think the way we view other females in our field. We’ve learnt to be rivals, all competing for the same spot, but the truth is that there’s room for everyone to shine and excel, so that way of thinking is old school. ‘Sports anchoring is my dream job. I love the drama of it, the storylines, and the challenge of conducting a decent post-match interview. I’m obsessed with sports, and I get

paid to watch games I’d watch anyway. That being said, a lot of hard work goes into it. I’m always watching games, reading and listening to podcasts to stay up to date and educate myself. I watch other broadcasters, here and abroad, to learn how to improve. People judge women by different standards than male presenters, so I also try to look after my appearance, which means staying healthy and taking care of my skin and hair. ‘The most memorable person I’ve interviewed is South African football manager Pitso Mosimane. On live TV, he screamed at someone from Wydad AC who was taunting him from behind the camera. I felt like I was in a war zone, but I kept my cool and navigated the situation as best I could. The reaction on social media was insane – people from all over the world tweeted. That interview won me the SAB Video Media Presenter of the Year Award. ‘One of the biggest challenges of working during this pandemic was going into the biobubble in August last year. “The bubble”, as we refer to it, has become a normal part of sports broadcasting, but living in a hotel room for five weeks following strict rules and with no access to the outside world was taxing. The stadium experience has changed drastically without fans.’ People have said the pandemic has shown us the best and worst of sport, but Stuart doesn’t think that’s accurate. ‘“The worst”, I believe, is about the financial side of sport, how leagues and tournaments have sometimes been forced to resume even if it isn’t safe or viable. On a positive note, sport brings joy and a sense of community, even if experienced virtually. Sporting federations have offered stadia and training venues as Covid-19 hospitals and vaccination sites. Players and teams have donated money or organised food parcel drives. Stuart lists covering the 2016 UEFA Euros as a career milestone. ‘I was one of the SuperSport anchors for the 2020 UEFA Euros, and thinking back to that particular event reminds me how different the world used to be, and how free we all were pre-Covid. In the past year, there’ve been amazing moments: I started working with Premier League TV, interviewed Thierry Henry, Michael Owen, Ashley Cole and Cesc Fàbregas, co-hosted the PSL Awards, anchored the UEFA Euros, and I’m about to work on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.’

Women we love

ESSENTIALS

Grooming

WA L E E D WAY N E PA R N E L L , C R I C K E T I have an extensive selection of fragrances, but this one’s my favourite, an absolute must if you want to treat yourself. Gucci Guilty Oud R2 450

I spend a lot of time playing cricket, so applying sunscreen is as important to me as brushing my teeth. If there’s one product you should use on your face that has a decent SPF, this is it. Heliocare SPF50 Sunscreen R445

LUNGI NGIDI, CRICKET I love these products because they aren’t harsh on my skin and, being a sportsman who spends hours on the field, smelling good and feeling fresh is important. Dove Soap Bar Original R12.99 and Dove Men +Care Roll On Antiperspirant Deodorant Extra Fresh R23.99

I have dry skin, so this body lotion helps keep my skin healthy and moisturised. Nivea Men Revitalising Body Lotion R34.99

During a Test match, I spend an average of eight hours on the field, so I protect my lips from sun damage with Vaseline. Vaseline Blue Seal Petroleum Jelly R28.99

Grooming and the guys Words by Jesé Lillienfeldt-Hartman

L L OY D H A R R I S , T E N N I S I don’t think I can offer the best grooming tips out there, that’s for sure, but I think getting your hair trimmed every few months keeps your hair healthy and at a length you enjoy. I once grew mine way too long, and that’s a big no. Using decent products helps, especially as I wear a headband when I play tennis because it’s pretty easy for my hair to get tangled up in that.

I’ve tried many other skincare products, but these two work wonders. I use SKOON. Retinin in the evening as a night cream and SKOON. Wow-Wow wonder in the morning. You have to use the two together as the combined effect is amazing! SKOON. Retinin R429.95 and Wow-Wow Wonder Hydrating Serum R549.95

I prefer a fresh scent to an oud. This one has tuberose in it, a floral note considered an ‘aphrodisiac’. Heartless Helen by Penhaligon R4 925

24 GQ.CO.ZA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

P H OTO G R A P H S PA R N YG R A M / I N S TAG R A M , L LOY D H A R R I S 24 / I N S TAG R A M , K E AG Z X B U C H A N A N / I N S TAG R A M , S U P P L I E D

South Africa’s finest sporting lads share their favourite products, tips and advice

K E AG A N BUCHANAN, SOCCER

ESSENTIALS

Wellness

I T ’ S B E E N W E L LD O C U M E N T E D T H AT M E N

are less likely to visit the doctor than women. ‘Men are prone to have very poor health-seeking behaviours and tend to not seek help with difficulties they may encounter regarding their health, often waiting until symptoms or diseases are unbearable before seeking help – this often leads to treatment of diseases when they’re very advanced and recovery is difficult to attain,’ says Dr Pooe, general surgical registrar and resident at Tygerberg Hospital. ‘Creating partnerships with healthcare professionals is the best solution to overcome concerns, fears and insecurities that men have with their health. Waiting until symptoms become acutely painful or otherwise unavoidable isn’t a good health strategy. Men should meet with their primary care doctors to create a checkup schedule tailored to their health and lifestyle. It’s one of many reasons having a relationship with a primary care physician is crucial. Your doctor can create an individualised plan to keep you on the path to good health and avoid serious problems such as hypertension, heart attack or strokes down the line.’ I M P O RTA N T Q U E S T I O N S TO A S K YO U R D O CTO R I N C LU D E :

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RFSTUDIO/PEXELS.COM

t My family has a history of [x] disease. What can we do to check for it, and how can I best prevent it? t I am currently using [x] medication or substances. How do these affect my health? t My health goals are [x]. How can I attain them? t When do I need to come back for another health check? t How often should I get my cholesterol checked?

N AV I G AT I N G YO U R D O CTO RS V I S I TS : AG E S 2 0 - 30

‘Enough emphasis cannot be placed on having good, healthy habits while you’re young, especially as a young man between the ages of 20 and 30. We currently have an

epidemic of lifestyle diseases. Young people have to understand that investment in your health while you’re young pays off throughout your life. As healthcare workers, we often see this age group neglect their health usually due to stressful lifestyles, pressures and chasing careers. They don’t take care of their wellbeing, particularly, eating healthily, responsible use of alcohol, moderate exercise two to three times per week, and getting enough rest, sex and activities that care for your mental wellbeing,’ says Dr Pooe. ‘The notion of being young and breaking themselves to get ahead tends to spill into their poor health decisions. At this age, health checks should be infrequent (once or twice a year) unless there are specific known concerns such as asthma or diabetes. Special considerations should be made for testicular health (self-examinations), illness related to family history and routine health screens (blood pressure, weight and blood glucose).’

Health at every age Dr Phuti Pooe gives you guidance on what to ask your doctor at every stage of your life to help you stay on top of your health Words by Shannon Manuel

AG E S 30 - 6 0

‘Between 30 and 60 years old, you should have some sort of healthconscious routine to optimise your daily functioning and prevent burnout. It’s never too late to start, but it’s even better to build on

established routines. At this point, it’s important to have more regular appointments (every three to four months) with at least one primary physician. Any decent healthcare practitioner will appreciate a client who’s actively involved in their health. Prepare beforehand and ask questions related to your concerns,’ says Dr Pooe. ‘Screening for inherited illnesses should become regular at this point. These include prostate examinations and colonoscopies. A yearly comprehensive exam should include blood tests, a chest X-ray and a urine analysis – if costs aren’t prohibitive. Apart from obvious problems, subtle signs of changes in health such as chest pains and headaches should also be investigated.’ AG E 6 0 A N D O L D E R

‘After 60 years, in association with other risk factors, screenings for cancers should become mandatory. A family history really comes to the fore at this time, particularly any diseases that may run in the family. When you reach this age, it’s advisable to get support and work with a family member to check on and help maintain your health. Simple things go a long way to ensuring adequate care, including documenting your list of previous diagnoses, procedures and medications.’

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 GQ.CO.ZA 25

GQ PROMOTION

HENNESSY REVEALS THE EMOTION BEHIND V.S.O.P PRIVILEGE Created through 3-D data mapping technology the 2021 Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège Limited Edition design bares true emotion and savoir-faire

F OR T HE F IR S T T IME IN HENNE S SY ’S IL LUS T RIOUS HIS T ORY, the Tasting Committee’s timehonoured tradition has been captured and emotionally transcribed using 3-D data mapping by acclaimed media artist and director Refik Anadol. The Committee’s emotions were interpreted into the colour, shapes, reliefs and textures that appear on the 2021 Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège Limited Edition. The groundbreaking collaboration is the first-ever moment that an artist has been allowed to capture the ritual in real time via neuroscientific research methods, and to

use the collected data in collaboration with machine intelligence to create an unprecedented work of art. Upon touring the Hennessy estate and Founder’s Cellar, he became fascinated by the contrast between Hennessy’s tradition of transmitting savoir-faire, generation after generation, as compared to the new frontiers of artiﬁcial intelligence. What was once an invisible sensory experience has suddenly become tangible: the power of balance appears in a harmonious and poetic surface design, used to create the 2021 Limited Edition. Data becomes art in a visual metaphor for a blend; like the cognac itself, Sense of Heritage is designed to be appreciated on an individual sensorial level. In an experiment borrowed from another realm, the Hennessy Tasting Committee consented to “open up their

minds” to a completely unconventional experiment. Outﬁtted in high-tech equipment, Master Blender Renaud Fillioux de Gironde and his colleagues allowed Anadol to track their emotions in real time, capturing their experience, sensations, and appreciations of eaux-de-vie. During the traditional 11am

Tasting Committee meeting, a rare and specialised electroencephalogram (EEG) typically reserved for laboratory research was used to capture sensorial data as each participating Tasting Committee member evaluated a selection of eauxde-vie destined for Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège. Freshly equipped with sensors, the committee followed a ritual that has remained unchanged for generations. Past and present merged in what Anadol describes as ‘a near-future experience, in real-time’. ‘Emotion lives in the senses, on the skin, in the heart and the mind – and with this hyper-sensitive equipment, we were able to trace everything, down to the movement of the glass,’ Anadol explains. ‘You can see heritage and savoir-faire become visible and observe how the material becomes the wisdom.’ Hennessy has also unveiled a cocktail specially designed by Anadol to accompany the reveal of Sense of Heritage. You can ﬁnd the recipe on Hennessy.com. The 2021 Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège Limited Edition bottle will be available in Makro stores nationwide from 1 October 2021.

A NOTE ABOUT THIS ISSUE

Welcome to the worldwide era of GQ

PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL JACKSON; STYLING: GEORGE CORTINA; HAIR: DARONN CARR FOR BLENDLA; SKIN: C H R I S T I N E N E L L I F O R M AG I C S H AV E ; TA I LO R I N G : S U S I E KO U R I N I A N ; P R O D U C T I O N : G E P R OJ E C T S

This issue marks a new beginning for the global GQ brand. You may not know that there are 21 unique editions of GQ around the world. The original was established in the US in 1957. Some three decades later, the spawning commenced, first with British GQ in 1988, continuing through a period of rapid expansion in the aughts (including GQ Japan, GQ France, GQ China, and more), leading up to the 2018 launch of our newest title, GQ Middle East

The only thing that was strange about this ever-growing network of GQ editions is that we didn’t really speak to one another. And we certainly didn’t collaborate. Which – in an increasingly globalised world – was a little like having access to an incredible superpower and choosing not to use it. Well, that changes for good with this issue. Like that scene in Spider-Man in which Tobey Maguire ﬁgures out how to ﬁre cobwebs out of his wrists, GQ has entered the phase of its hero’s journey where it’s testing out its superpowers and seeing what they can do. To me, the coolest aspect of GQ’s superpower is that it only activates when we all work together. For this issue, my international colleagues and I chose to unite at the intersection of two universal languages: music and fashion. So 17 of our international editions simultaneously published a cover featuring the most mysterious and

compelling artist in global pop, The Weeknd. And all 21 of us co-produced and co-published a portfolio called “Voices of the Future”, which spotlights 21 emerging musicians, each of whom was nominated, photographed, and profiled by one of our editions. So what does this newly unified approach mean for you and our 64 million other monthly readers around the world? Well, it means that across our digital platforms, and with each new print issue, you’ll see not just your country through the GQ lens but the whole globe. Which could mean an international megastar on the cover – or a hyper-local story that originates in Paris, Milan, Taipei, Cape Town, Seoul or Mexico City. In an era that’ll continue to be defined by the glorious borderlessness of the internet, this shift represents a great leap forward for GQ. Especially because our fashion-musicand-art-obsessed audience comprises a continent-crossing network of young

people who share a worldview and are all connected via social media. And anyway, the GQ reader has always been broad-minded and voracious. We don’t want to hunker down at home – we want to get out and experience the world in all its sublime, complex fullness. We want provocative ideas from diverse perspectives, bold new fashion that eschews tired rules, and vivid reporting that challenges our assumptions and pries open our minds. For years now, our 21 international editions have proved that the stylish and cutting-edge spirit of GQ is ﬂourishing across borders, time zones, and languages. I like to think of GQ as a campﬁre around which like-minded people from across the planet gather. With this issue, we strike the match.

Will Welch GLOBAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 GQ.CO.ZA 27

Voices of the future Shirt Louis Vuitton Men's; jewellery all Polo G’s own; watch Audemars Piguet Polo G’s own

UNITED STATES

NOMINATES

POLO G

The Melodic Prince of American Hip-Hop Age: 22 Hometown: Chicago Key Track: ‘Rapstar’

This summer, as heavyweight rappers such as J. Cole and Migos returned from hiatus, they found a new face dominating the charts. A shy 22-year-old named Taurus Tremani Bartlett, he calls himself Polo G, after his favourite fashion label and a friend named Gucci, who died at 16. ‘I’ve had a passion for rapping since I was 19,’ he says, ‘and it’s been fun. But I only recently found a deeper passion for it.’ He’s sitting in the

In search of music’s next megastars, each of GQ’s 21 global editions nominated a local artist across a world of genres – from J-pop to flamenco, rap to reggaeton – to show us who’s shaping the zeitgeist and defining the sounds of tomorrow

lobby of the Dream Downtown, in Manhattan, reflecting on his new project, Hall of Fame, which topped the Billboard 200 and is starting to feel like one of those pivotal third albums that announce a generational talent (think Kanye’s Graduation or J. Cole’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive). On Fame, Polo has transformed himself from melodic street rapper to megastar, proving he can hang with his idols (Lil

Wayne), make big pop songs (‘For the Love of New York’), and notch a chart-topping hit while retaining his core sound (‘Rapstar’). The title, he says, is a road map. It’s about ‘knowing what sort of legacy I want to leave five years from now,’ he explains. But first, he’s taking a rest – at least for a minute. ‘I’m treating it as an off-season, just trying to get better.’ Championships await. – FRAZIER THARPE

Global Voices

SOUTH AFRICA

ESSENTIALS

NOMINATES

FOCALISTIC

The Pied Piper of Pretoria’s Amapiano Movement

Age: 25 Hometown: Ga-Rankuwa Key Track: ‘Ke Star (Remix)’

POLO G: PHOTOGRAPHY: AARON SINCLAIR; STYLING: JAKE SAMMIS; GROOMING: HEE SOOKWON USING D I O R B E A U T Y ; TA I L O R I N G : Y E L E N A T R AV K I N ; P R O D U C T I O N : D A N I E L L E G R U B E R G E R ; L O C AT I O N : G R A N A D A HILLS, LOS ANGELES; ISRAEL FERNÁNDEZ: PHOTOGRAPHY: JOR MARTINEZ; STYLING: JUAN LUIS ASCANIO; G R O O M I N G : S A N D R A G A R C I A H E R A S F O R T H E A R T I S T M A N A G E M E N T ; P R O D U C T I O N : N ATA L I A TO R R E S ; L O C AT I O N : G R A N V Í A , M A D R I D ; F O C A L I S T I C : P H OTO G R A P H Y : O B A K E N G M O L E P E ; S T Y L I N G : M I R A L E I B O W I T Z ; G R O O M I N G : B A B Y C H O M A ; L O C AT I O N : G A - R A N K U WA , P R E TO R I A

Jacket, turtleneck and pants all H&M; shoes Dolce & Gabbana Focalistic’s own; sunglasses Burberry

SPAIN

NOMINATES

ISRAEL FERNÁNDEZ

The Man Sparking Flamenco’s New Energy Age: 29 Hometown: Toledo Key Track: ‘La Inocencia’

You notice that Israel Fernández is pure flamenco from the moment he walks through the door. He embodies the art, twisting the rich lyrics in his throat and unleashing them as a wholly fresh sound. ‘It’s a gift God gave me,’ he says, ‘and it also comes from my family. I have Roma origins. We grew up singing and dancing from a very young age. This is my way of life.’ Fernández’s talent has already caught the attention of the new wave of Spanish artists, such as Rosalía, C. Tangana, and El Guincho, who produced

‘In 2016, before my career took off, I wrote on Twitter that I’d have a No. 1 hit in 2020,’ says Lethabo Sebetso, a.k.a. Pitori Maradona, a.k.a. Focalistic. ‘That happened.’ Post-manifesting, Focalistic broke out on the South African Amapiano scene with a string of tracks that blend deep house, rap and jazz. But he struck a nerve on the continent by holding up a mirror to the youth. ‘My music is about what’s happening in South Africa and

Africa right now,’ he says. ‘It showcases the growth in our culture and how dope African music continues to be. That’s why the people who listen to my music and love it can relate to it – it represents them.’ Right now, Focalistic has hit a stride that’s quickly becoming a victory lap. In February, he linked up with Nigerian-American Afrobeat overlord Davido to drop a remix of ‘Ke Star’, which clocked millions of streams and got co-signs from Diddy and Alicia Keys. Amidst all this, he’s doubling down on manifesting his future: ‘I’m definitely on my way to being one of the greatest African artists in the world.’ – GQ SOUTH AFRICA STAFF

Coat and pants both Fendi; shirt and scarf both Hermès

Fernández’s recent single ‘La Inocencia’. ‘For this song, I didn’t want percussion, clapping, or an acoustic finish,’ he says. ‘I was looking for something more electronic, and he was the one to do it.’ Thanks to his authentic approach to traditional flamenco – and his ability to collaborate – Fernández is already considered the most important cantor of his era. And he’s regularly likened to the master, Camarón de la Isla. ‘I’m not going to say that I don’t like that comparison, but Camarón is unrepeatable,’ he says. ‘My only goal in life is to bring flamenco to the younger generations without the need to deceive them with something else.’ – F. JAVIER GIRELA

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 GQ.CO.ZA 29

GQ Jacket Juliana Jabour x New Era; shirt Dolce & Gabbana; belt and shoes both Gloria’s own; hat Gucci; earrings and necklaces both Tiffany & Co.; ring (on right index finger) Vivara; rings (on right middle finger and left hand) Guerreiro

JAPAN

BRAZIL

NOMINATES

GLORIA GROOVE

The Melodic Prince of American Hip-Hop

Age: 26 Hometown: São Paulo Key Track: ‘Bonekinha’

In Brazil, a new generation of pop stars is on the rise: artists such as drag singer Pabllo Vittar, trans rapper Urias, and Gloria Groove, a drag performer whose music blurs the lines between funk, rap, and soul. ‘We’re leading a major revolution in Brazilian pop music,’ Groove says. Born in São Paulo as Daniel Garcia, the 26-year-old singer undergoes a Superman-like transformation inside the glam wardrobe of Gloria Groove. As a drag queen, her choreography – brash and powerful – is in total opposition to Garcia’s shy

UNITED KINGDOM

demeanour. And really, these are more than dance steps. For Gloria Groove, they’re a call to war. ‘The dolly doesn’t fool around,’ goes the refrain in ‘Bonekinha’, a thumping track off of Groove’s recent project Lady Leste. She plans to continue teasing songs through the year, all through a kaleidoscopic set of sounds that swerve from rap to pop to funk carioca. ‘I’m the descendant of an era in pop music where the artist is in a constant process of reinvention,’ she says. And no kryptonite’s stopping that. – GQ BRAZIL STAFF

That DIY ethic even extended to the dress she wore to perform at the Brit Awards in May: she stayed up the night before to hand-stitch the fabric into an asymmetric gown. ‘There’s a lot of kids now taking things into The Fearless Reboot of Bedroom Pop their own hands,’ she explains. ‘There’s a credibility attached to Age: 20 pop again.’ Hometown: Kings Langley – THOMAS BARRIE Key Track: ‘Black Hole’

NOMINATES

Jacket and shirt both Bed J.W. Ford

A Genre-melding Force in J-Pop Age: 24 Hometown: Satoshō Key Track: ‘Nan-Nan’

‘The music comes first,’ says Fujii Kaze, one of Japan’s new breed of YouTube-native pop stars. ‘Let me share my favourite Michelangelo quote: “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” This is the way I like to follow.’ In the noisy J-pop space, Kaze has distinguished himself by his ability to find marble worth carving. Early on, he won fans and subscribers through a smorgasbord of uploaded covers – everything from the Carpenters

to Ariana Grande to 19th-century romanticist Frédéric Chopin. That borderless curiosity paid dividends on Kaze’s 2020 debut, Help Ever Hurt Never, a kind of stylised disarray of genres that felt thrilling and fresh. The album changes seasons from verse to chorus and track to track, whirring from jazz to classical to R&B in a way that’s neither jarring nor forced. Reflecting on his brand of chaotic harmony, Kaze is serene. ‘I don’t want to lie to myself or others’ he says. ‘I just want to be myself – but a better version, always.’ – GQ JAPAN STAFF

30 GQ.CO.ZA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

When GQ meets Griff, clad in a pearly Richard Quinn dress worthy of a Tudor queen, she’s overjoyed: it’s the drizzly June morning her debut mixtape, One Foot in Front of the Other, drops and Taylor Swift, no less, has just recommended the project to her 166 million Instagram followers. ‘It’s really, really surreal,’ admits Griff, born Sarah Griffiths in Hertfordshire, just north of London, and of Chinese-Jamaican heritage. Yet it’s easy to see why Swift would be impressed. Totally authentic on social media and fearless when layering vocals to produce her unique, confessional synth pop, Griff is the consummate modern “bedroom pop” star gone boom. Growing up, she felt that ‘pop was always associated with a lot of fake, music-industry, churnedout stuff ’. Griff, on the other hand, taught herself to use Apple’s Logic Pro software on her brother’s laptop via YouTube tutorials.

Dress Richard Quinn; umbrella Burberry

GLORIA GROOVE: PHOTOGRAPHY: HICK DUARTE; STYLING: BIANCA JAHARA; HAIR: P E R U K E L LY ; M A K E U P : G L O R I A G R O O V E ; L O C A T I O N : J A R D I N S , S Ã O P A U L O ; S P E C I A L T H A N K S TO T H E H OT E L R E N A I S S A N C E A N D T E AT R O U N I M E D ; G R I F F : P H OTO G R A P H Y : L U K E D AY ; H A I R : T O M I R O P P O N G I ; M A K E U P : M I C H E L L E D A C I L L O ; L O C AT I O N : L O N D O N

FUJII KAZE

GRIFF

Global Voices

Jacket and pants Pacifism; T-shirt Sunspel; hamsa necklace Ziggy’s own; chain necklace and bracelet Maple; ring Walton Emma

E M I R TA H A : P H OTO G R A P H Y : B U R Ç I N E R G Ü N ; S T Y L I N G : L E W I S M U N R O ; N ATA L I A L A F O U R C A D E : P H OTO G R A P H Y : K A R L A L I S K E R ; STYLING: FERNANDO CARRILLO; HAIR: GERARDO MALDONADO; M A K E U P : G U S TAV O B O R T O L O T T I ; L O C AT I O N : M I G U E L H I D A L G O , MEXICO CITY; ZIGGY RAMO: PHOTOGRAPHY: JAMES J ROBINSON; STYLING: JAMES J ROBINSON; GROOMING: GILLIAN CAMPBELL; L O C A T I O N : L I T T L E B AY, S Y D N E Y

TURKEY

NOMINATES

EMIR TAHA

R&B’s Link From East to West Age: 24 Hometown: Antalya Key Track: ‘Kendine Gel’

One of the best nights Emir Taha had during the turbulent past year was spent cooped up in an

Airbnb, putting the finishing touches on a track he’d titled ‘Kendine Gel’. The song – an R&B number layered with synths and Eastern melismas – reckoned with a universal challenge: getting ahold of yourself in difficult times. It dropped last year as one of the standouts of Taha’s EP Hoppa pt. 1. ‘Just like everyone else,’ he says, ‘I’ve accumulated a lot in my head, which shows through the way I think, live, and create music.’ Taha’s Hoppa project continued this year with a second instalment, this one an even moodier take on R&B. The pair of EPs epitomise the borderless nature of Taha’s sound: You can hear shades of Kid Cudi, Noah ‘40’ Shebib’s collaborations with Drake and Majid Jordan, and Turkish pop crooners from decades past. Born in Antalya, on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, and now based in London, Taha has spent his career accumulating disparate influences that he stitches together in the studio. The productions don’t show any seams, just a deft combination of tradition and modernity that brings to mind the work of an artist like Rosalía. ‘From Ahmet Kaya to Kid Cudi, Duman to Slowthai, everything I listen to is a collection,’ says Taha. ‘You never know where inspiration will come from.’ – ALARA KAP

ESSENTIALS

Shirt Song for the Mute; turtleneck Prada; pants COS

AUSTRALIA

NOMINATES

ZIGGY RAMO

An Urgent Voice for Indigenous Australia

‘My dad talks about the feather and the sledgehammer,’ says Ziggy Ramo. ‘You need to know when to hit someone over the head, but also when to be as gentle as possible. And for me, my art is my sledgehammer.’ Born in Bellingen to a Wik and Solomon Islander father and a mother of Scottish descent, Ramo began making music in his teens. But when his first album, Black Thoughts, arrived last year at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, it hit the Australian music scene not just like a sledgehammer but like a meteor. ‘Black Lives Matter, that’s the subject matter,’ he raps on the album’s title track. ‘Tell you to climb, then they burn down your ladder.’ The album is both a passionate attack on the systemic racism faced by generations of Indigenous Australians and a celebration of the oldest civilisation on earth. It won an International Indigenous Hip Hop award and found fresh acclaim when he performed it at the Sydney Opera House. But Ramo knows this is just the start. ‘One single performance isn’t going to change the world,’ says the artist, whose next album will drop this year. ‘But it can be a catalyst for something bigger.’ Age: 26 Hometown: Sydney Key Track: ‘Black Thoughts’

– JAKE MILLAR GQ

MEXICO

NOMINATES

NATALIA LAFOURCADE

Mexico’s Link From Past to Future Age: 37 Hometown: Coatepec Key Track: ‘Mi Tierra Veracruzana’

Dress Carla Fernández; ring Tiffany & Co.

In addition to her career as a singer, Natalia Lafourcade takes another job very seriously: recovering Mexican folk’s bygone traditions. The winner of two Grammys, she’s worked to revive elements of

historical genres like nueva canción and ranchera, prying their old codes out of oblivion and running them through her signature hazy folk soundscapes. ‘The path I’ve walked led me to get closer to the past and reinterpret it with the help of many musicians who walk the same path,’ she says. ‘It’s been a passionate journey to discover so many types of Mexicans that exist – their different ways of loving and

suffering throughout our musical history.’ Though Lafourcade has orbited the Mexican pop scene for over two decades, this phase of her career has been a pivot. Now she’s a bridge between past and present for a country that seems to have left many of its roots – and its songs – behind. In May, Lafourcade dropped the second volume of her album Un Canto Por México, recorded to support the Son Jarocho Documentation Center, which was destroyed in the 2017 Puebla earthquake. ‘I’m on a journey to understand where I come from,’ she says. ‘And how we sing here.’ – GQ MEXICO STAFF

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 GQ.CO.ZA 31

Shirt and shorts both Orlebar Brown; sneakers and socks both Dior

Hoodie, joggers and sneakers all Puma; hat Haut Apparel

INDIA

NOMINATES

DIVINE

The Rapper Who Bridged Mumbai and Crown Heights

Age: 29 Hometown: Mumbai Key Track: ‘Mere Gully Mein’

Just behind Mumbai’s glittering international terminal stretches a teeming borough called Andheri East. A patchwork of tin, tarpaulin, and glass, it’s a blend

Sweater Sandro; pants Jacquemus; rings Eddy’s own

of shantytowns and working-class neighbourhoods – and home to millions who’ve arrived, over decades, in India’s city of dreams. It’s also where a young boy named Vivian Fernandes discovered hip-hop. He first encountered the culture on a friend’s T-shirt emblazoned with 50 Cent’s face and on a borrowed CD stuffed with dozens of songs by Tupac, Biggie, and Wu-Tang Clan. In 2015, ‘Mere Gully Mein’ – a track he built online with Naezy, another young rapper on the rise – went viral on YouTube, spawning the gully rap subgenre. Divine’s seminal verse, delivered in his local Bambaiya Hindi dialect, was brash and rebellious yet honest and clean. In 2019, Nas signed him to the label he co-owns, Mass Appeal, giving Divine international distribution. In December, his face flickered on a mammoth Spotify billboard in Times Square. And earlier this year, he scored features from Pusha T and Vince Staples. ‘When sounds merge,’ he says, ‘magic is created.’ But Divine remains tied to the streets, launching a venture called Gully Gang Entertainment that helps elevate talent from underrepresented groups. ‘The people made me. I can never forget that,’ he says from his home studio in ’59, still his postcode. ‘I’m just a guy with a mic. To stay grounded, be rooted in your culture. That’s the only way to go.’

EDDY DE PRETTO

France’s Flyest Chanteur Is a Weirdo for All Age: 27 Hometown: Créteil Key Track: ‘Kid’

FRANCE

32 GQ.CO.ZA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

NOMINATES

OZUNA The Island’s Heir to the Reggaeton Throne

Age: 29 Hometown: San Juan, Puerto Rico Key Track: ‘No Se Da Cuenta’

a week after it dropped, Cure hit the top of the French charts. Openly gay, De Pretto ruminates on toxic masculinity (he cites Frank Ocean as a role model) but has no desire to be a poster boy for the French LGBTQ+ movement. Instead, he’s singing ‘for every freak, every weirdo, and every bastard.’ And that’s the very title of his sophomore album, released last spring: À Tous Les Bâtards. ‘It’s cool to be in love with one’s own imperfections, with one’s differences,’ he says. ‘That’s the only way to find strength in them.’ – GQ FRANCE STAFF

– GQ LATIN AMERICA STAFF

NOMINATES

Three years ago, Eddy de Pretto became a national pop idol within a few weeks. With a sound somewhere between chanson, rap, and spoken word, he grew up in a project a few miles outside Paris, listening to a steady diet of hip-hop and Jacques Brel. ‘I was considered a weirdo at school, and now I put this weirdo and his feelings at the centre of my songs, of my interviews,’ says de Pretto. ‘I turned him into a sun.’ Coming up, he caught eyes in industry circles with his striking stage presence, and when he released his debut album, Cure, in 2018, the people concurred:

LATIN AMERICA

What place will Puerto Rico occupy in music history 20 years from now? Reggaeton singer Juan Carlos Ozuna Rosado, winner of two Latin Grammys, listens to the question and smiles, Boricua pride between his teeth. ‘This is an island that sets the pace for many feet in the world,’ he says, ‘but I think several years from now we’ll see the legacy more clearly.’ It’s a legacy Ozuna wants to be a part of. Last year, he released his fourth album, ENOC, which saw him return to the roots of old-school reggaeton. It also continued the Ozuna tradition of high-wattage collabs, with Sia and Doja Cat dropping in for features. ‘I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with many talents from the island and abroad,’ he says, ‘and the truth is there is an artist that I have pending who’d love to do something new: Rihanna.’ If he’s setting a high bar, it’s only because he wants the island to have its chapter in music history. ‘Decades ago, a seed was sown with [reggaeton pioneers] Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel, from which many of us are reaping the fruits,’ he says. ‘And many of us want to sow other seeds.’

– NIDHI GUPTA

D I V I N E : P H O T O G R A P H Y : M O H I T M U K H I / G LT C H ; S T Y L I N G : N E H A B A J A J ; L O C AT I O N : B A L L A R D E S TAT E , M U M B A I ; E D DY D E P R E T T O : P H O T O G R A P H Y : R O M A I N L A P R A D E ; S T Y L I N G : VA N E S S A P I N T O ; G R O O M I N G : C I D J I H U M B E R T ; L O C AT I O N : PA R I S ; O Z U N A : P H OTO G R A P H Y : M A N U E L V E L E Z ; S T Y L I N G : O M A R R I V E R A ; G R O O M I N G : O M A R R I V E R A ; P R O D U C T I O N : B R A N D O N V E G A ; L O C AT I O N : A G U A D I L L A , S A N J U A N , P U E R TO R I C O ; S P E C I A L T H A N K S TO E D G A R D A N D I N O ; Z O E W E E S : P H OTO G R A P H Y : T H E R E S A K A I N D L ; S T Y L I N G : S A S K I A J U N G ; H A I R : AWA K A L O G A ; M A K E U P : B A S T I A N S P R I N G E R ; P R O D U C T I O N : V E R E N A A I C H I N G E R ; L O C A T I O N : H A F E N C I T Y, H A M B U R G ; S P E C I A L T H A N K S T O T H E E L B P H I L H A R M O N I E A N D T H E W E S T I N H O T E L H A M B U R G ; E . S O : P H O T O G R A P H Y : M R . T R I A N G L E ; S T Y L I N G : K E V I N W A N G ; H A I R : J O H N S O N F O R M O T I VA T E H A I R S A L O N ; M A K E U P : LY R A F O R S O E A S Y S T U D I O ; L O C A T I O N : X I Z H I D I S T R I C T, T A I P E I , T A I W A N ; F E D E Z : P H O T O G R A P H Y : D A N I E L R I E R A ; S T Y L I N G : N I K P I R A S ; H A I R : B R I A N C A N T A R O S S O F O R E N C A D R E R S T U D I O ; M A K E U P : A N N A M A R I A N E G R I F O R J U L I A N W A T S O N A G E N C Y ; L O C A T I O N : P R E H I S T O R I C P A R K , C R E M O N A , I T A LY

TAIWAN

NOMINATES

E.SO

A Stalwart of Mandarin Rap Breaking New Ground

Coat and shirt both Namesake; pants Dior Men

Age: 33 Hometown: Taipei Key Track: ‘Change’

E.SO – one of Taiwan’s reigning rap monoliths – has been staying at home, playing video games, even banking a little coin from crypto. He’s also tinkering away on the follow-up to his first solo album, Outta Body, which saw him zigzag away from the hiphop sound associated with his Taiwanese rap group, MJ116.

Vintage coat Prada at Nightboutique; hoodie and pants both Adidas Originals; vintage earrings Chanel at Nightboutique; choker Nué; vintage silver necklace Balenciaga at Nightboutique; gold necklace Chanel

But E.SO is in no hurry to wrap an LP – he takes the long view on inspiration. ‘You need to accumulate enough feelings in your everyday life,’ he says. ‘Those thoughts might not trigger anything in the moment. But after a while, they’ll suddenly come back again – that’s an inspiration.’

Coat, cardigan and pants all Prada

His methods are proving effective: Outta Body – a melding of hiphop, neo-soul, and Afrobeat – was a huge hit. Now, over a decade after entering the public eye, he’s got a new mission: ‘Taking Mandarin music to new places is a mindset as well as a social responsibility.’ – GQ TAIWAN STAFF

ITALY

NOMINATES

FEDEZ

The Social Conscience of the Italian Glitterati Age: 31 Hometown: Milan Key Track: ‘Vorrei ma non posto’

GERMANY

It was during lockdown that ‘Control’, her debut single – a gutsy pop hit marked by her raspy tones – broke out to millions of listeners outside Germany. Slots on Corden and Kimmel followed, and Wees was crowned a legit force in pop, all without having ever played a concert. In May, she released Golden Wings, an EP drenched in power ballads – songs about inclusion, visibility, anxiety and self-love. That ethos is especially apparent on ‘Control’, a track rooted in her experience with benign rolandic epilepsy. ‘I’ve always been writing about my story,’ she says, ‘and I’m happy when I can help people by sharing it.’ What’s most remarkable about Wees’s light speed ascension is that her songs don’t wear themselves out. She doesn’t feel like hype, but a new classic. The stage is calling.

It took all of five minutes for Fedez to ignite a national debate on discrimination, inclusivity, and the future of Italian society. In a speech at a concert in May, he accused a cabal of far-right politicians of stalling an antihomophobia bill in the Italian parliament. And he did it live on national television. That the comments came from one of Italy’s most glittering rappers – and the husband of über-influencer Chiara Ferragni – triggered both shock waves and praise, including a shout-out from Donatella Versace. ‘I think young people are ahead of the sensibilities of our politicians,’ Fedez says. ‘I get very angry when people who’re supposed to represent everyone say serious things against certain types of people living in our society.’ For Fedez, the speech was an exclamation point on his transition from tastemaker to change agent. And a pair of platinum-certified No. 1 tracks in 2021 prove that, whether he’s rapping or speaking out, the people are listening.

– ULF PAPE

– GQ ITALY STAFF

NOMINATES

ZOE WEES

An Honest Voice out of Lockdown

Age: 19 Hometown: Hamburg Key Track: ‘Control’

Zoe Wees is eyeing the stage of Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie and asking questions about her future: ‘When will I start? When will I stand there?’ Opened in 2017, the concert hall on the Elbe River is becoming one of the most important in the world; shows have just resumed as GQ photographs Wees on the rooftop. Playing at such a major venue is a new experience for the teenager, whose rapid rise has been contoured by the pandemic.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 GQ.CO.ZA 33

Dress, sweater and shoes all Versace; rings Bottega Veneta

Sweater and jeans both Vereja; sneakers RBRSL; necklace (top) and bracelet both EL Jewelry; necklace (bottom) and rings @tresure_store

THAILAND

Blazer Longchamp; earrings Cata Vassalo

NOMINATES

MILLI

CHINA

From Student Council President to Daring Rap Sensation

Top Texture Studio; sunglasses Blackhead; necklace Gucci

Age: 18 Hometown: Bangkok Key Track: ‘Pakkorn’

It was a Friday evening last August when Milli dropped ‘Sudpang!’ – a raucous march of a trap tune that capped a wild year for the recent high school graduate otherwise known as Danupha Kanateerakul. She’d jumped from student council president to a national star known for vibey beats with a swirl of local slang – and hits that get the whole club singing along and re-creating the dances from her videos. It was soon clear that we were witnessing the birth of a new generation of Thai hip-hop. With ‘Pakkorn’, her viral debut, Milli signalled a fresh kind of ambition: laced through the lyrics were different Thai dialects, including Lu, an encrypted set of words used by the LGBTQ+ community in the early ’90s. ‘Someone told me, the sooner you get attention, the more you have to improve,’ she says. ‘When all eyes are on Milli, people want to know who she is. I have to jump as high as I can. Otherwise, it was just this Milli they saw. There’s more for me to offer.’ – AK SUT TIYANGYUEN

NOMINATES

RUSSIA

NOMINATES

SLAVA MARLOW AKINI JING Russia’s Very Online Prince of Rap

Age: 21 Hometown: Novosibirsk Key Track: ‘I’m Getting Drunk Again’

‘Production is 50% knowledge about how to make music, 50% the moment and mood,’ explains Slava Marlow, the 21-year-old wunderkind from Siberia. ‘There’s a lot of magic in making music.’ His own process involves a bit of magic too. Combining oldschool music education – he took piano and sax lessons – with a childhood love for EDM, Marlow has crafted his own strain of rap that’s become a new soundtrack for millions of Russians. After finding his voice as a YouTube creator, Marlow shot to

34 GQ.CO.ZA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

A Cyborg Making Pop Human Again

fame via a 2019 collaboration with Morgenshtern, a fellow vlogger turned rapper. In his ensuing solo career, he’s dropped a string of releases, including the deeply autobiographical EP APTËM. He’s also released the very meta track ‘Tik Tok Challenge’, which predictably exploded on the platform. (It’s on some 800,000 videos and counting.) Despite his soaring profile, Marlow retains a sense of humility. ‘I appreciate that I have the opportunity to earn more than most people in Russia,’ he says. ‘I understand that my work is incomparable with the work of a teacher or a miner. I am very lucky that I do my own thing and get paid for it.’

Years after breaking into the Chinese music scene, Akini Jing has rebooted her image – though she calls it a ‘firmware update’. Her newly revealed cyborg persona is replete with fits worthy of a Y2K renaissance, lonely pop tracks heavy on cyberpunk synths, and an earnest exploration of humanity through the eyes of an outsider. But that futuristic makeover perhaps masks a more timeless sensibility. ‘The truth is,’ she says, ‘I’m just dearly in love with what I’m doing and get quite a kick out of it.’

– GQ RUSSIA STAFF

– GQ CHINA STAFF

Age: 33 Hometown: Yunnan Province Key track: ‘Shadow’

Global Voices

PORTUGAL

NOMINATES

CLÁUDIA PASCOAL

Porto’s Sunny Pop Multi-Hyphenate

Age: 27 Hometown: Gondomar Key Track: ‘Quase Dança’

By the time Eurovision introduced her to the world stage, Portugal had already fallen for Cláudia Pascoal’s whimsical take on pop. But her talent doesn’t end with breezy ballads and charming wordplay. To paraphrase

Overalls Ohana x Weg; jumpsuit (underneath) Wegz’s own; boots Zee

MIDDLE EAST

NOMINATES

WEGZ

North Africa’s Wavy New Sound

Born and raised in Alexandria, Wegz blends trap and mahraganat – Egypt’s answer to EDM – as an ode to his home turf. ‘Life in Egypt can be chaotic at times and moves at an insane pace,’ he says. ‘There’s always something happening. It’s full of stories, and that makes for some serious inspiration.’ He grew up no stranger to the party, and it only made sense to mix global influences with local tradition to create something new. ‘Life is life, Egypt or anywhere else,’ he says. ‘It has its ups and downs, the good days and the bad. I write music about all of it.’ Four years into his career, the young musician is challenging Egypt’s old guard and the gatekeepers of the music industry. Last year, he was Egypt’s moststreamed artist on Spotify. ‘I didn’t plan for any of this,’ he says with a shrug. ‘I write music that means something to me, and I never think about it beyond that. However, it’s fulfilling to realise that people can relate and want to listen to it. It serves as motivation to push my culture forward and take it to the global stage.’ – RUST Y BEUKES

José Saramago, Pascoal is an artistic tsunami: she’s experimented with painting, stand-up, directing video clips, and tattooing. Of these side hustles, she says nobody should ‘confuse diversified tastes with the inability to dedicate themselves to just one thing.’ But Pascoal acknowledges that her artistry has evolved with her. ‘If, in the beginning, music was just something funny, and a way I had of communicating with people, along the years it became something way more serious,’ she says. ‘It became like taking something out of my chest, having an almost therapeutic effect.’ Last year, she shored up her place in the Portuguese pop sphere with! (she sometimes calls it blah), a playful, sunny debut album. Now almost 28, Pascoal says that her teenage self couldn’t dream of the spot she’s landed in. ‘I want to show myself to the world as an artist in a way that no one knows me – not even myself.’ – GQ PORTUGAL STAFF

Shirt, pants and belt all Bottega Veneta

COLDE

M I L L I : P H OTO G R A P H Y : KO O N P H AT TC H A K H U N ; S T Y L I N G : A N A K W E E E I A M - O N G ; H A I R : T H A N U P O L P H O OT H E PA M O R N K U L ; M A K E U P : S U K H O N S R I M A R AT TA N A K U L ; L O C AT I O N : T H E B A N K O F T H E C H A O P H R AYA R I V E R I N B A N G K O K ; S L AVA M A R L O W : P H O T O G R A P H Y : VA N YA B E R E Z K I N ; S T Y L I N G : E L E N A D U D I N A ; G R O O M I N G : K S E N I A YA R M A K ; P R O D U C T I O N : J U L I A Z A U Z O L K O VA ; L O C AT I O N : C H E R TA N O V O S E V E R N O Y E , M O S C O W ; A K I N I J I N G : P H O T O G R A P H Y : J I N L O N G YA N G ; S T Y L I N G : T I N G Y O U N G ; L O C AT I O N : C H A O YA N G D I S T R I C T, B E I J I N G ; W E G Z : P H O T O G R A P H Y : P R O D A N T Z O U L I S ; S T Y L I N G : A H M E D S E R O U R ; H A I R : A B B O U D F O R A L S A G H E E R S A L O N ; M A K E U P : K A R E E M FAW Z Y ; P R O D U C T I O N : A M I R A E L R A G H Y ; L O C AT I O N : A L WA R D I YA N , A L E X A N D R I A , E G Y P T ; C O L D E : P H O T O G R A P H Y : Y O O N J I Y O N G ; S T Y L I N G : S H I N H Y E J E E ; G R O O M I N G : KO O H Y U N M I ; L O C AT I O N : YO N G S A N , S E O U L , S O U T H KO R E A

Age: 23 Hometown: Alexandria, Egypt Key Track: ‘Bel Salama (Lorry Pt. 2 Remix)’

ESSENTIALS

KOREA

NOMINATES

K-Pop’s Very Mellow Counterpoint Age: 27 Hometown: Seoul Key Track: ‘When Dawn Comes Again’

‘I read what the listeners wrote,’ Colde proclaims. ‘My music reminds them of the dawn. I think they’re right.’ Through his R&B-infused solo act and his work in the indie duo Offonoff, the singer has introduced a whole new vibe to the wild and hyperactive scene dominated by K-pop: chill. Earlier this year, he dropped his third LP, idealism, completing a trifecta of richly serene releases. After an energetic opener, the album is warm, wire-to-wire mellowness. Even Colde’s reflectio ns on his own tracks feel more like rumination than hype. Take, for example, ‘Light’, which was released in April: ‘It’s a song that has energy that gives a lot of strength to me,’ he says. ‘I wrote it the moment when I took my first step towards my dream in the dark.’ Colde’s next act: turning this mood into an empire. He runs his own record label, the aptly titled WAVY, and has flirted with the worlds of fashion, art and design. ‘It’s creative to steadily expand the movement into various fields,’ says Colde, who increasingly sees the moniker as a brand. ‘I always want to try new things – just keep moving forward.’ – KIM YOUNG JAE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 GQ.CO.ZA 35

The Weeknd vs. Abel Tesfaye With an instantly recognisable voice and songs that have been streamed several billion times, he’s one of the most ubiquitous pop stars in the world. But where do Abel Tesfaye end and his dark, grimy public persona begin? Mark Anthony Green finally gets the artist to explain

I L L U S T R AT I O N BY S I M O N A B R A N OW I C Z

Photographs by Daniel Jackson Styling by George Cortina

36 GQ.CO.ZA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 GQ.CO.ZA 37

Adult movies. Colour TV. Waterbed. These are three amenities that the Harvard House, an hourly motel tucked away on Hollywood Boulevard, LA, still proudly advertises in 2021. When a Yelp user wrote a one-star review that concluded with the line “definitely avoid this shithole”, I doubt they foresaw it being the temporary lair for one of the biggest global pop stars of our time. He’s leaning against a wall, wearing a pinstripe Louis Vuitton suit and Celine Cuban heels that are so tall they look like you need a safety permit to wear them. Styling assistants and groomers buzz around him, primping and tweaking. Today his hair, a celebrity in its own right, consists of tiny curls perfectly cascading out of an Afro. Each rogue coil attracts light from the sun, creating something like a halo. Despite the current heat advisory in LA, there isn’t a single bead of sweat on his brow. No sheen. Nothing.

E V E RYO N E C ROW D I N G A RO U N D the

monitor looking at the incoming photos is thinking the same thing: it’s him. The ‘Starboy’. The architect of the sexiest music to ever chart. The sole winner of Super Bowl LV (halftime show). Lover to some of the most desired women on earth. The Ethiopian kid who changed R&B with three twisted, druggy mixtapes and never showed his face. The one with the falsetto rivalled only by the GOAT. The pop star who was infamously nominated for an award at a kids’ show for singing about face numbing off a bag of blow. Sure, the Harvard House has seen some shit. But so has Abel Tesfaye – a.k.a. The Weeknd. The day before the photoshoot, I met that same guy at a recording studio in Century City, LA. He was wearing a black Online Ceramics hoodie and joggers that were more function than fashion. I don’t remember his shoes, but they weren’t Celine Cuban heels. A backpack weighed down his right shoulder. It was stuffed as if he’d packed for a whole day of bouncing around in Ubers. There were no disco aviators. His ’fro wasn’t illuminated. We were supposed to meet at 6pm. He apologised, repeatedly, for being late. He arrived at 6:07pm. It’s clear that the rumours are true: Abel and The Weeknd are two very different beings. The Weeknd has the longest-charting song by a solo artist in history and billions of worldwide streams. The Weeknd spent his pandemic in a red blazer licking frogs dipped in LSD. Abel, meanwhile, was bingeing on The X-Files. (‘Everyone copied them, bro,’ he told me. ‘Everyone.’) Abel talks about getting a good night’s sleep the way someone might talk about

good MDMA. He’s been rediscovering LA: last year, when the streets emptied, he started taking long walks. He exudes a type of politeness only found in the world capital of politeness (Ontario, Canada). The Weeknd is the guy who destroys the suite at Caesars Palace like in The Hangover movie. Abel is the sweet guy they lose in the first 30 minutes and spend the rest of the movie trying to find.

GQ : What’s the difference between Abel and The Weeknd? The Weeknd: The lines were blurry at the beginning. And as my career developed – as I developed as a man – it’s become very clear that Abel is someone I go home to every night. And The Weeknd is someone I go to work as. GQ : So am I interviewing The Weeknd or Abel? TW: I think you’re getting a Jekyll and Hyde situation right now. [laughs] GQ : Which one’s Jekyll and which one’s Hyde? TW: I don’t know. Abel can be badass sometimes, man. But I guess The Weeknd is Hyde. Abel is Dr Jekyll. GQ : How do you feel about people thinking you’re a dark person? TW: I’m not dark. My art is dark. and I’ve gone through dark times. I’ve used those dark times as inspiration for my art. But I feel like because I’m not dark, I could channel it and put it into my music and art.

GQ : What was the original reason for your anonymity? TW: I don’t know. Maybe there’s a deeper issue with that, but I feel like, with me, it’s never been about the artist and the image of the artist. With House of Balloons, nobody knew what I looked like. And I felt like it was the most unbiased reaction you can get to the music, because you couldn’t put a face to it. Especially R&B, which is a genre that’s heavily influenced by how the artist looks. GQ : When did you first hear your voice and know that it was special? TW: I used to get penalised for singing when I was younger because I always wanted to sing. I didn’t know if it was good or bad. I just always wanted to sing. I’d sing in class. I’d sing at the dinner table. And I’d get in trouble for it because it was inappropriate at the time. It wasn’t until I met La Mar, my best friend. He heard me sing and was, like, ‘You should sing on Canadian Idol.’ GQ : Did you try to go on Canadian Idol? TW: No! [laughs] But then I started singing to girls, and I was getting great feedback. The second instance was when ‘What You Need’ came out. It was the first song that came out from The Weeknd. Nobody knew what I looked like. I wasn’t popping. I was struggling at the time. A good friend of mine hooked me up with a job at American Apparel, and I was folding clothes there when somebody at the store played the song. Mind you, nobody knew who The Weeknd was. »

Jacket, shirt, pants and tie all Louis Vuitton Men’s; boots Hedi Slimane for Celine Homme; sunglasses Jacques Marie Mage; ring (on ring finger) The Great Frog; ring (on pinkie) Sarah-Jane Wilde PREVIOUS SPREAD Coat Anthony Vaccarello for Saint Laurent; turtleneck Ralph Lauren; pants: Wrangler; boots Hedi Slimane for Celine Homme; sunglasses Jacques Marie Mage; necklace Sarah-Jane Wilde

GQ : Did you freak out? TW: Well, no. I started listening, seeing what people thought of it. That’s what I mean by the unbiased reaction. When I saw that everybody was like, ‘This is fire,’ I was, like, ‘Oh!’ GQ : So where does the name of The Weeknd come from? TW: That’s what the album House of Balloons used to be called, The Weekend. I was still Abel. I didn’t love my name. So I called myself The Weeknd. GQ : Do you still like the name The Weeknd as much as you did then? TW: As much as I did then? GQ : Yeah. TW: No, not as much as I did then. I still like it, but I think now it’s easy to take off that coat. I like that I have that as an option to escape Abel a little bit. I definitely loved it more back then than I do now. I love my name now, though. Abel. GQ : Would you ever make music as Abel? TW: I feel like I already do. My fans don’t call me The Weekend. They just call me Abel. It’s a tricky thing, but I think the name The Weeknd holds such a legacy right now. The story of that name isn’t done yet. GQ : In most of your videos, The Weeknd is murdered, beaten up, et cetera. What’s your fascination with killing The Weeknd? TW: It’s crazy, right? I think it’s me removing The Weeknd from Abel. I think a lot of people are, like, ‘Oh, he’s suicidal.’ It’s not that. I think it’s me removing The Weeknd from the world, but he still finds his way back. He keeps coming out. ‘Blinding Lights’ is obviously not going to have him disappear anytime soon. GQ : Do you ever feel guilty, when you date someone who isn’t famous, for bringing so much attention and celebritydom into their life? TW: Yes. I do feel guilty. For sure. That’s why I don’t... I try not to do too much. I just try not to bring attention to myself. And I just love being in normal situations, man. It’s such a great feeling. To be able to just, like, go on a walk and not being in a fucking SUV. GQ : There’s chatter on the internet that you’re sober or sober-lite. TW: I like sober-lite. GQ : Do you drink? TW: I do. Occasionally. I’m not a heavy drinker, as much as I used to be. The romance of drinking isn’t there. 40 GQ.CO.ZA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

GQ : Weed? TW: Yes. GQ: Other drugs? TW: No. Drugs were a crutch. It was me thinking that I needed it. And not doing the work to figure out how not to need it. And I’ve spent the last few years realising that and thanking God that I don’t need it. Because for a lot of people, it’s hard to shake it. But I knew I didn’t want it.

GQ : It’s tough to play the long game with drugs in the picture. TW: Right. And I eventually want a family. I know I say I don’t, but I know I do. I want children. GQ : Why do you say you don’t want children? TW: Why do I say I don’t? GQ : Yeah. Is it a defence mechanism or something? TW: Probably. I guess I say it because I like the trajectory of my career. But also, I feel like having children would influence me and inspire me more. GQ : That makes me think of the lyric from the ‘Hawái’ remix with Maluma: “I’d rather go half on a baby / ’Cause at least I know that it’s not temporary / And at least we’ll share something that’s real”. TW: Toxic! [laughs] Did I lie, though? Doesn’t get more real than that. You know? GQ : Do you ever think about having to explain some of your more sexual lyrics to your future kids? TW: Absolutely. And I’m prepared for it. At the end of the day, it’s my art. And that’s who Daddy was. ***** THE ONLY MOMENT when The Weeknd

appeared in the studio was right before Abel played me a few new songs off his upcoming album. He turned around, grinned, and asked, ‘Ready?’ It wasn’t prompted by genuine concern that maybe I needed to grab a notebook or a bottle of water. Concern is Abel stuff. This ‘Ready?’ was condescending. Knowing. It had a certain arrogance someone could only conjure with 100% certainty that I was indeed not ready. And he was right. The music hit the studio like a bus. The new project is packed with party records. Like real-deal, illuminated-white-tiles-onthe-floor party records. Quincy-Jones-meets Giorgio-Moroder-meets-the-best-nightof-your-fucking-life party records. Not anachronistic disco stuff. (Not “cosplay”, as

Abel put it.) That sort of retro thing is having a moment right now in pop music, but these records are new. Sweaty. Hard. Drenched-suit, grinding-on-the-girl/boy-of-your-dreams party records. ‘It’s the album I’ve always wanted to make,’ Abel said. That statement would linger in my brain for days. As did the music. It became nearly impossible to find something else to listen to. Everything else sounded soft. Or didn’t groove enough. Or felt too happy. Or too sad. It was clear to me that this isn’t just the album The Weeknd has always wanted to make; it’s the album we’ve always wanted him to make. The project wasn’t quite finished yet, but if he stays the course it’ll be the best project he’s ever put out. This, whatever it’ll be called – following After Hours following ‘Starboy’ following ‘Beauty Behind the Madness’ – will cement one of the most impressive chokeholds on the radio we’ve ever seen. Which is why Kiss Land, which came after the three mixtapes and is considered his first “studio” album, is so curious. It doesn’t hit the high standards of his other work – sonically, lyrically, visually. It has a few truly great songs on it – ‘Adaptation’ and ‘Wanderlust’, for example. But it’s a jumble of what feels like an endless number of warring ideas. Kiss Land is an odd fit in his catalogue, considering that ever since he was a teenager, The Weeknd has had such a clear vision for his music. »

TOP TO BOTTOM Jacket and turtleneck both Amiri; ring (on ring finger) The Great Frog; ring (on pinkie) Sarah-Jane Wilde Coat and shirt both Hedi Slimane for Celine Homme; sunglasses Jacques Marie Mage

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 GQ.CO.ZA 41

GQ : Why did Kiss Land fall short? Was it the label people pushing and pulling you in different directions or what? TW: Oh no. The exact opposite. Kiss Land is not a label’s type of record, especially since it’s the debut album. As a debut record, there was an expectation for it. I guess for me it was the fourth album. I felt like I’d said everything I needed to on Trilogy – and that sound and whatever I wanted to put out into the universe. It created a genre, and I made 30 of those fucking songs. I think by the time I got to Kiss Land, I was definitely emotionally tapped out. I did three albums in one year, plus I was working on Take Care too. And that was all in 2011. GQ : That’s an insane run. TW: Then I went on tour. Jimmy Iovine told me this, and I’ll never forget it. He goes, ‘You never want to finish an album, let alone make an album, on tour.’ That album I made on tour. Kiss Land was a very tour-driven album. And you have to understand I’d never left Toronto up to that point. I’d been in Toronto my entire life. I’d never been on a plane until I was 21 years old. GQ : You did Coachella when you were around 21, right? TW: Yeah! The second time I ever got on a plane was for the Coachella performance. I went on one plane trip before that – to Costa Rica as a holiday. Going on tour, seeing the world – I went to Tokyo, America – there’s all this new information. And then, on top of that, I wanted to continue making music. And me not fully transitioning into full-on pop star yet, I was kind of in a middle ground. And I feel like Kiss Land was that. It was a very honest album. It was a lot of me being stubborn, of not letting in a lot of input. I had hit writer’s block, and my friend, Belly, helped me out of that. It was a lot of overcompensation to really say, ‘I don’t know. This is what I have, but I don’t know what this is.’ And it became Kiss Land. GQ : What did you learn from it? TW: It reminded me never to stop taking chances. Where it not for Kiss Land I wouldn’t have been able to make this new album. That song that you just heard? That’s Kiss Land, man. It’s just me understanding how to use Kiss Land now, in my craft. But it’s definitely my most honest record. I was the most naked. Most vulnerable. And it is what it is. GQ : Were you disappointed in the response and reviews? TW: Oh yeah. I think people were confused. It wasn’t that it was bad music. I think people were just confused. As much as I was confused. And I kind of like that. GQ : Did it discourage you?

42 GQ.CO.ZA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

TW: No, no. If anything, it encouraged me. I read every review. I read every comment. Everything. And I like reviews, man. I like critics. Even the biased ones that are against me, I like reading it. I think it’s interesting. I think it’s humbling, which is always great. I can now understand when you’re reading stuff. Like I can see through the lines now. Between the lines.

nominated in a single category. The snub felt like an odd deviation from the organisation’s usual formula, in which critical acclaim plus commercial success equals lots of nominations, and he vowed to boycott the Grammys altogether going forward. A tweet from Kid Cudi possibly summed up the entire situation best: “Abel was robbed, man, this shit’s weak”.

GQ : Did it hurt your feelings? TW: Of course. Yeah.

GQ : In some ways, we still don’t know the full story about what happened with you and the Grammys. So what happened? TW: I guess I just wasn’t good enough.

GQ : So why read them? It feels like most people in your position never read the comments and reviews. TW: Heartbreak isn’t a good experience, but it still inspires great music. GQ : Could you have made a fourth mixtape in the same vibe as the trilogy? TW: Honestly, I don’t think so. I was tapped out, man. It just didn’t feel authentic. Like Kiss Land felt way more authentic. At least Kiss Land was a genuine thing. It mightn’t have been what people expected. It mightn’t have been great at the time. But that was who I was. And that’s what all these albums are: that’s who I am at that time. Melancholy. Six songs. That’s all I got. How come it’s not nine songs? Because I got nothing else to say. GQ : What was the inspiration for your 2018 EP My Dear Melancholy? TW: I used it as therapy. I made it in, like, three weeks. I knew exactly what I wanted to say. I knew how I wanted it to sound – and that was it. And then I performed it at Coachella, and boy, was that therapeutic because I was hearing people scream and sing along to ‘Call Out My Name’. Just me and a guitar. Then I went to Brazil and those festivals and hearing literally like 80 000, 90 000 people screaming every word to ‘Call Out My Name’ – it felt good. GQ : When does the therapeutic healing begin – when you make the song or when people hear it? TW: I think when other people hear it.

GQ : You don’t actually believe that, though, right? TW: I don’t believe that, but to their standards, that’s what it is. I wasn’t good enough, and that’s the reality of it. GQ : But do you think a group of people objectively and fairly considered your album along with other albums and didn’t choose to nominate your art? Do you think that’s actually what happened? TW: When it happened, I had all these ideas and thoughts. I was angry and I was confused and I was sad. But now, looking back at it, I never want to know what really happened. GQ : Really? TW: I just don’t care. Because that’ll never be the reason why I do what I do. It never really was before. And I’m glad that I can make music and not have to think about that. I’ll never be in that conversation ever again. GQ : You’ll never submit your music to the Grammys? TW: No. I mean, I have no interest. Everyone’s, like, ‘No, just do better next time.’ I’ll do better, but not for you. I’m going to do better for me.

GQ : Feels like it’d be the other way around, no? TW: I don’t know. It just feels better sharing. Because now it’s real. It’s real. You’re immortalising it. When someone’s talking in therapy, they’re giving it to somebody. You’re not getting it off your chest alone.

GQ : How will you define success for the next project? TW: What makes any of my albums successful, especially this one, is me putting it out and getting excited to make the next one. So the excitement to make the next project means that this one was successful to me. I want to do this forever. And even if I start getting into different mediums and different types of expressions, music will be right there. I’m not going to step away from it.

*****

L A S T N OV E M B E R, The Weeknd called

ONE ADMIRABLE THING about Abel Tesfaye

the Grammys ‘corrupt’ when After Hours – which hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts and went platinum multiple times over – wasn’t

is he’s no problem making fun of The Weeknd. Like all the other great pop stars, he never takes himself too seriously. »

Jacket and shirt both Tom Ford; pants Wrangler; belt Artemas Quibble; boots Hedi Slimane for Celine Homme; sunglasses Jacques Marie Mage; ring The Great Frog

Coat Burberry; pants Wrangler; boots Hedi Slimane for Celine Homme; hat Yohji Yamamoto

44 GQ.CO.ZA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

In 2020, he co-wrote and starred in an episode of American Dad, in which The Weeknd was actually a closeted virgin, and a light emanates from his underutilised crotch. Despite having never done an interview on a late-night talk show (The Weeknd, apparently, doesn’t speak much on camera), he did a very goofy – and long – bit with James Corden in preparation for the Super Bowl. There’s dancing and an obstacle course and other James Corden-y gags. Even his part in Uncut Gems, where The Weeknd tries to hook up with Adam Sandler’s girlfriend in the bathroom of 1 Oak LA, was a parody of The Weeknd. He wore a wig of his old unruly hair. For the entire year-plus promotional jag for After Hours, The Weeknd appeared in character as an unnamed man in a red blazer and black tie, with a face full of bandages and clotting blood.

TW: Yes. [laughs]

GQ : How many of the red blazers from After Hours do you own? TW: A lot. GQ : More than 10? Fifteen? TW: I would say 20... yeah. And there was the Super Bowl blazer. So 21. Yeah.

H A I R : D A R O N N C A R R F O R B L E N D L A ; S K I N : C H R I S T I N E N E L L I F O R M A G I C S H AV E ; TA I L O R I N G : S U S I E KO U R I N I A N ; P R O D U C T I O N : G E P R O J E C T S

GQ : R.I.P. to the blazers. Are you happy to be done with that character? TW: I am. I’m happy also because I’m just really excited to get started on the new project. But it was emotional, man, ending it on the Super Bowl. I think it was the best way to say goodbye to it. GQ : There was so much detail in executing the character. What was the meaning behind it? TW: I guess I was just trying to symbolise how dark this town [Hollywood] can get. And how the result of that darkness is, I guess, selfharming. And that’s what the album was about. And I guess I wanted to create something that was haunting. What my depiction of Hollywood was – what The Weeknd’s depiction of Hollywood was. Not Abel’s, but The Weeknd’s. GQ : But from the outside looking in, it’d appear that The Weeknd thrives off of the toxicity of Hollywood. TW: That’s amazing. I think Abel would love to depart and divide himself from The Weeknd. It’s like the Venom thing, man. [Editor’s note: In the Spider-Man comics, Venom is an alien symbiote that grafts its consciousness onto a human host.] He just doesn’t know how to yet. You know? And that is the journey I feel for me. And he doesn’t know how to yet. GQ : Are you both into the same type of women?

GQ : Congrats on the upcoming HBO show, by the way. Do you plan on writing and directing films one day? TW: Absolutely. When the time is right. Cinema has always been my first passion.

Really good. It’s a place on the Eastside, lit-up floors. I was DJ’ing with friends. There were, like, a hundred people. We had fun, and we were sloppy. I think I hugged every single person in that building. It was a great moment. And I met Jim Carrey.

GQ : When you were 19, first starting, what was your favourite movie? TW: So 2009, hmm. Audition probably, by Takashi Miike.

GQ : He came to the party? TW: No. We’d been texting before that. And then, on my 30th birthday, he surprised me. He just pulled up to my crib and took me to breakfast.

GQ : That’s a dark film, man! If you could play any role from a past film, what would it be? TW: Honestly, I’m just going to be honest with it. Fucking Neo from The Matrix. I mean, who didn’t want to be fucking Neo? That movie literally changed my life.

GQ : How did he get your address? TW: He lived literally, like, two buildings down from me. He had a telescope, and I had a telescope. He was, like, ‘Where do you live? What floor do you live on?’ I was, like, Blah, blah, blah. And we looked out the windows on our telescopes, and we could see each other.

GQ : So if you’re playing Neo, who’d you have play Trinity? TW: Carrie-Anne Moss. It’d still be her. She was fire.

GQ : Telescope bros! TW: That was, like, the beginning of my 30s. It was just, like, ‘What’s going on?’

GQ : Who’d you like to work with soon? TW: I’d love to work with Arca. Arca’s great. I’d love to work with Kanye again. Especially production. I got mad love for Tyler, The Creator, and what he’s doing right now. Tyler is funny, man. I remember he came to one of my performances, I think it was, like, a festival performance. And he was very vocal about how ‘Starboy’ was his favourite song at the time. You can tell he was waiting for the song. I could see him. As soon as the song happened, he was, like, ‘Alright, cool. Thanks.’ And he just peaced out. It was pretty funny. But he’s somebody that I really admire because he wears his feelings on his sleeve. GQ : What’s the craziest moment you’ve had with someone fanning out to a song? TW: Tom Cruise singing to ‘Can’t Feel My Face’ on late-night TV. That was, like, ‘What the fuck is happening to my life?’ When he did that, that moment was crazy, just because he’s not a real person. He’s a figment of my childhood. GQ : What’s missing? TW: In my life? Nothing at all. GQ : Nothing at all? TW: Nothing that I could think of. Not at 31 years old, no. GQ : Were you able to celebrate your 30th, or did the pandemic ruin it? TW: My birthday was right before. The party wasn’t big. It was a small venue. Super-grungy.

GQ : Last few questions: are you better at making music when you’re happy or sad? TW: I believe that when anybody is sad, they make better music. They make more emotional music, more honest music. Cathartic, therapeutic music. And I’ve definitely been a victim of wanting to be sad for that, because I’m very aware. I definitely put myself in situations where it’s psychologically self-harming. Because making great music is a drug. It’s an addiction, and you want to always have that. Fortunately, I’ve been through that and I’ve learnt how to channel it. And I’ve experienced enough darkness in my life for a lifetime. I feel lucky that I have music, and that’s probably why I haven’t dabbled into too much therapy because I feel like music has been my therapy. GQ : How do you feel about being compared to Michael Jackson? TW: It’s a roller coaster because Michael is somebody that I admire. He’s not like a real person, you know? When I started making music, that’s all I wanted to aspire to, just like every other musician. So then, when I started getting those types of comparisons, I invited them because it’s, like, who wouldn’t want that? But I guess the older I got, and the more I started understanding who I was, it was important for me to realise: how do I become that for someone else? Because I know James Brown was that for Michael. And I’m not trying to say I’m Michael’s successor or whatnot. But I’m excited to be the first Weeknd. MARK ANTHONY GREEN IS GQ ’S SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 GQ.CO.ZA 45

MERCEDES-BENZ GLS 400D; BMW M5; MINI CLUBMAN S

We’ve seen them on our TV screens and live in concert. Now, our favourite celebs reveal the cars that complete their lives Words by Ntlhe “Ntlheezee” Mahlatsi

STARS’ WHIPS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 GQ.CO.ZA 47

N A N D I M A D I DA is no

stranger to the studio mic and TV screen. We find out what car the Black is King star, mom and wife drives daily.

GQ: What make is your car, and have you given him, her or them a name? Nandi Madida: I drive a seven-seater Mercedes-Benz GLS 400d 4matic with 243kW of power. I named her “Yummy Mommy”.

GQ: Have you modified your car? NM: No, because my GLS has everything I need. GQ: Your favourite thing about it? NM: It has lots of space and convenient features such as adaptive cruise control (which

allows it to control its speed depending on how fast the car in front of it is travelling) and a wireless pad for charging my phone. My family and I love to take long trips in it. I also love how fast it accelerates. GQ: One thing you’d change?

NM: I genuinely wouldn’t want to change a thing because it fits well with my life. GQ: Which car would you love to get into after your current vehicle? NM: Definitely a Mercedes-Benz Maybach.

MERCEDES-BENZ GL S 4 0 0 D 4 M AT I C > > ENGINE 3-L. turbo diesel > > POWER 243kW and 700Nm > > TOP SPEED 280km/h 0-100km/h in 6.6 seconds > > PRICE R1 842 000

MERCEDES-BENZ.CO.ZA

Mercedes-Benz GLS 400d; BMW M5; Mini Clubman S

A N G A ‘ N A A K M US I Q ’ M A KU BA LO kills it on

our TV screens and has made himself a household name with his music production. The Netflix series, Jiva!, star, tells us more about his superfast whip.

GQ: What make is your car, and have you given him, her or them a name? Naakmusiq: It’s a 2020 BMW M5 Competition Package, which sports a 4.4-litre V8 engine with 460 kW and goes from 0-100km/h in 3.2 seconds. I named him after Peaky Blinders’s Billy Kimber.

GQ: Have you modified your car? AM: The only changes I made were cosmetic: a full slate-grey wrap with fully kitted carbon accessories.

GEAR

GQ: Which car would you love to get into after your current vehicle? AM: The Lamborghini Huracan.

GQ: Your favourite thing about it? AM: It’s insanely fast!

BMW M5 COMPETITION > > ENGINE 4.4-L. V8, paired with an 8-speed M Steptronic auto > > POWER 467kW and 750Nm > > TOP SPEED 280km/h 0-100km/h in 3 seconds > > PRICE R2 307 800

BMW.CO.ZA

MINI CLUBMAN S > > ENGINE 2-L. > > POWER 141kW and 280Nm > > TOP SPEED 228km/h 0-100km/h in 7.2 seconds > > PRICE R632 048

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MEDIA.DAIMLER.COM, GUENTER SCHMIED, SUPPLIED

MINI.CO.ZA

GQ: What make is your car, and have you given him, her or them a name? Mohale Motaung: It’s a 2020 Mini Clubman S named Sebata, a SeSotho word meaning something fierce. It has a two-litre engine and 141kW of power.

M O H A L E M OTAU N G

loves being in the limelight, from conquering reality TV to being the CEO of his own company Glam Troupe. This car lets him rule the road.

GQ: Have you modified your car? MM: It’s already sporty enough. GQ: Your favourite thing about it? MM: I love its seat warmers. It also comes

with the Mini Connect app, which operates its flashing lights, adjusts its air conditioning, and checks its fuel consumption and service intervals.

GQ: One thing you’d change? MM: I wouldn’t change a thing; it’s pretty powerful as it is. GQ: Which car would you love to get into after your current vehicle? MM: The Mercedes-Benz CLA 45.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 GQ.CO.ZA 49

GEAR

Great Drive

Quattro-phenia When Audi announced several new Quattro models for SA in the first quarter of 2021, they flew off the showroom floors. The guys from Ingolstadt can’t deliver as swiftly as their autos are performing on the road Words by Dieter Losskarn

Audi Q7 I began my back-toback Audi Quattro drives with the new second-generation, revised, face-lifted Q7, introduced in South Africa at the end of 2020, not because this refined and powerful SUV is an entry level model, but its V6 turbodiesel is the only oil burner in this line-up

from Ingolstadt. It competes directly with the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE and Volvo’s XC90, and it more than equals them in driving dynamics, interior tech, comfort and build quality. The guys from Ingolstadt do oil burners well, and this

large, comfortable SUV is no exception. The optional increased fuel tank (85 litres for 1 100km of reach.What a brilliant idea!) costs just R1 600 extra. That’s nothing considering this travel companion in Matador Red is fitted with R300 290 of

optional extras, including comfort and S line sports package, with highlights such as all-wheel steering and sport seats. If you still find its street cred underwhelming for the price you’re paying, wait a while; I have something else to tell you later.

AUDI Q7 > > ENGINE 3.0-L., turbo-diesel V6 paired with an 8-speed tiptronic > > POWER 183kW and 600Nm > > TOP SPEED 225km/h 0-100km/h in 6.9 seconds > > PRICE From R1 388 500 (as driven R1 688 790) AUDI.CO.ZA

AUDI RS4 AVA N T

AUDI S7 SP ORTBACK

Audi S7 Sportback The hot version of the executive sedan A7 is only available in Europe as a turbo-diesel with a 48-volt mild hybrid system. We’re luckier in South Africa, with a 331kW 3.0-l. turbocharged V6 option. And if it’d been available when the Transporter movies were filmed, Frank Martin would’ve gone for the S7 and not the A8 W12. It has a dark chrome and aluminium trim on its grille, side air inlets, front blade, exterior mirrors and rear diffuser, which give it a rather sinister look. Its four exhaust outlets and unique 21-inch wheels distinguish it from the A. Inside, you’ll find the new Audi virtual cockpit, with three screens, the largest one 12 inches wide, a sportier steering wheel and more supportive front seats. Competing with this premium four-door coupé are the Mercedes-Benz CLS and the BMW 6 Series. It shares its engine with the RS5 Sportback, which I’ll drive next, and both cars look and perform similarly. The RS5 is smaller and, on paper, quicker. I must admit I drove both on a dry Clarence Drive, and they didn’t feel much different from each other, both four-door cars, spacious and with sexy coupé lines.

> > ENGINE 2.9-L., twin-turbo V6 paired with an 8-speed auto > > POWER 331kW and 600Nm > > TOP SPEED 250km/h 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds > > PRICE From R1 568 000 (as driven R1 830 773)

> > ENGINE 2.9-L, twin-turbo V6 paired with an 8-speed tiptronic > > POWER 331kW and 600Nm > > TOP SPEED 250km/h (280km/h optional, for R35 200 extra) 0-100km/h in 4.1 seconds > > PRICE From R1 296 000 (as driven R1 569 400)

AUDI RS5 SP ORTBACK

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOBIAS SAGMEISTER, THE AUDI MEDIACENTER

> > ENGINE 2.9-L. twin-turbo V6 paired with an 8-speed tiptronic > > POWER 331kW and 600Nm > > TOP SPEED 250km/h 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds > > PRICE From R1 409 500 (as driven R1 655 350)

Audi RS5 Sportback Want proof Audi offers a car for every taste? There’s not much between this executive sedan and the RS4 Avant and S7, which significantly reduces the chance of an interested customer leaving an Audi dealership without a product from Ingolstadt. Performance-wise, I was once again very happy driving this one on Clarence Drive – it stuck to the tarmac like glue. Refreshed at the same time as the RS5 Sportback and sharing the same engine, the 5 comes with RS-specific sport seats trimmed in Nappa leather with contrast stitching. The RS4 Avant costs R1 296 000 and the RS5 R1 409 500. The RS4 has heritage and is the most affordable of all the new RS models.

Audi RS4 Avant Guys, when I got the chance to drive seven stunning Quattros back-toback, I’d already decided which one I’d like to drive most. The R8 was out of the competition, as only people as rich as Tony Stark could afford to have that one sitting in their garage. I thought the RS6 Avant, with its powerful V8, would be my favourite. But while beating the bends of Clarence Drive – in wet and dry conditions – in this RS4 Avant in Nardo Grey, I changed my mind. This is it! The high-performance estate is the perfect family sportscar – and at R700 000 (from 0 to 100km/h in a mere 4.1 seconds), it’s more affordable than its bigger sibling, the RS6 Avant, and weighing 1.7 tons, it’s considerably lighter. I didn’t really miss its 150 fewer horsepower on narrow bends. You’re young, successful, love fast cars, you’ve just had your first child and, obviously, “sold” your RS4 Avant as a family car. But that could pose a problem. Imagine forgetting your toddler’s in the baby seat and driving the Quattro in a species-appropriate way. You’d never rid its interior of the smell of puke! It shares its twin-turbo V6 engine with the S7 and RS5 Sportback, so it’s more of a hooligan: younger, wilder and louder. The first-ever RS was the RS2, launched 25 years ago, which is a sport wagon built in cooperation with Porsche and assembled in Zuffenhausen with Porsche wheels, brakes and suspension, among other parts. Its natural RS2 successor, since 1999, is the RS4 Avant, since 1999. »

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AUDI RSQ8 > > ENGINE 4.0-L. twin-turbo V8 paired with an 8-speed tiptronic > > POWER 441kW and 800Nm > > TOP SPEED 280km/h 0-100km/h in 3.8 seconds > > PRICE From R2 354 500 (as driven R2 744 280)

Audi RSQ8 Come on! Is this for real? A mighty SUV with supercar performance and a Bi-Turbo V8 with 600hp. Audi, I acknowledge your electrification activities, but 0 to 100km/h in 3.8 seconds is Sparta.

It’s attractive, especially in Orca black. Up until now, I didn’t even know you could put 23-inch wheels with 10-inch red callipers on an SUV. I recently experienced both the Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 and the Range Rover Sport SVR, and the Bavarian Lamborghini Urus is even more powerful. Guess how much those optional RS ceramic brakes with brake callipers in blue (instead of its usual red) will set you back? R202 000! Still, that’s a bargain compared with its Italian brother, the Urus.

Audi RS6 Avant This 4th generation Audi, a successful combination of a sportscar and station wagon, is the fastest and most stylish way to get to a business meeting. The RS6 Avant is 8cm wider than the A6, with which it shares only ten body parts, such as front doors, roof and tailgate. And it’s 20mm lower to the ground than the regular model. Air suspension lowers it another 10mm over speeds of 120km/h. The space wonder comes as standard with 22-inch wheels and goes from 0 to 200 km/h in 12 seconds. Except for the R8, this is the fastest Audi you can buy. The RS6 Avant is almost identical to the über SUV RSQ8. It has the same versatile platform and is the same underneath, just with a different body and ride height. As SUVs are more popular in South Africa than estates, the wagon is rarer, more exotic, more exclusive. The sport suspension includes ceramic Lamborghini Urus brakes, 17.3 inches in front, making them the biggest automobile brakes in the world. All this with additional all-wheel steering.

A U D I R S 6 AVA N T > > ENGINE 4.0-L. twin-turbo V8 paired with an 8-speed tiptronic > > POWER 441kW and 800Nm > > TOP SPEED 305km/h 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds > > PRICE From R2 070 000 (as driven R2 429 050)

This high-performance sports car for the family is an ideal combination of manic performance and everyday usability. Under the hood beats the same Bi-Turbo V8 with 600hp that powers the RSQ8, and it’s 0.2 seconds quicker off the line. But those are just numbers. The actual experience is breathtaking. Like the RSQ8 before it, this RS6 Avant features Audi’s Black Styling Pack (R32 400), Audi rings and nameplates in Gloss Black (R67 00) or Sebring Black Crystal effect (R37 000). Add the RS Dynamic package (R90 000) and 22-inch wheels in Anthracite Black (at no extra cost), and you’re ready to go. Fast.

Audi R8 Spyder

R8 S P Y D E R > > ENGINE 5.2-L., naturally aspirated V10 paired with a 7-speed tiptronic > > POWER 449kW and 570Nm > > TOP SPEED 330km/h 0-100km/h in 3.2 seconds > > PRICE From R3 592 500 (as driven R3 760 200)

Where to begin? Introduced in 2006 and loosely based on the Lambo Gallardo, the naturally aspirated R8 is an everyday driving car, despite its eye-watering performance. The facelifted 2021 model has a significantly more aggressive appearance than its predecessors. Optional laser lights add to that. Inside, it’s surprisingly unexciting, the familiar Audi interior we’re used to, save for a tiny R8 badge on the flat-bottom steering wheel. But as soon as you push the red button to start the engine and the V10 screams with pleasure, you know what you’re in for: an awe-inspiring sound, not just from the exhaust. Its mighty powerplant is right behind your ears, and you can hear the V10 working. I picked up the car in town in the pouring rain and drove it on a very wet Clarence Drive. Thanks to Quattro, the R8 was utterly unfazed by any of it – you could only top that by going topless. When the sun came out, I was in petrol-head heaven, flying around the bends, the wind in my hair and a glorious sound symphony in my ears. It was a dream drive in a super-sports car. I stopped at a parking bay overlooking stunning views of False Bay, but at that moment, I was more mesmerised by this beautiful piece of (fast) moving art in front of me.

SPORT

PITCH PERFECT Five game-changing strength moves for soccer players

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GALLO/GETTY IMAGES

Words by Lisa Abdellah The benefits of strength training include a lower risk of injury and improved physiological capacity. Why’s that important for soccer players? ‘You’re playing a contact sport, so it’s impossible to remove your chance of getting hurt entirely, but by exposing yourself to soccer-specific stressors, you make yourself robust enough to participate in more games than not. ‘Performed with the right technique, strength training improves physical capabilities such as jumping and landing mechanics, running speed and economy, and agility and change-of-direction speed,’ says Rodet-William Yila, a biokineticist specialising in strength and conditioning for soccer at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA) who’s worked as the head strength and conditioning coach for numerous South African teams.

When? You want to perform a relatively high load of strength training without hampering your on-field performance due to muscle soreness. ‘If you’re trying it for the first time, get your body used to it during your off-season, so you don’t experience these negative effects when you return to soccer,’ advises Yila. What? į Upper body: To help shield the ball. į Core: For stability when you perform explosive actions such as jumping and kicking. į Lower body: Glutes, hamstrings and adductor muscle groups [hip muscles that pull thighs together and rotate the upper leg inward] are responsible for most explosive actions in soccer and provide hip and knee stability.

FITNESS

How to do the workout t Beginners: up to three months, intermediate: three to six months, advanced: more than six months į Sets and reps: 3 x 10, intermediate: 4 x 10-12, advanced: 4 x 15 į Rest between sets: beginners: 30 seconds, intermediate: 15 seconds, advanced: 10 seconds į Weekly sessions: beginners: 1-2, intermediate: 2-3, advanced: 3-4 (depending on muscle soreness and fatigue and number of recovery days until your next game) The moves į Squat: Feet shoulder-width apart, hands on your hips, heels flat on the ground. Sit downward as if trying to sit on your heels, back in a neutral position. Slowly stand back up to starting position. Targets: glutes, hamstrings, jumping, landing į Glute/hamstring bridge: Lie flat on your back, knees bent, toes lifted. Lift hips upwards, driving heels into the ground, keeping hips level throughout. Slowly lower your hips. Harder: Walk feet out to engage hamstrings. Targets: glutes, hamstrings, pelvic stabilisers į Side plank with gluteal clam: Lie on your side, knees bent and stacked on top of each other, elbow supporting upper body weight. Lift hips by pivoting at the knees, using elbow for stability, until there’s a straight line through shoulders, hips and knees. Lift top knee away from bottom knee, maintaining pelvic control. Return top knee to bottom knee. Lower hips. Targets: glute medius [at the bottom of the hip, it rotates and moves the thigh inward], core, hip and knee stabilisation į Commando plank: Start in push-up position. Lower one arm at a time into plank position by placing forearms on ground. Return to push-up position. Keep hips level. Harder: Lift one leg at a time. Targets: Upper body, core į Eccentric calf raise: Stand on edge of step, heels raised over the edge, ankle in neutral position (heel in line with toes). Lift onto the toes of both feet, then remove one foot so your entire bodyweight rests on the other. Slowly lower to starting position, ensuring ankle remains in neutral position. Targets: ankles, calves, smaller muscles in lower leg and foot

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SPORT PROFILE

NOT AFRAID TO FALL

On 27 March, Cameroonian MMA fighter Francis Ngannou won a rematch against Stipe Miocic for the UFC Heavyweight Title via knockout in the second round – it looks even more brutal in slow-mo on YouTube. You can’t appreciate it without first understanding what he did between that fight and his defeat to the American back in 2018: analysed his mistakes and worked on his shortcomings Words by Lisa Abdellah 54 GQ.CO.ZA S MEAPYT/ JE U MNBEE R 2 /0O 2C 1 TOBER 2021

From poverty stricken Batié, Cameroon, to becoming the UFC Heavyweight Champion, Francis Ngannou is more used to falling and getting back up again than most, much less afraid of it. He

switches on his camera for our interview, inviting me into his Las Vegas home, where he’s dressed casually and, behind him, a living area decorated in white bathed in the mid-morning sun. ‘People automatically think of casinos and all that stuff,’ he says, ‘but I live in a quiet residential area, where people drive slowly, and you don’t hear noise from your neighbours.’ Interviews with high-profile athletes can be contrived, scripted by agents, but not this one. From the outset, Ngannou dares to be vulnerable and own his story, which is at once arresting and admirable. ‘What do you want to know?’ he asks. ‘It’s a 34-year-old story. I’ve done podcasts that lasted three hours.’

He describes his experience of the childhood he ‘missed’ as sad, lonely and heartbreaking. His parents divorced when he was six and, since neither were awarded custody, he had to live with his aunt. ‘I realised that for the first time, I wasn’t in my house with my brothers, and my aunt never missed an opportunity to remind me I wasn’t her biological son. When you’re poor, your first instinct is to look after your closest relations.’ He lived with his aunt for two-anda-half years, followed by a succession of other families, for six months to a year at a time. That meant, on average, he changed schools once a year and couldn’t form close relationships with other kids. ‘I had to walk for two hours to get to middle school, so I had to get up at 5am. From the age of nine or ten to 17, I worked in the sand mines at weekends and during the holidays, doing hard labour meant for adults to afford my scholarship. It was

challenging at first, but gradually I grew stronger. ‘Only it wasn’t enough. I was always getting kicked out of class because I didn’t have a notebook or pen to take notes. I felt like I wasn’t enough and had to reason with myself that I was working hard and deserved what little I had.’ To cope with rejection, shame and frustration, Ngannou retreated into a virtual world in his mind, where he lived with the perfect family. He ended up not even trying to make friends.

‘I always say my dad inspired me and impacted my life more than anyone else because he was an example of what not to do’ Despite being approached by several gangs, he refused to join them. ‘We all know that story ends with either a bullet in your back or imprisonment, no matter how tough or scary you are. ‘But one of the biggest reasons was that, after my parents got divorced, I discovered my dad had a violent reputation. I was ashamed. I always say he inspired me and impacted my life more than anyone else because he was an example of what not to do. I want people to remember me in a positive light. »

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SPORT

PROFILE

At 22, Ngannou began boxing training but had to stop after a year due to having hepatitis B. He realised the only way to become a professional athlete was to leave Cameroon. After country hopping through Europe for 14 months, with no friends, money or a place to live, his journey wrought with VISA issues and a two-month stint in a Spanish jail for illegally crossing the border, he ended up in Paris. A friend introduced him to Cameroonian MMA fighter Fernand Lopez, who owns the MMA Factory, the biggest gym of its kind in France. Lopez saw Ngannou’s potential and convinced him to try it. He fought in the French promotion 100% Fight and Europe, amassing a record of 5-1 before signing with the UFC just two years into his fighting career. He made his UFC debut against fellow newcomer Luis Henrique on 19 December 2015, winning the fight via knockout in the second round. By the time he was 30, he’d saved enough money for a flight to the US. He waited eleven months for his first fight on American soil. It was against Dutchman Alistair Overeem, and he won it in the first round via knockout when he landed the hardest-recorded punch in UFC history. ‘I remember everything, how it played out, the pre-fight and promising Alistair he was going to go to sleep. I was pissed off because he’d been trash-talking during the training camp. He’d come for wrestling, but I took stock of his power and thought, Nah, I’ve got this. He’s not powerful enough to get me into trouble. If I can control him here, I can control the fight. I dropped him on the canvas in a matter of seconds.’ He set up the Francis Ngannou Foundation in Cameroon to provide the kids he sees himself in access to a training facility, healthcare and clothing. ‘They work just as hard as other people, perhaps even harder, but wouldn’t otherwise have the same opportunities due to poverty.’ You can’t give what you don’t have. Ngannou returns to Cameroon two or three times a year. But he doesn’t have to face those challenges anymore, and he no longer dreams of becoming a world champion.

56 GQ.CO.ZA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

PHOTOGRAPHS BY GALLO/GETTY IMAGES, SUPPLIED

A new beginning

THE BLUEPRINT

SPORT

TENNIS

Tennis star Lloyd Harris has had a good year so far. He beat Canadian Denis Shapovalov to progress to the final at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and is the number one South African and world 50th in the FedEx ATP Rankings. How did he get so good? LLOYD HARRIS’S rise to the top is more unhurried chipping away than meteoric. The 24-year-old Capetonian began training with Zimbabwe’s former top tennis player Anthony Harris (no relation) when he was ﬁfteen. He’s won hundreds of matches against top-ranked players, including Dominic Thiem (World No. 5), Denis Shapovalov (World No. 12) and Gaël Monﬁls (World No. 17), to move through the rankings. That’s given him ample opportunity to hone the skills required to play consistently high-level tennis in Grand Slam tournaments such as Wimbledon 2021 – in which Harris is about to compete when we catch up with him. It’s also character-building to feel like you belong somewhere when you’ve earned your place. But that’s not all.

PHOTOGRAPHY SUPPLIED

GQ: You started young. Lloyd Harris: Both my parents and sister [Monique] play tennis. They’d be at the club every weekend and thrust a racket in my hands when I was two. I played lots of sports growing up, but I was just that bit better at tennis. GQ: Why Anthony? LH: He not only coaches players who’re already at the top, but he knows how to create champions by taking juniors into the professional circuit. He helped me transition through the ITF Men’s World Tennis Tour, challenges system and ATP Tour. We share a special bond as our personalities are similar, relaxed off the court but a head-down, hardworking mentality when playing tennis. GQ: You played Roger Federer on Wimbledon’s Centre Court in 2019.

LH: Even though I lost the match, walking out onto the court, where spectators cheered my childhood hero, gave me goosebumps. He’s the perfect tennis player in the way he plays and his mannerisms both on and off the court.

GQ: How do you think you’ll do at Wimbledon this year? LH: I’m healthy, fit and have recently played lots of grass-court matches, so I’m confident. GQ: Which of the places you’ve travelled to with your job is your favourite? LH: The VanOpen takes place at a country club on top of a hill overlooking Vancouver, a beautiful, multicultural city where the people are friendly and hospitable. GQ: What’s your dream car, and where would you drive it? LH: A super-dangerous looking Lamborghini – it’d have to be green – through a dusty desert. GQ: Does having shoulderlength hair give tennis players a competitive advantage? LH: I’d lose my power if I cut it! It also looks fresh. GQ: How do you want people to remember you? LH: Being a good person is more important to me than playing great tennis. I want people to remember me as a guy who respected other people and the game and was friendly and happy. Whenever I’m at home, I take time off training to hit a few balls with the kids at the Anthony Harris Tennis Academy.

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W E A LT H P R O F I L E

WEALTH CREATE A MORE BANKABLE YOU

The business of sport Thinking beyond the playing field means asking the right questions, surrounding yourself with the right people and aligning with brands that resonate with your core values Words by Thobeka Phanyeko

W E A LT H P R O F I L E

APPROACHING YOUR SPORTS CAREER as a business is a good idea if you want to ensure longevity in the industry. It’ll also set you up for a successful career right up to retirement. Have you considered the role of an agent or manager, for example? Commercial law specialist and founder of Morgan Law Grant Morgan explains that depending on the sporting code (individual or team), the mandate of an agent or manager may differ in that it’s either limited to sport-specific activities or both sport and commercial activities. ‘In team sports, the manager takes care of duties such as coordinating fixtures, travel and accommodation logistics, and managing the support team, such as fitness trainers, physiotherapists and nutritionists. An athlete’s personal manager, however, focusses on commercial aspects.’

GQ : What commercial aspects does a personal manager cover? Grant Morgan: These typically include brokering the best value and contract duration for the athlete in the club and/or country contractual negotiations whose contract terms include different types of financial incentives, such as an overall contract fee or “sign on fee”, match fees and/or incentive rewards or bonuses linked to achieving predefined results, liaising with player associations

when negotiating contracts and addressing player concerns, and keeping up to date with regulations issued by national, global and Olympic bodies in regards to issues such as rule changes, eligibility for participation and marketing guidelines. His or her duties also include researching and understanding the market to get a feel for the athlete’s market value based on his or her performance level, stage of his or her career, comparisons against athletes of a similar level and recent deals. He or she handles club vs. country commitments (e.g. an athlete may be prevented from representing his country if he or she is contracted to an overseas club), upcoming tournaments, where opportunities lie (locally or abroad) for new contracts, managing the athlete’s brand, identifying new personal sponsors and managing relationships with existing sponsors, working with public relations agents, ensuring that there are no conflicts between individual and team sponsors, and identifying exclusive sponsorship deals.

GQ : How does the role of a manager or agent differ for individual sports such as athletics? GM: The athlete is effectively self-employed, meaning his or her on-field revenue is linked to the number and profile of events in which he or she participates. The agent or manager is, therefore, usually responsible both for on- and off-field activities referred to above, except the athlete doesn’t derive financial value by being contracted to a club but instead is paid in his or her personal capacity by an event organiser, e.g. events on the Diamond League circuit. Considering big data has disrupted the sports world, the role of a manager now is not only to negotiate perceived value based on subjective perceptions but also to use readily available

Grant Morgan

Commercial law specialist and founder of Morgan Law

‘Friends and family may influence an athletes’ perception of worth, which may be misguided’

data to help agents or managers to objectively depict an athlete’s performance. On the field, performance is measured using statistical performance metrics such as tackles made and metres gained, and off the field, it’s measured using analytical marketing tools that monitor an athlete’s social media engagement or interaction levels.

GQ : How do you know you’re earning what you’re worth? GM: Traditionally, athletes relied on the services of an agent or manager and advisors to protect and secure their interests. A decent agent or manager fosters trust and mutual understanding with the athlete as to his or her long-term career path. But that often means athletes become so concerned with maximising short-term earning potential that they neglect long-term prospects. Friends and family may influence an athletes’ perception of worth, which may be misguided. It’s better to rely on expert and trusted advisors who base their decisions on empirical data and industry knowledge. That said, the advent of accessible performance data means the modern athlete is more empowered than ever to determine his or her value both on and off the field. For example, earlier this year, in April, Kevin De Bruyne, who plays for Manchester City and Belgium, leveraged data analytics to negotiate a new four-year contract. He used statistics generated by Analytics FC to assess his influence at Manchester City, how he was projected to play in the near-distant future and his long-term success based on his age and qualities of his current squad, and a comparison of his salary weighed against other top-level attacking midfielders. Off-the-field assessment values use a combination of more traditional “rate card” methodologies made up of the »

W E A LT H P R O F I L E

overall value of an endorsement or sponsorship campaign and/ or a price per appearance or event. Marketing agencies publish Global Trends reports that influence the rate card: recent trends suggest women athletes are set to dominate the market. A woman athlete could capitalise on that by adjusting her rate card upward. It still comes down to a willing-buyer-willing-seller negotiation with a brand, so there’s no hard-and-fast independent index by which to measure the athlete.

GQ : What questions should you ask before signing a new contract with a brand? GM: Before the athlete gets to the contract stage, he or she and his or her advisors need to first assess whether the brand is a competitor with an existing sponsor. Sponsorship agreements often include clauses with sponsors preventing athletes from even engaging with competing brands regarding potential sponsorship. Once you’ve determined there’s no conflict with your existing sponsors, consider whether any conflict exists with a national body’s sponsor. If there are none, you should assess whether the brand’s a good fit. Does it have a good reputation, culture and values, and is it aligned with your brand and lifestyle? That assessment usually serves as an early indicator of a good brand-athlete relationship, which means marketing content has a more genuine and sincere feel. Next, define your sponsorship category: perhaps it’s footwear only or a combination of footwear and clothing. But that could also lead to conflict with existing sponsors. Then, consider the territory. Does the deal only cover South Africa, or is it global? If global, that may or may not limit your

opportunities. The value of the deal should be adjusted upward, and the rights offered to sponsors need to be carefully defined. “Endorsement” typically refers to the use of the athlete’s name and likeness in connection with, concerning or in association with, the brand and solely for purposes of advertising and promoting that brand, as well as use of these rights in various forms of media (that can be restricted or broadened by agreement: e.g. print only vs electronic and digital media). Other aspects include expectations as to how and when the brand is going to be promoted – when the logo must be worn, as an example. It’s also crucial to consider whether the deal specifies a certain number of on-field appearances (and penalties if these aren’t met, how much endorsement

‘More emphasis should be put on the messaging and creative campaign instead of simply an agreed number of tweets’

activity is expected and if that’s commensurate with the value paid (with reference to the rate card), and what restrictions are in place when the contract is about to expire. The sponsors may want a right of first refusal on a renewal, putting in place mutually applicable terms to ensure marketing material doesn’t damage reputations or go against public standards.

GQ : What are some of the issues that tend to be overlooked only to resurface when a relationship between an athlete and a brand goes sour? GM: The expectation that endorsement activities are going to produce a particular outcome for the brand. More emphasis should be put on the messaging and creative campaign instead of simply an agreed number of

W E A LT H P R O F I L E

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GALLO/GETTY IMAGES, SUPPLIED

tweets. The right to the athlete endorsement in itself carries a specific value irrespective of the number of endorsement activities, and renewal and first refusal clauses often leave an athlete stuck with a brand until the expiry of a contract, which prevents him or her from negotiating with competing brands. Marketing and PR teams must be coordinated when it comes to producing and publishing content because if the sponsorship category isn’t clearly defined, a brand that participates in multiple industries (e.g. retail and banking) creates uncertainty. Another issue is the removal of marketing material on termination of the relationship, especially content that isn’t properly deleted from digital channels.

GQ : How can an athlete position himself or herself as a brand, leverage it and align it with credible brands? GM: Brand development for an athlete starts early in his or her career and is based on good advice and making good decisions on and off the field. The pervasiveness of media means that an athlete can no longer separate their on- and offthe-field personas. It’s also advisable to cultivate lasting relationships with key sponsors rather than to attach yourself to numerous brands, which can saturate your value. Sometimes turning down a brand offering a higher paycheque in exchange for a brand that’s more aligned with your values is better investment in the long run. There’s an expectation that athletes shouldn’t only perform on the field but they ought to be aligned with a purpose and have a stance on hot topics. If they execute that properly and sincerely, these athletes find themselves in high demand as brands are

‘We live in the information era, so use and understand the technology and data available to you to your advantage’

also eager to make a social impact. You can develop your brand in other ways, such as establishing foundations that participate in and achieve social good, elevating your off-field presence with well-managed yet authentic social media profiles and secure website domains, developing logos and applying for trademarks, and getting exposure in respected media publications. You can proactively look for new digital trends and opportunities to create exposure for brands. Look to generate your own content that can promote brands naturally.

GQ : Lastly, what’s your advice to the GQ guy who’s interested in pursuing a career in sports? GM: Sport is a business, but never forget that its essence and spirit is to inspire and create hope. Surround yourself with a strong support structure so you can focus on your athletic performance. We live in the information era, so use and understand the technology and data available to you to your advantage. Make good decisions on and off the field, and commercial opportunities will follow. Develop your brand and future career prospects early in your sporting career.

Grant Morgan’s sporting success secrets t Make sound financial decisions and investments during your playing career. t Pursue a financial education. t Consider transitioning into the coaching, managing and sports broadcasting world. t Leverage your personal brand to unlock corporate opportunities and transition to the boardroom. t Align with credible brands and institutions during your athletic career. t Use your exposure to the marketing and production worlds to create a career beyond the field. t Consider promoting social good through a foundation, which is another avenue to create a legacy off the field and remain relevant in the media.

W E A LT H A D V I C E

YO U ’ D B E HARDPRESSED to find anyone who enjoys talking about their finances and their relationship with money, despite its importance. It’s a difficult conversation that often results in concern and stress, which can damage your health, selfesteem, make you feel flawed, and fill you with a sense of despair. When financial stress becomes overwhelming, your mind, body and social life pay a heavy price. Achieving financial wellness can help reduce stress levels and financial anxieties. But what is it, and why’s it important? Well, just as eating healthily and exercising makes you feel good about your body, positive money habits help you feel financially well. Like a fitness plan, financial wellness covers routines and behaviours that make you feel more satisfied with your financial situation. If you earn above a certain income threshold, it’s assumed you’re financially fit. While it may be true you have buying power, that doesn’t mean your finances are healthy. Many people earn enough money to cover their bills, invest in their future, and progress in life without having to read the price tags on goods. But that sort of freedom could also be coupled with poor financial management, which could cause stress and anxiety. Financial wellness means having control over your money, regardless of how much or little you make, managing your

financial stress, planning for future endeavours, and being prepared for unplanned costs. It also means being able to pay your debts on time, track and meet your financial goals, and build and maintain emergency savings. If you’re not used to taking control of your finances, it might sound intimidating, but it’s never too late to learn positive habits to enhance your relationship with money. The way you manage your cash has a drip-down effect on your lifestyle and stress levels. Unfortunately, many of us didn’t learn financial wellness in school, so not all of us understand the impact of creating positive money habits. Emotions can influence how you manage your money. Poor mental health can make money management challenging, while worrying about money can worsen mental health issues. Tackling both of these aspects at the same time is crucial to financial wellness. Some situations are outside of your control, such as a job loss or financial emergencies. Regardless of your circumstances, by educating yourself and learning how to manage your emotional responses to money, you can seize back control.

H OW D O YO U AT TA I N FINANCIAL WELLNESS? Author of Everything Personal Finance in Your 20s and 30s and financial lawyer and advisor Dr Howard Davidoff advises the following: Plan: Outline the steps you need to take to improve your financial wellness, including your budget, goals, saving amounts, and ways to reduce outgoing payments or boost income. You wouldn’t venture into unfamiliar territory without a road map, yet many people go through life without a concrete plan for their financial future. In fact, most people spend more time

‘Most people spend more time planning a single holiday than they do their financial future’

your finances, overspending and help you reach your financial goals.

Create an emergency fund: If you don’t have one, now’s the time to start. The idea is to have a cash reserve you can access quickly if you lose your job or an unforeseen emergency occurs. Experts advise stashing at least three to six months’ worth of expenses.

Don’t live off borrowed money: Reaching your financial goals is harder if you’re in debt.

Maintain good credit: Your credit score is a critical part of your financial health. Things like late payments, too much debt or high balances negatively affect it. A higher credit score tells banks and lenders you’re a reliable borrower. The best way to build and protect your credit score is to pay your credit card bill on time and keep your balance below 30% of your credit limit.

FINANCIAL PLANNING F O R E V E RY S TAG E O F YO U R L I F E planning a single holiday than they do their financial future. The road you take to financial freedom can lead directly to your destination or a dead end. Specific financial goals and written plans for meeting them help you focus your efforts on the result.

Set realistic financial goals: It might take a long time to pay off debt, learn new habits, or start saving. Setting unrealistic goals means you’re more likely to become disheartened. Instead, set small, attainable goals. Financial wellness is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t expect to transform your relationship overnight.

Learn how to budget: This will give you more control over

‘Your goals evolve as you move through the different stages of your life, so it’s crucial to have a flexible financial plan that reflects where you are now and where you want to be in the future,’ says financial planner at Old Mutual Vincent Osborne.

I N YO U R TWENTIES Typical events common to this phase include finishing your studies, moving out of your parents’ home, buying your first car, getting married, having children, entering the workforce, saving to buy a property, travelling and paying off student loans. You’ll probably have completed your education and are at the beginning of

W E A LT H A D V I C E

your career. Now, you have to start budgeting, which means understanding what you can afford and how to live within your means. You may be paying rent for the first time or saving for a property. Maybe you have a debt to pay off, such as a student or car loan. You have to track your expenses and reconcile them regularly in the form of a budget. It’s crucial not to use consumer debt such as credit cards and overdrafts to fund your lifestyle. These forms of debt are expensive, and the interest rates are very high. You need to use credit cards in the right way, as a convenient way to transact, and be disciplined in repaying the debt on time to avoid incurring interest charges. Now’s also the time to start saving towards your retirement. Most employers offer access to a retirement fund, whose contributions are tax-efficient and a great way to save money for the future. You’ll probably change jobs a few times during your twenties. It’s crucial to preserve the retirement capital you’ve accumulated within your retirement fund. When you start a new job, you have the option to invest your retirement savings from your previous one in your new employer’s retirement fund, a preserved pension fund or a retirement annuity.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY GALLO/GETTY IMAGES

I N YO U R T H I RT I E S A N D F O RT I E S Your thirties bring additional responsibilities, and you may take on debt in the form of a home loan, postgraduate studies and travelling. Financial considerations in this life stage include getting debt-free and building a career, saving money for travel and holidays, updating your will, starting your own business and generating passive income. As you move into your 30s and 40s, one recommendation is to pay off your non-mortgage debts as soon as possible. That may necessitate an aggressive

approach, meaning you direct a larger percentage of your salary to paying off debts, slashing monthly living expenses or taking on a second job to earn an additional income. You need to gradually enhance your emergency reserve based on lifestyle inflation and changes in your expenditure. Having a sufficient amount in your emergency fund gives you a sense of security and stops you from dipping into your other investments. Also, don’t forget to replenish your emergency fund once you withdraw money from it. And increase your retirement contribution. These are your prime earning years, so look at skills, knowledge or experience you can monetise to increase your income.

I N YO U R FIF TIES AND SIXTIES You may be taking care of your parents, ageing family members or loved ones who don’t have enough income to support themselves. Remember to consider your retirement needs too. You have to visualise what your retirement will look like, what you want to do when you reach it, and understand how you’ll be able to achieve it and where the money will come from. If you have children, understand what you have to do to ensure you don’t become a financial burden to them. It’s crucial to think about how the cost of assisted living and healthcare increase with inflation and if your retirement income is enough to fund these expenses. Keeping in mind that every stage of life has its financial considerations may help you tremendously when creating your financial plan. Creating milestones according to your terms will give you something to consistently work towards, create a positive relationship with money, and help you achieve financial wellness.

On your way to ﬁnancial wellness Experts reveal how to improve your relationship with money, reduce stress and stay financially fit throughout your life Words by Shannon Manuel

WHO’S

SS 21/22

S T Y L I N G A N D C R E AT I V E D I R E C T I O N : C E B O S I B I S I ; P H OTO G R A P H Y: S I N OT H O M SW E L I ; M A K E U P : WA D E N E N G U B A N E ; M O D E L S : S I P H E S I H L E M K H I Z E , V U K I L E M A L U S I , M T H O KOZ I S I L A N G A , N O M F U N D O N D LOV U A L L AT B O S S M O D E L S ; C LOT H I N G : S I P H O M B U TO

A new choir of voices in SA menswear are shaping the way we look and dress from the streets up. To help you get to know them, each has an opportunity to showcase who they are on their terms. Welcome to the future of SA menswear

We believe the modern man is proud to embrace all facets of his identity, which our ranges explore. Soul represents contemplation, purity, connection and integrity, Art impact work, creativity and leadership, and Outdoor the environment, physicality and playing in nature.

To be environmentally and economically sustainable, we craft our garments using natural fibres sourced and made throughout Southern Africa. Our twill and herringbone fabrics are custom developed and woven to our specifications. FIELDS showcases the quality our yarn and factory partners bring to local manufacturing.

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‘Bringing my design dreams to life, one garment at a time’ – Zoliswa Mbadu, Founder

Model: Alastair Ho (@alastairh_) Photography and editing: Quaid Jones (_js_one)

‘It’s an exciting time for men’s fashion and for being open to the idea that clothes are genderless. Being your authentic self is crucial to how I design’

Tailored casual wear with unusual combinations, quirky details and a hint of utilitarianism brings the outdoors in

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The AMEN Spring/Summer ’21 Collection is inspired by the retro African language and billboard hairstyle art of local barbershops and salons. We believe menswear is heading into uncharted territories of experimentation, expressiveness and innovation. Men are gearing up to play with fashion as a tool of self-expression. They are reviving their fashion selections to include match-match suit and shirt combinations. They are fearlessly incorporating bold design details and statement designer pieces into their wardrobes. And of course, we had to stay at home for months during the lockdown, so we at AMEN believe men are ready to spring out into summer to debut their new and improved selves – physically, mentally and fashionably. This is where the signature AMEN speedo and underwear range is sure to be a staple fashion diet for those men ready to drop jaws and leave a sizzling trail for their followers to follow.

THROWAWAY TWENTY

CLOTHING IS INANIMATE, SO IT DOESN’T HAVE A GENDER. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO WEAR WHAT YOU WANT. REIMAGINE MASCULINITY THIS YEAR BY SHOWING SOME SKIN, AND ADDING FRINGING AND DAZZLING SEQUINS

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S A- b a s e d

lu x u r y b r a nd PA N AG A is more than ju s t a c lo t h in g li n e. It ’s a w h o le s o m e fu s io n o f ar t, fa m il y, fa it h a n d exq u is it e a r t is a n s h ip . PA N AG A is a n a b b r e v ia t io n of the de s ig n e r ’s n a m e – C li nt o n O s a s e n aga Id e h e n , a n d honours h is la t e fa t h e r (‘ PA ’ m e a n s fa ther a n d ‘N AG A ’ means G o d ). It fo c u s e s o n r e fi n e d d e s ig n , t a il o r in g, e xq u is it e fa b r ic s and neutra l c o lo u r p a le t t e s.

Introducing...

Leago Scars THE THRIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

Words by Jason Alexander Basson Photographs by Nadine Cerff Styling by Leago Scars

LEAGO SCARS IS A RENOWNED CONTENT CREATOR with an incredible sense of style that’s seen him work alongside brands such as Adidas, Nivea, Dickies and Prada, to name a few. But looks aren’t everything. Why you need to know Leago is because of how he gets his style: he’s a thrift king who’s looking to tap into and expand on an emerging culture that you are going to be hearing a lot more about in years to come. »

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FIND MORE OF HIS WORK ON INSTA:

ONLYTHRIFT_ ONLINE

An emerging creative tech entrepreneur driven by creating global online accessibility to thrift culture, he founded Onlythrift with Nadine Cerff. The app encourages youths to thrift and recycle clothing, thus, reducing the environmental risks of consuming fast fashion. He blew up on social media simply for believing high fashion should be on the streets, not just the runways. So, he started creating content that expressed his eccentric style with meticulous attention to proportions, layering and colour palettes. Thrifting isn’t just something people do because they can’t afford to buy clothes from a store; it’s a massive and rapidly growing global business. Just look at the brand Depop, which Etsy recently acquired. Thrifting is the future. Keep your eyes on Leago!

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Photographs by Obakeng Molepe

Words by Molife Kumona

THE VOICE OF THE

Focalistic (real name Lethabo Sebetso) is arguably one of the top breakout African stars of the past two years, with a string of hits that have gone multiplatinum, epic collaborations with music industry heavyweights such as Davido and Cassper Nyovest. In the 24-year-old’s first-ever interview with GQ, shot in his hometown in Zone 2, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria, he reveals his absolute dream, why he’s the voice of the youth, how he dealt with depression and what matters to him

the next, it’d be someone else. That excitement from a young age taught me that in life, that’s what I live for; I measure what I’ve done by looking at how I can surpass my expectations. Can I apply myself to the point where I can see that I’m the greatest? That’s my vision. That’s what I want to do.

GQ: You work in an industry that’s all about competition, and some consider you as a hip-hop artist. Hip-hop artists typically compete to be the best or better. How do you push your passion for being a collaborator? F: Let me reply to that first by saying that I’ve quit hip-hop. I don’t want to do it, don’t own it, and I wasn’t born with it.

GQ: Three platinum records and counting. How does that feel? Focalistic: It’s all happened in a year, so it feels great but also quite surreal. It means we’re still on track. Once you figure out a formula, the next move is to make sure it keeps working. I’m grateful, excited, and working my hardest ever now. GQ: You’ve openly stated you want to be the greatest artist to come out of Africa. Tell us what that means to you and from where that vision came? F: I always say that if I’m the greatest and you’re also in the room , you can be the greatest too. It’s about pushing excellence in the work I do, the quality of music we put out, our work ethic, performance and how we look. When I pull up, everything I bring to the table should say greatness. What I need to make clear is that the concept of greatness isn’t a competition. Great artists to have come before us, such as Angélique Kidjo, Fela Kuti and others, were all the best of their time. Successful without competing, they complemented each other’s greatness. GQ: They did. F: Wanting to be the best started when I was in school. I was always a top 10 student who wanted to be number one. One term, I’d be number one,

GQ: Why’s that? F: As an artist, you keep growing. I’m a young man from Pitori, Zone 2, Ga-Rankuwa, so there’s no way I can say I know what hip-hop is. However, if you ask me about amapiano [a subgenre of South African house music], that’s something I know, and I feel comes naturally to me. So, yeah, I’ve quit hip-hop. The saying is ‘collaboration over competition’, so, you’ll notice a feature in many of my songs. We’re at a point right now with African music where it’s about showing the true spirit of Ubuntu. It’s about lifting each other and working together – that’s how Africa’s supposed to be. If you want to be the greatest, you won’t do it alone. Hip-hop doesn’t have that. It’s from Brooklyn and talks about gun violence and other things with which I can’t relate. I grew up in an environment where you can go and ask your neighbour for sugar, and that’s the spirit I want to maintain through my music. GQ: Now you’ve made it clear you’ve quit hip-hop what do we call you? An amapiano artist? F: My team and I are charting a different path. You could box the sound or what I’d like to be called, but that in itself is an issue. People are always trying to fit something in a box, and when it doesn’t fit, we get worried and stressed. I, on the other hand, have gotten comfortable with not being boxed. There’s no blueprint in the times we’re living in. People advised me not to drop music during Covid-19 because that’d be an epic fail. But that didn’t happen, so, for me, it’s about going with what you feel, and it may surprise you. GQ: Why’s Focalistic, the artist, culturally significant right now? F: As the voice of misunderstood youths, I mirror what’s happening in Africa. If you’re from a different age group, you might find it hard »

Jacket R53 000, T-shirt R14 500, pants R19 500 and belt bag R18 000 all Dolce & Gabbana; sunglasses Vintage stylist’s own PREVIOUS SPREAD Jacket R51 000, Millionaires sunglasses R14 100 and necklace R13 700 all Louis Vuitton

‘We’re at a point right now with African music where it’s about showing the true spirit of Ubuntu. It’s about lifting each other and working together – that’s how Africa’s supposed to be. If you want to be the greatest, you won’t do it alone’

‘He then called me Focalisticcataclism. I asked him what that meant, and he said, “A focused person who’s going to change the world and how people view things.”’

Jacket R29 495, pants R15 995, sneakers R19 350 and sunglasses R3 895 all Versace

to understand what youths are doing because you’re used to putting people in a box. But I represent those you can’t box. Six months ago, I was struggling with being put in a box. Most people were trying to make me a hip-hop artist and, on the other hand, a few were calling me an amapiano vocalist, so they were asking me to choose one. The moment I stopped thinking within the boxes and genres they were putting me in, I started having more fun. That’s the generation I mirror.

GQ: Why did you study political science at university? F: My dad was a journalist, and he studied political science, so, at 18, when I had to decide what I wanted to study at varsity, I chose that too. I knew I also wanted to make music. What’s great is that I’ve managed to use what I studied in my music; I’m also a journalist, only over a nice beat. I’m reporting on what’s happening in my life and other people’s, and that makes people dance. GQ: This the first time in GQ South Africa’s history that we’ve shot a cover in the hood, not just any, but your’s. It was a history making moment for us. What did it mean to you?

F: I’m always shooting in the hood and going back there. What was amazing was seeing the GQ people in the hood. It was like we’d never left, but these people were never part of it, and they were coming to shoot here. We never thought that’d happen. It felt surreal. GQ really came to my hood! These are the streets where I grew up, so it was heartwarming. I never would’ve thought my music would bring a global brand like GQ to my hometown.

me and asked for pictures. That’s when it hit me because people seemed to disregard my mom and just wanted my attention. We came out of a shop, and there was a crowd of, like, 30 to 40 school kids wanting a picture. I realised then that things had changed.

GQ: What does Focalistic mean, and where does the name come from? F: I got it from my older cousin, who used to listen to a lot of hip-hop. We used to talk about my vision for my music career, and I’d tell him what I wanted to do. He then called me Focalisticcataclism. I asked him what that meant, and he said, ‘A focused person who’s going to change the world and how people view things.’ I guess he spoke it into existence. The name was a bit too long, so I cut it, started using it, and it’s stuck with me. It makes sense now I think about it.

GQ: How has becoming the voice of the youth, and all that comes with it, changed how you view fame and money? F: I don’t think it’s changed how I view anything. I always knew who I’d become. I keep picturing an old tweet I posted in 2016 or 2017 when I wrote about becoming one of the best. My new thing is looking at the future. Fame hasn’t changed me or fazed me, which happens to a lot of artists. You go through all this so many times in your head that you sort of refine it as you go. You’re caught up in the work because that’s what it is, work, so fame isn’t the focus. If you don’t use your fame and money to push yourself further and change lives, there may be misalignment somewhere.

GQ: When did you realise you were famous? F: There was this one time I went to the mall with my mom in mid-to-late 2020, and people saw

GQ: One of the biggest challenges we see, particularly for young artists, is to choose the right team. In your experience, how important is that? »

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F: Having the right team is everything. I always tell mine that when I talk about Focalistic and I say ‘me’, I feel so guilty because I’m not representing them. The team goes to places I sometimes can’t and unlocks things I’ve no idea about. My team has a shared vision rather than each of them trying to push an individual agenda. My advice to upcoming artists is to take care of your team and watch them take care of you.

‘Every time I do something, record a song, get on the mic or even do this interview, I do it to the best of my ability because I represent my mom, who showed me what it means to be the best’

GQ: How do you handle the pressures that come with being young and having so many young people look up to you as a role model? F: To be honest, I don’t feel a lot of pressure, only to represent what’s right in my songs and never make what’s wrong seem right. It’s always about being the mirror I am supposed to be. At times, I find myself correcting myself in a song. I’m, like, ‘I shouldn’t have said that because of the effects it’s going to have on the listener.’ GQ: You’ve been open about dealing with mental health issues when you were in varsity. What brought you out of that dark time of your life? F: I was suffering with depression, and what helped me was watching documentaries on other artists and people who had similar issues. Those stories changed my life, as they would so many others. If I was to advise someone who’s going through mental health issues, I’d tell them to see a therapist, read up on other peoples’ stories and pray because that’s what helped me. GQ: Tell us about your relationship with your mom, whom you seem fond of. F: My relationship with my mom is so dope. When my dad passed away, I saw her play both roles of studying accountancy on a teacher’s salary and raising three children. She’s my idol. If I ever

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have to mention idols and I don’t name my mom, there’ll be something wrong. Every time I do something, record a song, get on the mic or even do this interview, I do it to the best of my ability because I represent my mom, who showed me what it means to be the best.

GQ: How you deal with the DMs and attention from fans who want a sexual or romantic relationship with you? F: I don’t think I deal with it. I had a person, but it didn’t work out. Ever since then, I’ve been closed off. I don’t think relationships work for a young artist. These are the things people never talk about. The attention from fans and always being busy is something that’ll make anyone uneasy, even jealous. Even if I don’t entertain flirting or DMs from my female fans, my person will, after a while, start keeping a close eye on me. I might not be as free as I should be around fans who mightn’t even have any ill intentions. Right now, my focus is on my music, not relationships or love. I want a family, children and to leave a legacy, but I’ll think about that later.

S T Y L I N G : M I R A L E I B O W I T Z ; P H OTO G R A P H E R ’ S A S S I S TA N T S : K E K E T S O P I I , R I C H A R D C O O K ; FA S H I O N A S S I S TA N T : TA N I A D U R A N D ; G R O O M I N G : B A B Y C H O M A

GQ: What five things will you prioritise in the future? F: 1. A Pan-African remix or song featuring my favourite African artists. 2. Host my own show in South Africa with artists from all over the continent and some international ones, like, put Drake and Kwesta on the same stage vibes. 3. Take South African music and culture all over the world through performing. 4. Inspire more kids. I think about that a lot. Show people that you can come from a place that may not be well-known and end up on a billboard in New York like me. 5. I always say in my prayer, ‘Let me be the biggest shining star, so that I can shine a light back on to God’.

Jacket R379, poloneck R249 and pants R429 all H&M; shoes Dolce & Gabbana Focalistic’s own; sunglasses R3 840 Burberry

THE SPIRITUAL REALM HAS TWO DUALITIES, healing and black magic. It’s not uncommon to refer to a traditional healer as a witch doctor, which stems from a lack of knowledge that breeds fear. For this reason, people often confuse ukuthwasa and ukuthwala, even though the terms are entirely unrelated, the former based on healing and the latter on gaining riches by tapping into the supernatural. Here, we open up the conversation to traditional healers Gogo Dineo Ndlanzi, Mkhulu Thamsanqa, and best-selling author of the Bare series Jackie Phamotse who’s conducted extensive research on the topic of ukuthwala

AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT AFRICAN SPIRITUALITY Words by Thobeka Phanyeko

THE POPULARIT Y OF MODERN SA N G O M A S I S G R A D UA L LY L I F T I N G T H E V E I L O F S EC R ECY A RO U N D A F R I CA N S P I R I T UA L I T Y , and

conversations around culture and religion have taken centre stage. The move towards representation and inclusivity has also sparked curiosity amongst Africans, millennials and Gen Z alike, who’re asking questions about their lineage, history and African identity pre-colonisation. The role of Christianity is also being questioned as Africans grapple with the idea of self. Others have found freedom in reconnecting with their ancestral roots. At the core of these relevant conversations is a very real angst, which can also be described as a fear of the unknown. We cling onto what we know because it defines us and how we negotiate our value in the world. It raises questions about identity, particularly for people who have a calling but grew up in a Christian family. On the other hand, the pursuit of wealth has also become

desperate, people turning to practices such as ukuthwala (to serve and cater to a snake in exchange for what they want) to obtain riches instantly. If you’ve streamed Kings of Jo’Burg on Netflix, you’ll know that beneath his layer of opulence, Vader, portrayed by Shona Ferguson, has made a deal with the devil, but the cost of having an easy life outweighs its benefits. Unfortunately, it’s a reality for those who resort to using snakes, tokoloshes, owls and even human bodies to get rich quick. Before we delve into the intricacies of ukuthwala, it’s crucial to differentiate between that and ukuthwasa (undergoing the journey of becoming a healer, provided you have a calling), so you don’t fall into the trap of looking at the world of spirituality through the same lense. Traditional healer and founder of the Institute of Traditional Healing Gogo Dineo Ndlanzi explains that ukuthwasa is a rebirthing process, ‘returning to your true self, the divine you and what you’re here »

to serve. We all go through ukuthwasa processes outside our iphehlo (place of training). Those who’re chasing their callings or want to leave what we’ve come to authentically serve as a people on this planet go through life challenges that help them remember and rebirth that.’ In the context of ukuthwasa, to become isangoma, she says you have to be interested, develop a passion for or be fond of it. ‘It’s a calling, meaning you come from a lineage of ancestors who were themselves once isangoma and have passed on their gift to you. ‘Some people mightn’t be aware of it due to colonisation and religion, through which we’ve lost our understanding of who we are and our connection to our roots and information or intel that connects us to them. If you find your calling, but you don’t know anyone else in your family who has, look into prophetic churches, which are spaces where African spiritual healers were victims of the Witchcraft Suppression Act. People had to be innovative with their gift so they joined those churches, where they could use their umoya (spirit) gifts.’ So, to be a sangoma, you have to have a calling. ‘You act as an intermediary between the living and their ancestors, and have a gift of seeing, hearing and feeling what happens in the spirit realm,’ she says. Signs you have a calling include ‘a heightened sixth sense, meaning you not only feel and pick things up for yourself but other people. An isangoma’s gift or calling comes from from ingoma (song, drums, music and dancing).

GQ : What’s the significance of going to the river to spend time with the river snake, and how’s that different from ukuthwalwa ngenyoka (to serve and cater to a snake in exchange for money, riches or power)? Gogo Dineo Ndlanzi: There are different types of ubungoma (learning from first-hand experience), snakes and ancestral spirits depending on your gift and ancestral lineage. As Africans aren’t connected to our spiritual identity anymore, the snake symbolises evil. Christians describe Lucifer as a snake, which has continued to demonise our relationship with the reptile, but it’s always been a powerful animal dating back to ancient Egypt. If you look at the medical emblem, you’ll see a snake, which in Hindi symbolises the rising of the kundalini energy because it travels from root chakra to crown chakra – in ubungoma (an innate calling) it’s known as umbilini, and it underpins the divination process of iZangoma. In umndau (a form of ubungoma), the ukuthwasa process is associated with animals such as snakes and lions. Snakes symbolise rebirth, as the ukuthwasa “initiation” involves shedding your false sense

such as snakes. For example, in a Xhosa initiation, they say ukufukama emlanjeni (connecting to water ancestral spirits including snakes), and in umndau you parolla (in water to cleanse ancestral discourses). These rituals can only be undertaken by those called to be iZangoma. But anyone who wants to accelerate the accumulation of riches, material gain and spiritual powers can do ukuthwala. In ubungoma, your education happens outside the classroom ye phehlo (a place of training) too, in that, you learn how to overcome and heal from experiences first-hand and to help other people. I experienced isichitho (a witchcraft spell to make the victim appear less attractive to others) after my training as an isangoma. I was advised not to use umuthi (a traditional cure for common ailments) but instead use isiwasho, which is blessed water associated with the church that contains coarse salt to emulate seawater and purify, cleanse and detox. So, I cleansed isichitho with that, but when I work with people who’ve used lots of muti, either for darkness or light, I’ll sometimes use it to neutralise their energy. It’s crucial to understand your healing gifts and your calling’s unique mastery. It’s also imperative to learn from other healing modalities that can add value to your healing practices and expand your thinking. I’ve learnt a lot from Eastern philosophies. Many global indigenous knowledge systems find their roots in Africa’s, which we’ve lost due to colonisation and the demonisation of African spiritual healing. Some of their basic understanding is similar to African spirituality and culture, how the Jewish follow the same mourning rituals as ours, for instance. Your ancestors determine your journey of healing and the direction of ukuthwasa. You can’t thwasa isiXhosa (train as a sangoma the Xhosa way) if you don’t have a Xhosa lineage (specific to the Xhosa culture), but you can thwasa umndau, even if you’re not Xhosa. Your ancestor determines what you honour, your initiation process and your gift. When you’re called to ukuthwasa, you’re assigned a gobela (a person chosen by the ancestors to guide you to becoming a sangoma). As a gobela myself, it’s crucial your ancestors connect you to me through dreams that depict specific thwasa rituals for me to perform. My role is to help you heal ingulo or ubizo (a calling), which could manifest as physical ailments such as non-stop headaches, uvalo (unexplainable anxiety attacks), or financial or relationship issues. I also teach the gifted how to heal, but first we work through discourses caused by their ancestral spirits. My role is to ensure synergy and alignment between idlozi (ancestral spirit) and the gifted person. Not everyone who has ubizo has to embark on this journey, just as not everyone who goes through ukuthwasa has to be a healer and not all

‘SNAKES SYMBOLISE REBIRTH, AS THE UKUTHWASA “INITIATION” INVOLVES SHEDDING YOUR FALSE SENSE OF SELF’

of self so you can enter into a state of being one with divinity or your creator through your ancestors. The aboMajola a amaXhosa clan’s totem is a snake, as an example. With that in mind, we shouldn’t always classify snakes as evil. It’s not snakes that are evil; it’s the people who use something that’s there to help us for their benefit (that’s ukuthwala). You shouldn’t keep a snake in your house because it’s a wild animal – that’s manipulation and unethical. Healers nurture, respect and revere Nature and work in harmony with her because we need her help to follow our calling. iZangoma perform rituals to bring us closer to Nature, including species

88 GQ.CO.ZA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

healers have a calling to be a gobela. Those who speak to that which isn’t meant for them can be easily tempted to ukuthwala to attain spiritual powers. Joburg-based traditional healer Mkhulu Thamsanqa says that with the rise of modern sangomas and ukuthwasa becoming a trend, people are doing it voluntarily. ‘Traditionally, people who undergo ukuthwasa are called by their ancestors in dreams or visions to undergo training to appease their ancestors or help people with their gifts,’ he explains. »

‘YOU LEARN HOW TO OVERCOME AND HEAL FROM EXPERIENCES FIRST-HAND AND TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE’

That’s preferably confirmed by a healer, sangoma or gobela. ‘But anyone who undergoes ukuthwasa requires a lot of that. ‘They lie to people who only really require basic assistance, offering ukuthwasa as a solution to their problems.’ If you’ve confirmed you’re gifted, and the gobela’s intentions are pure, they’ll train you in the ways of your journey. Depending on whether you’re called to be a prophet, sangoma or healer, that ranges from learning how to pray to what herbs and remedies to use and how to treat a variety of ailments.’ Mkhulu Thamsanqa explains your training and the type of gobela assigned to you depend on the type of spiritual gift(s) you’ve been given by your ancestors.

‘Essentially, there are different gobelas and schools for different types of gifts and callings. Training typically lasts from as little as a few months to a year. These days, it’s not a must for a trainee to reside with a gobela. ‘Some people travel between their home, workplace and place of training if the gobela allows. Processes vary and differ from one school to another and cater to the specific needs of the person undergoing training.’ Mkhulu Thamsanqa says living with a gobela isn’t standard practice. ‘Some people’s ancestors have a strong link and connection to water, which can be a source of power and renewal.’ What happens when someone’s called into the water? ‘They can disappear into it for days or

months, a similar if not identical process to ukuthwasa, and they return having completed what their ancestors called them to.’ This isn’t an unheard-of phenomenon. Like ukuthwasa, it’s a process that’s been happening for centuries amongst spiritual people. ‘It’s sacred, so people aren’t at liberty to discuss their experiences, with or without snakes. What I can say is that snakes are considered spiritual animals, not just by people who have links or connections to water. Often when you realise your spiritual calling, your ancestors manifest in the form of snakes in dreams.’

GQ : What’s your understanding of ukuthwala with a snake?

Mkhulu Thamsanqa: Ukuthwala ngenyoka is to partake in an agreement with evil spirits to attain your heart’s desires. Engaging in such an agreement comes at a price as you’re bonded in spirit to the evil spirit, a snake, as an example. You must oblige its requests to ensure it continues to give you what you’ve asked. If you don’t, it retaliates, often to your detriment. For example, people have shared a snake may ask an individual to avail a woman for intercourse, and the woman will be required to sleep with the snake regularly. It’s also not uncommon for a snake to ask for blood offerings that require the lives of animals or actual people. Once you’ve entered a bargain with a snake but don’t fulfil its requirements, it may kill you or harm those closest to you..

partner comes from a lineage of witches, meaning they’re more likely to ukuthwala, or a specific pathology that may impact you and your children.

GQ : Is it possible to get help from a healer should you find yourself in this situation? MT: There are many healers, sangomas and prophets well-equipped to help you break the spiritual bond and ties that come with ukuthwala. GQ : What’s your take on the Christianity vs. culture debate? Is there room for both to coexist? MT: People have stern opinions rooted in their beliefs and ideologies, both colonial and cultural. Yes, I think there’s room for both. Spirituality’s a spectrum of endless possibilities and entities, but what’s evident is that we’re governed by a higher power that created our entire ‘OUR CURRENT LIFESTYLES INVOLVE existence. Without creation, LOOKING AT HOW OTHER PEOPLE we have no ancestry or spiritual world. LIVE. WE ASPIRE TO MATERIALISM, Many people who practice TO BE SOCIAL INFLUENCERS AND, their ancestral calling believe in a god, and they acknowledge HENCE, WE GO AND DO UKUTHWALA’ Him harmoniously with their ancestors and power. The majority of people who have an ancestral calling don’t condemn Christianity or what it represents. Many people go as far as to publicly state their faith in God, belong to a Christian body or community and openly practice their cultural beliefs and duties. These are just some of the alleged But some members of the Christian community deny the existence of stories that some people have told ancestors and consider cultural practices as demonic. Unfortunately, there’ll me about their interactions with always be people who frown on practices different from their own. Our snakes and ukuthwala. I implore responsibility is to allow people to enjoy religion freely, without interference, people not to engage in such hate speech or discrimination. harmful practices in pursuit of their desires. GQ : What could lead people to engage in ukuthwala? MT: Our current lifestyles involve looking at how other people live on social media, especially on Instagram. We’re missing the point of how we should be living our lives. We aspire to materialism, to be social influencers, hence, we go and do ukuthwala. The consequences vary based on what you use to accelerate your good fortune. One of the signs is when someone moves from zero to one hundred. All of a sudden, they’ve more money than they can count. You can identify them by excessive showing off and squandering newfound wealth. I advise people in the commitment phase of a relationship to visit a sangoma to assess their spiritual compatibility. It’s better to know if your new

AU T H O R O F T H E BA R E S E R I E S , JAC K I E P H A M OT S E W E I G H S I N O N U KU T H WA L A

According to Phamotse, ukuthwala ranges from entry level to advanced. ‘You can thwala with a white dove, which symbolises purity to cleanse your space, your body if you’ve had a miscarriage or an abortion, or if you have isichitho or bad omens. ‘A more extreme practice is to slaughter a large animal such as a cow or goat. Some even go as far as to sacrifice monkeys, while others plump for ukuthwala ngenyoka, owls or crocodiles, each of which has a spiritual symbolism.’ As Black people name their clans and animals, the animal you choose depends on your tradition. Phamotse clarifies that those who use human sacrifices have usually received a dark omen. ‘They’ve exhausted all other spiritual and cultural options, so they move from cleansing to blood sacrifice using soul ties, spirits, or dead bodies they’ve either killed themselves, stolen from a mortuary or dug up from a grave. A human foetus aborted between four and six months may also be offered as a sacrifice. ‘It all depends on the purpose of the sacrifice, which could be marriage, business, success in various industries or maintaining power in certain spaces. Those who opt for human sacrifice are in it for the kill, meaning there’s no turning back.’ What does the ultimate sacrifice look like? ‘You kill, perform a sacrifice and make muti. You may bathe in the muti or sleep »

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 GQ.CO.ZA 91

with another person to transmit it, or keep specific body parts in your house to worship.’ It’s also worth noting that when the person practising o thwele (ukuthwala) shares their riches with their family, ‘they maintain rituals such as slaughtering every three to six months or annually, depending on what the sangoma has requested of them.’ What happens if you fail to fulfil your end of the bargain? ‘A reversal takes place, in which you lose power,

rituals anymore. Whatever it is they were worshipping, a snake, an owl or tokoloshe, also known as amaboys, starts feeding off whatever’s left, and usually the riches are all gone within two years.’ To maintain these rituals, ‘a witch doctor instructs you how to meet the animal’s needs’. If the spirit wants something else, ‘you may need to give it a cow or goat, for example. How often the animal needs feeding depends on its size. A python eats an animal,

Phamotse adds that you can’t always tell if a family member practises uthwele (also means to serve and cater to a snake in exchange for what you want), especially since they’re probably not at liberty to disclose or even talk about it. It’s sacred, their secret, and a covenant they have with the person or thing they worship. In some situations, you may only find out about it months or years later, mostly by accident, when something goes wrong or when a ritual hasn’t been

obvious traits and patterns you pick up, including consistently slaughtering animals and wearing their skin without revealing why they’re conducting the ceremonies. They may also have a special place for their muti in their space or house or a fridge somewhere they keep locked. It could be a room you can’t enter because they tell you it’s “sacred”, or they’ll erect a shack and prohibit people from entering. Phamotse says some people apply specific oils and ointments

businesses, associates and wealth.’ Phamotse also shares it’s not uncommon for families to experience flourishing wealth while the person practising o thwele is still alive ‘because they stick to the covenant. But when they die, their businesses fail, their families start losing money, and every two to six months or so, one of them dies. That’s because no one’s fulfiling the

cow or human in one go and can survive a month between meals, whereas a rattlesnake eats smaller, regular portions of rats or rabbits’. A more spiritual sacrifice requires ‘you sleep with someone to create soul ties with that person so the snake can feed off them spiritually. If the animal requires blood, you have to visit places like mortuaries to steal human bodies or kill someone to feed it.’

performed properly. They may also confess if they believe they can help a family member who’s sick or on the brink of death. Under normal circumstances, however, they’re sworn to secrecy, not only because of how sacred it is but also because it’s dangerous. Could they have other reasons to withhold this information? People get greedy, and sometimes, if you tell family members, they start telling neighbours and friends and it becomes more than a family secret. Most of the time, only a husband and wife will know about it and, more often than not, it’s between the individual and a sangoma. The veil of secrecy surrounding ukuthwala is the reason it’s so taboo for people to even talk about it, specifically in the Black culture. Phamotse says it’s hard to spot a person o thwele. ‘It’s not like they’ve certain things on them that are visible, but there are

to their body. ‘Mixed into lotions, food or tea, these leave a black, oily or powdery residue, which they use to cleanse their body or enhance their spiritual power.’ Beyond rituals, spaces, lotions, food and tea, look out for specific things they wear. ‘Beads mean something specific to the individual. While I’m not saying everyone who wears these beads ba thwele, those who do so for a specific purpose usually have them around their neck, arm, waist or ankles.’ Phamotse clarifies that’s not to take away from sangomas or those on a journey of ukuthwasa. ‘Beads mean different things in the context of ukuthwala. They’re not exclusive to fashion or tradition because people put certain things on them for the sole purpose of ukuthwala.’ Is there a way out for someone who is at an advanced stage of ukuthwala? Phamotse affirms it’s possible to cut ties with a witch doctor. ‘A traditional healer can help by performing an exorcism to cleanse you at a river, where they use water or herbs to heal you. Some use seawater, while others pray over you and prohibit you from having sex to cleanse your spirit. Phamotse warns that even though you can reverse the process, there’s a possibility you might get sick, and it can even result in death.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY GALLO/GETTY IMAGES, SUPPLIED

‘IF THE ANIMAL REQUIRES BLOOD, YOU HAVE TO VISIT PLACES LIKE MORTUARIES TO STEAL HUMAN BODIES OR KILL SOMEONE TO FEED IT’

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