Sa Majesté Magazine Issue 2 by Sa Majesté Magazine.

Woman of DESTINY

SOPHY AIIDA graciously talks to us about her life as an entrepreneur, career, journey to the top and the importance of God and perseverance.

ISSUE #002 - JANUARY 2018

Photo by Vlad Busuioc

Studios

, s r o t i d E te No

Hello everyone! Welcome to the second issue of Sa Majesté Magazine. I want to use this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed in the first issue because your devotion was very essential to the magazine’s huge success, thus this second issue. In this second issue, we focus more on the importance of health and wellness in our daily lives. Enjoy this issue and please do let us know if there are any topics you’d like to see covered in the future. This issue is dedicated to the love of my life, my Daddy. Happy reading and happy new year!

Ebangha Njang Editor-In-Chief, Sa Majesté Magazine Email: samajestemag@gmail.com

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IN THIS ISSUE

Cameroonian makeup guru, Anyi Asonganyi of Ozi International gives us her top 4 lipstick picks.

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Cameroonian lifestyle & fashion blogger Lydia Epangue Warke of Art Becomes You gives us tips on how to wear your natural hair with confidence.

The Anonymous Fingers: this is a column about the trials of being a woman, especially in the entertainment industry.

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Life Of A Returnee: Cameroonian OAP Eva Ndumbe of Dope Music on SWEET FM continues telling us about her journey as a returnee in the city of Douala.

WOMAN OF DESTINY! Sophy Aiida graciously talks to us about her life as an entrepreneur, career, journey to the top and the importance of God and perseverance.

Focus On: This is where we focus on any Cameroonian (model, artist,actor, entrepreneur, etc) at the prime of their career and needs more focus on. We focus on Blanche Bailly.

Fitness Tips by Cameroonian celebrity fitness trainer Mel Dibson.

The Upcomer: This elaborates on any Cameroonian upcoming designer, artist, producer, model or anyone in the entertainment industry we think the world should watch out for.

Grooming Tips for Men by the US-based Cameroonian Fashion & Lifestyle Influencer and Menswear Stylist, Harry Ondoa.

Hot Spots.

Photo by Njinkeng Asonganyi Pictures

Lipstick is used by millions to create numerous different looks from casual and running-errands type of looks to super fancy and evening looks. It is a fast and simple way to transform your look to suit many different moods.

You would agree with me that it is super easy to buy lipstick today with the large number of choices available. Choosing the right lipstick isn’t overly complicated anymore but it does take understanding a few things about the different forms of lipstick and what makes one better than the other. Knowing every detail of all the lipsticks available

isn’t really possible, but knowing your own needs is paramount to choosing the right lipstick. If you don’t know what you are looking for, you will have a much harder time sorting through the large selection of lipsticks available on the market. To make it easier for you, i took the time to look at the most prominent lipsticks on the market considering their customer feedback, colour selection, formula features like texture, long lasting power, moisturizing effect, flavor, etc. The four lipstick choices reviewed below topped the list in every category. Any one of them would be an excellent addition to your makeup kit.

Bold R.A.L in “Caramel”

It is a neutral shade which has a glazy finish to it with a little bit of water shine. The creamy nature renders a lot of colour on the lips in just one swipe. This is an amazing colour for days when u don’t know which lipstick to wear with what outfit. It’s a safe colour for most skin tones. If you don’t have any nude lippy yet, this shade is worth considering. Price: 11,000fcfa www.boldandlbb.com

RmB Ibow Luxury 2 in 1 Jumbo Lip Crayon in ‘Dada Faare Brown”

A rich brown silky matte lipstick with impressive pigmentation, the perfect nude shade for “melanin queens”! This lipstick comes in pencil format with a rather soft and creamy application. It is a light weight formula that lasts for over 8 hours. The pencil format provides a favourable amount of precision and ease in application. Price: 7,800fcfa www.rmbibow.com

SAMAJESTE MAGAZINE

F.V.B Cosmetics Matte Liquid lipstick in “Brown Sugar”

This is a beautiful velvet brown lipstick with a greenish undertone that works for every skin tone. F.V.B has managed to strike the perfect balance between a long-lasting formula that is also non-drying. The lightweight liquid has slight sheen but this dries up to a matte finish after about 15 seconds. It delivers quite some pigment thus a single coat does the magic, no need for layering. Price: 5,000fcfa www.kandfcosmetics.com

Lady Beverly Liquid Ultra Matte Lipstick in “Mookeh”

This is a pink meets purple type of cocktail. The type of lipstick you wear when you are out to look girly but can’t let go of the edgy vibe. The ultra matte nature of this lipstick requires you wear a thin layer of lip balm underneath to avoid excessive drying of the lips. Its lasting power is so strong; you would need an oil based makeup remover or lip scrub to easily take it off. Price: 8,000fcfa www.ladybeverly.com

There you have it! Try them and let the lady next door know what you think about these amazing Cameroonian branded lipsticks. XOXO Anyi Asonganyi CEO & Creative Director OZI International Douala - Cameroon. +237654074357 +237679193630

here’s an old adage that goes, a woman’s hair is her pride. For black women, this is not usually the case. Our hair has been through the lot. It is controversial. Political. Shunned. Hidden. It has been described as everything from ‘difficult to manage’ to ‘not work friendly’, ‘not for the corporate world’, ‘not for everyone’, ‘shabby’... the list goes on. The negative connotations make it a challenge altogether to feel confident even when one decides to wear their natural hair. It’s called a natural journey because for black women it’s not just another hairstyle. It’s a form of acceptance. A new confidence. It’s journey which doesn’t happen overnight.

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5 TIPS ON HOW TO WEAR YOUR NATURAL HAIR WITH CONFIDENCE Learning to wear our hair confidently is 90% a part of the natural journey. Even after being natural for 4 years, it’s something I have to struggle with from time to time. But I do have a few pick-me-up tips that have helped me look fly and conquer any doubts I’ve had as a naturalista. Hopefully these tips can help you wear your natural hair with more confidence.

Wear It Out Nothing will look better on you than the hair that grows out of your own head. If you know this you are halfway there. The only way to fight through the insecurities of wearing your hair out is by (you guessed it) wearing it out more often. The only reason why I felt so strange having my hair out is because it had been hidden for so long it felt unfamiliar. Let your hair out. Get to know your hair. Give it a chance. It’s not so much the length that makes you feel comfortable in your coils. It’s the familiarity. The extensions and clipins sure do make achieving certain styles a lot easier but DO NOT rely on them. Do not feel like you NEED them to be ‘dressed up’. Yes, your hair is good enough for red carpet. Your hair on its own is presentable enough for that interview. Your hair got you. Let it out and wear it with pride.

2 Know Your Faves This goes hand in hand with the first point. A great way to get more confident in your natural hair s knowing what styles work for you. And the only way to know what works for you is by practising and trying out different things. And the only way to do is wear your hair out more often. After a year or so being natural, I could tell that the twist out was my go to style. I could do it in my sleep and I had great results most times. There are so many ways to rock natural hair (long, medium or short). Find out what works for your face and rock it fabulously!

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Show Some TLC

Switch it Up As much as I love my favourite or go to styles, switching things up is always fun and much welcome. Not everyone can handle it but I do love adding a bit of colour every now and then to shake things up. Remember to fortify your haircare routine if you do opt for colour as hair bleach and other colourants can be unkind to our ends. It doesn’t always have to be colour. You can switch up your look by trying different styles such as threading, blow dry, braids, bantu knots or adding accessories. Natural hair is versatile and can be worn in limitless ways! Whatever you do, be mindful and do not put your hair’s health in jeopardy.

Show Some TLC – Healthy hair looks good! Show your hair some good old TLC. Tenderness, Love & Care. Be sure to show your hair ample love and nurture your coils. If your hair looks healthy, you’ll feel more comfortable wearing it out. I realised that there had been a time when my weaves or wigs got more love than my actual hair. I would think twice about colouring or straightening some expensive human hair I had bought because I spent so much on it. Yet I didn’t think twice about putting a hot iron to my hair! My hair is worth more than any Brazilian wavy bundle. My hair is priceless. I needed to show it as much love (if not more) as I did my weaves. If your hair is healthy, weaves and wigs will not be obligatory. They will be optional. That is the ultimate goal. To have the option to wear ANY hairstyle because you can. Because you have all options available. Being natural doesn’t mean tossing all your weaves in the bin. Actually, giving your hair a break and time to recuperate by playing with other hairstyles (wigs, weaves, braids) is part of the TLC process. One thing to remember though: MIND YOUR EDGES.

Be’You’Tiful

Essentially, remember that confidence stems from self-worth. Don’t judge other people for not being on the same hair journey as you. Everyone is their own on their journey. Be it relaxed, natural or wigging it out. No matter how we wear our hair, if we are don’t feel good inside, we won’t look good outside. Know that you are worthy. You are beautiful just like yourself and nobody else. If you keep that at the back of your mind, nothing will be able to break your stride. Not even a bad hair day!

Hope these tips have been useful. Remember to slay! If you have any questions about your journey, hair or style in general please feel free to send them through. Merry Christmas and have a fantastic New Year. Cheers to 2018!! Love, Lydia.

Lydia Epangue Warke Lifestyle & Fashion Blogger artbecomesyou@yahoo.com

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THE

ANONYMOUS FINGERS The trials of being a woman, especially in the entertainment industry.

Erm Erm... *clears throat* Make way for the fingers... Lol Let me make a dramatic entrance so I not only get your attention, but keep it. Welcome to my washing and grinding kitchen! I would’ve loved to add a little spice on this topic, but it’s so distasteful plus the spice might ruin its essence. I don’t know why I used the term “essence” when there’s nothing spicy to it. Oh lawd I’m talking too much!!! I am the Anonymous Fingers and I’ve got something to say. It is appalling the kind of things that gain attention these days on the media. In a society and an era where and when positivity should be taking the lead, we have managed to let negativity get the best of our generation with the most annoying part being “women suffer the most”. Breaking bottles, chairs and TV screens on people’s heads stopped happening long time ago! But there seem to have been a revival of such behavior starting from holy and unholy matrimonial settings, with the pain being afflicted on women. Why? That’s a question for the gods! The monsters practicing such acts dare to have reasons and even mumble some gibberish in the name of an explanation when asked why. We have women living in jungles and terrorists camps where some end up losing their lives in the name of a matrimonial home. A place that is supposed to be a safe haven for them. What hurts the most is how quick faces turn on this crisis when there is a new hashtag or a new trend, irrespective of what it glorifies. Who then pins a foot down for this course when the men who are supposed to protect us beat us, the society that is supposed to stand with us ignore us, and the media anticipates a new trend of another battered woman to make news. Who stands for and with us at all times?

ized leaves? It could’ve been your relative, your friend, your neighbor! Today, “some man beat ei woman kill am, tomorrow some boy slap some girl for their work place, some boy don burn ei girlfriend because ei see ei with another man “ are normal. What’s wrong with the world today??? Are we slowly coming to the point where we have to build an armed force for the protection of the “Woman”? Since all we seem to get is circulating pictures of celebrities demonstrating a battered woman and hashtags for lives lost and assault cases. Girl, you can curve a fist, throw a blow if poop should hit the fan. You have family, you are not an island. Talk to someone. Don’t stay quiet trying to protect something that is not worth the cover. Especially when a life is at stake. Let’s speak up and speak out until the focus CANNOT be shifted anymore. Women!!! Take over the power! It is a happily ever after and not a cage, so set the rules straight. You are a rose and not a punching bag, so know your worth. You were crafted special and made beautiful and not a lab rat so carry your head up high. It is called LOVE and not MISFORTUNE. Don’t let any man beat and drag you to a point where you lose your confidence, self worth and integrity when you have a voice. Never forget you are a QUEEN, wear your crown. It’s no news the Anonymous Fingers is a Woman!

Today on the news young girls are being assaulted daily in schools, at their work places, the streets, family homes,etc and the hungry horny blood sucking monsters walk away free and find the next victim. And we dare blame it on the girls? Miss me with the bullsh*t of the fact that she was at the wrong place at the wrong time, or she wasn’t dressed properly, she is a prostitute, she was rude, bla bla bla. Does any of the above mentioned things justify the act? How about the miscreants were high on unfertil-

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LIFE OF A RETURNEE “Here I am car-less, jobless, walking down the streets of Akwa doing I-Don’t-Know-What, jumping from taxi to taxi and rushing home early because the traffic at Rond Point or Ecole Publique were bloody. I almost lost my mind! To top it all off, the boy who left me for his ex-girlfriend wasn’t letting me be.”

- Eva Ndumbe

... So there I was at the airport, asking myself where I will sleep. I call two friends – let’s call them Ken and Barbie, and they are shocked I am in the country. They get to the airport, take me to a hotel and I sleep to clear my head and make decisions of how I am going to settle down. This is the part where I learn about housing in Douala. The different neighborhoods, different budgets depending on the area and how to choose a neighborhood to live in depending on how tolerant you can be in traffic and, of course, the possibility of getting a furnished apartment. I had weighed my options. I had two cousins who lived in Douala; one, Cousin A, was married and the other, Cousin B, to my assumption, lived in a one-bedroom apartment. I couldn’t squat with Cousin A because, well, she was married. So I called Cousin B and he was like, “I have a guest room, come through.” So I move out of the hotel to my cousin’s place. Let me tell you, getting to his apartment was a hassle. You get out the taxi on the main road, take a motorcycle “benskin” down a hill, through a valley and back up a hill to get there. Look, I couldn’t complain, he was helping me out so I had to deal with it. All the times I had to go out to “paint the town red” were dreadful. This is the other part where I learned about saving three to four taxi drivers’ names – Romeo Taxi, Christian Taxi, Serge Taxi and I even got close to some of them to the point where Romeo Taxi told me he is going back to college and stopped working as a taxi driver. Good for you, Romeo! Here I am car-less, jobless, walking down the streets of Akwa doing I-Don’t-Know-What, jumping from taxi to taxi and rushing home early because the traffic at Rond Point or Ecole Publique were bloody. I almost lost my mind! To top it all off, the boy who left me for his ex-girlfriend wasn’t letting me be. He kept making these really nice offers to me. “I will rent an apartment for you in town.” ‘Town’ was like Bonapriso, Akwa, etc “I will buy you a car.” “How can you live like this when I am around?.” etc etc (“Why were you still talking to him?” You’re asking right? Let me tell you this… wait for the topic on dating in Douala lol ) These offers were tempting, I wouldn’t lie, however I was done with him and didn’t need anything from him. So I continued taking “bikes” and calling my taxis until one day my friend, let’s call him Dan, told me, “Hey why don’t you move in with me?” I was like “hell yeah!” Now the interesting thing is we were four, 2 boys and 2 girls, in a three-bedroom apartment and I didn’t mind sleeping on the couch. That house was LIT!! It was nicknamed “Big Brother House” for a reason. House parties, game nights, chilling-for-no-reason nights. All of our friends spent their time at the house because something interesting was always happening. As much as we loved each other, we did have fights and that’s the part I learned about having housemates in Douala and how different it is from America. A lot of patience is needed. However, at the end of the day we did have fun and learned a lot from each other. End of that year, we separated and moved into our own apartments. That’s how I started meeting different men and I found out that dating in Douala is hell on earth. Like this one time, I went on a date and the guy walked out when the waitress brought the bill.

Eva Ndumbe Co-founder of Kreef Entertainment

Sony Music Entertainment CIV Representative Cameroon OAP Sweet FM 88.7 endumbe@gmail.com

To be continued…

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f o n a m o W y n i t s e D SOPHY AIIDA

, 30, is a French/American and Cameroonian woman born in Paris who is living between Paris, New York City and Douala. Sophy is an Actress, TV host, Content Creator,Producer and above all, Humanitarian. From an early age Sophyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passion for the arts and an innate love for performing stirred her towards the film and television industries. She is a multi-talented artist with an inborn passion for design, music and fashion. At the age of two Sophyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boundless energy and curiosity led her to take acting classes, where it was clear that she was a natural performer. Inspired by her early experiences, she fell in love with the stage and was determined to establish a career as an international actress..

n 2008, she moved to New York City to fulfill her dream of becoming an artist. Full of ambition, it wasn’t long before she gained recognition, branching into a new field, hosting! Her charisma and talent enabled her to quickly build a career as a radio and TV host, often appearing on shows in the United States, Europe and Africa. From 2008 to 2009 she hosted several radio and TV programs in New York City. These first professional experiences marked the beginning of a series of requests to present and co-host events and ceremonies, which included events during the Football World Cup in South Africa in 2010, the Afrotainment Museke Awards in 2011 and the Green Room at the 2012 Nigerian Entertainment Awards. On December 30th 2012, Sophy also co- hosted the Kora Awards ceremony (Africa’s version of the Grammys) in Abidjan alongside major African figures in the entertainment industry; Yves Zogbo Junior and Robert Brazza. The televised event was broadcast across Africa and marked the emergence of an exciting, young presenter who can clearly be defined as the new face of the African youth! In 2014 Sophy became a brand ambassador for MTN Cameroon and hosted several TV shows including MTN Petit Goal (a football-centered reality TV show), Y’ello Time (a TV show on new technologies) and a few other MTN spots. In 2017 she became the host of the very first edition of reality TV show “Cameroon Top Model”. Sophy just recently shared the stage with international superstar Akon co-hosting the 2017 Afrima Awards in Lagos, Nigeria broadcasted across the African continent. She also ended the 2017 year as the co-host of the 5th African Union / European Union Summit “Presidential dinner gala” on November 29th, 2017 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire infront of 40 Heads of State from across Europe and Africa.

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SMM: Thank you so much Sophy for accepting to be the cover girl for this issue. You’re such an inspiration! In your own words, who is Sophy Aiida? SOPHY AIIDA: I’m honored to have been chosen, thank you for having me. Sophy Aiida is simply an African girl with big dreams and a great destiny. I’m an actress, a TV host, a content creator and a producer amongst many other things. SMM: How did you start in this journey & how would you describe your journey/career? SOPHY AIIDA: I started acting when I was 2 years old because I was a very talkative toddler. From the first time I got on stage, I knew that it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. From then on, I pursued theater for a while growing up. When I got to my college years, I started dabbing into radio, producing, directing and eventually TV hosting. It was at that moment that I knew that the camera and I were going to be best of friends. I worked on many projects since then and as of today I think that the word that best describes my journey is PERSEVERANCE. It hasn’t been easy and I almost gave up a few times but thank God every time I fell, I got right back up. SMM: Awww. So what’s one special thing you’ve learned in your career/journey? SOPHY AIIDA: What I learned is that my gifts and talents don’t belong to me so they’re not to be taken for granted. When God gives them to us, we better use it wisely, otherwise He will take it back and give it to someone else but we wouldn’t want that would we? :) SMM: No we wouldn’t :) How do you handle your event organization business, CIRCA 237, and your hosting/acting gigs? It can be very stressful! SOPHY AIIDA: I’m actually blessed to be able to focus on one thing at the time now, and at the moment it’s my hosting/acting career. SMM: Okay. It looks like you moved to France. Why did you move to France when you had a TV show on STV?

SOPHY AIIDA: I’m actually a citizen of the world so I’m not based in one particular place for now. If there’s a work opportunity in a specific city I’ll go do my job and move on to the next project. But let’s say that the time I’ve been spending in Paris has been amazing and has opened new horizons for me. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. SMM: Yeah, Paris is a great city! In 2016 you were featured on Inspire Afrika. Pretty big deal. So tell us, how did you feel about it? SOPHY AIIDA: It’s always a great feeling when you’re recognized for your work and contribution to society so I felt honored but I also felt prompt to do more. Following that I went back to the drawing board. I needed a better plan and to God be the glory I think it’s safe to say that I’m doing more :)

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Woman of Destiny is who I am but it’s also who every single woman on this planet is but sometimes fail to realize it.

SMM: Yes you are! Sophy, since you’re an inspiration to many young women out here; and Bonang Matheba being a huge name in the African entertainment scene, does she inspire you? What did you learn from her?

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SOPHY AIIDA: I’ll tell you a funny story on the power of “Faith”. Early 2017 while I was working on my vision board for the year, I wrote down that I wanted to interview Bonang Matheba as a personal milestone in my career. I held on to that desire without really knowing how it would happen as she’s in South Africa and I am in France. Little did I know God had a plan and in October 2017, I found myself moderating her book launch and meet and greet in Paris. I didn’t even have to spend money on a plane ticket :) All of this to say that when you have a dream or a vision do not ever give up, and yes indeed Bonang is an inspiration to me because her career speaks volume as she keeps thriving to be the best at what she does. One of the greatest lessons I learned from her is to “invest in my sparkle”. SMM: Aww. Thank you for sharing the story with us. Please tell us more about “Meet Up With Sophy Aida”. SOPHY AIIDA: “Meet Up with Sophy Aiida” is an interactive interview show, in partnership between my production company “Aiida Studios” and the magazine “Inspire Afrika” where I interview different movers and shakers from Africa and its diaspora infront of their biggest fans. The show started airing the last week of December 2017 with Fally Ipupa as the first guest. You can watch it on the Sophy Aiida and Inspire Afrika’s YouTube channels. SMM: We noticed you always use the

hashtag, #WomanOfDestiny, why? SOPHY AIIDA: “Woman of Destiny” is who I am but it’s also who every single woman on this planet is but sometimes fail to realize it. I started a platform by the same name where I encourage young women to get into their destiny. SMM: It’s such a good idea. Thumbs up to you for that. You hosted AFRIMA 2017 with Akon in Lagos and the 5th Annual African Union / European Union Summit in Abidjan recently with 40 Presidents from Europe and Africa present, tell

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it’s only a matter of time before the world starts to recognize your gifts and talents. us more about that please. That’s huge! SOPHY AIIDA: I’m blessed to have had such beautiful experiences. Like I said earlier, I was prompted to do more and that led to a change in my way of thinking. I started realizing that indeed I had a destiny and that mediocrity was no longer supposed to be my portion. From that point on, I had a shift

in my way of thinking and lifestyle which attracted bigger opportunities. For each of these opportunities, I did what I know how to do best and that’s killing the stage :) Working with Akon was a great experience, he truly took my hand through it all and behaved like a big brother. I’m forever grateful to have learned from him. As for the AU/EU Summit, I shared the stage with one of the kings of the microphone in Côte d’Ivoire, Yves Zogbo Junior who has been a mentor in the industry since we hosted the Kora Awards in 2012. It felt quite surreal and nerve wracking to stand in front of all those Heads of State but thank God I did my job very well and managed to impress them.

SMM: We also saw you met with our First Lady Chantal Biya, how was that experience, what’s she like? SOPHY AIIDA: To be honest she has always been someone I have wanted to meet but I never thought it would happen so quickly and in that way. She was so caring and loving towards me, she really had that motherly vibe about her. She spoke many kind words over my life, I truly felt blessed to have met her. SMM: Aww. I feel like talking to you all day. You’re truly what young Cameroonian women need to look up to. Do you have any advice for young women who want to follow in your footsteps? SOPHY AIIDA: :) What I can say to a young woman with a dream is this : Babygirl, put that dream in God’s hands, believe in it with all your might, have a plan, work your butt off and PERSEVERE because it’s only a matter of time before the world starts to recognize your gifts and talents. SMM: Thank you so much Sophy. We truly appreciate having you. We know at least one young woman will read your story here and be inspired to follow their dreams. SOPHY AIIDA: You’re very welcome. My pleasure. To learn more about Sophy Aiida, visit her website: www.sophyaiida.com facebook.com/sophyaiida instagram.com/sophyaiida youtube.com/sophyaiida twitter.com/sophyaiida soundcloud.com/sophyaiida snapchat.com/sophyaiida

SAMAJESTE MAGAZINE

FOCUS o

c n a l B l l i a B

Photo

che ly

The FOCUS ON column is to highlight any Cameroonian (artist, actor, entrepreneur,etc) who never relented their efforts no matter what , and is at the prime of their career making the country proud! Our pick for this issue is none other than the very sexy, talented and hardworking Blanche Bailly! Bailly Larinette Tatah aka Blanche Bailly is a Cameroonian Afropop singer who was born on August 8 in the early 90s and hails from Bagangté (a community in the West Region of Cameroon). Blanche attended Sacred Heart primary school in Kumba (SouthWest Region of Cameroon) before relocating to France at the age of twelve where she obtained her Ordinary and Advanced Level certificates. Blanche developed a passion for music at a tender age making it a habit to always write songs . She was part of her

by STUDIO 89’

school singing group and the church choir where she nursed her vocals and performance skills towards her future musical pursuit. The year 2015 marked Blanche’s official entry into the music scene where she debuted as a singer / songwriter with her single entitled “Killa”, a song produced by Ayo Beatz , a London based producer. Later same year, she collaborated on the track “Bruce Lee” with Julz , Rawf K and Ama Fru who are all Cameoonian artists based in Europe. In August 2016, Blanche released a video cover of Locko’s “Sawa Romance” and immediately earned a lot of recognition from fans, music execs and artists because of her unique style, voice and charm. Blanche is particularly passionate about female empowerment and self esteem which also happen to be the themes of her songs especially “Kam We Stay” and “Mimbayeur”. She wishes to use her music to shed a light on issues concerning women that are not fully addressed. Blanche Bailly being undoubtedly the sexiest and most daring Cameroonian female artist ever, her fanbase is so huge and mainly males lol. We figured her fans would want to know some few random things about her. SAMAJESTE MAGAZINE

... SMM: Hello Ms. Blanche. Thank you for accepting to be part of the second issue of Sa Majesté Magazine. We are honored! What’s Blanche’s favorite color? BLANCHE BAILLY: Hello. I am very pleased, and thank you it’s my pleasure. My favorite color is white. Apparently it’s not a color but I’m just in love with white. SMM: What is a talent your fans don’t know you have? BLANCHE BAILLY: Ummm... I don’t know about any hidden talent. Wait! I’m a good actress but I guess that’s not really a hidden talent because it goes with the music you know. SMM: Yes, true. So what’s your favorite Cameroonian food? BLANCHE BAILLY: Favorite Cameroonian dish is Poulet DG. Funny but i love plantain chips and chicken . A mixture of both in a meal is obviously a foodgasm! hehe SMM: Poulet DJ is actually good food! Describe to us your dream man. BLANCHE BAILLY: I do not have a dream man. Because I believe an ideal man does not exist. I wish for a man I’m contented with . He just gotta be sufficient enough for me so I don’t look elsewhere lol SMM: Haha okay! So if you have to do a collabo with your favorite old school Cameroonian artist, who will it be and why? BLANCHE BAILLY: Grace Decca and Longue Longue. Lol. I don’t know why everytime Longue Longue’s name is mentioned it comes out as a joke but I have so much respect for these two artists. Grace Decca’s voice is blended with effortless charisma while Longue Longue’s powerful 24

vocals is blended with touching texts . These two people are definitely the ones I’d love to collabo with. SMM: Yeah, Grace Decca is everything! What’s your go-to snack? BLANCHE BAILLY: Plantain chips all day, everyday! I never get tired. The unriped ones to be precised lol. That’s my lifetime guilty pleasure! SMM: Awww okay. So what’s one thing Blanche Bailly must have before a performance? BLANCHE BAILLY: Water!!! I wanna be hydrated enough before I mount any stage. Whether big or small. I always have some water! SMM: What’s your favorite city to visit in the world (outside Cameroon) and why? BLANCHE BAILLY: I haven’t toured the world yet in order to figure it out lol. Rendezvous in a couple of years. SMM: What’s one emotion you want people to feel when they listen to your songs? BLANCHE BAILLY: Well I always want people to relate to all my songs. I want them to feel like I am telling their stories, like they are living vicariously through me. Feel me? SMM: Oh yes I do. What’s your favorite daily wear attire? BLANCHE BAILLY: Leggings. They are very comfy, easy to wear and good to go. With them I don’t need a belt (i hate belts lol). And they embrace my curves at the right places too. SMM: What’s your bad quality? BLANCHE BAILLY: Question of life lol Weh! Well I think I’m very loud . That’s something I hate about myself but hey, I can’t help it. SMM: Any favorite song of the moment?

(Not Cameroonian.) BLANCHE BAILLY: “Based on logistics” by Efe . Hahaha. That song motivates me mehn. “I must to makam mehn” “My mama must chop money “ Chaiiii hustle on 101 lol SMM: Haha! If you could be any animal in the world, what would you be and why? BLANCHE BAILLY: I seriously have no idea because I’m not into animals . My bad. Abeg let me stay human lol SMM: lol okay. So what do you do on your free time? BLANCHE BAILLY: Sleep. Sleep. Sleep! I don’t joke with my rest. SMM: Any sweet note to your fans? Especially the guys lol (they all crush on Blanche Bailly!) BLANCHE BAILLY: As a booking artist (yes I tokam. I’m in my house come and beat me lol)Because there is a difference between an artist and a booking artist! As I earlier said; as a booking artist , you can get very busy and a good rest is vital. You don’t wanna be stuck with accumulated fatigue, and end up breaking down. First of all, a massive shout out to every supporter and lover of Blanche Bailly. Y’all are priceless and I’m very blessed, honored, flattered, I continue? Lol. To have you all since I embarked on this journey and never forget, NO to ‘Kam We Stay” and obviously “Njumba Nobe Married” lol Love you all. Muah! SMM: Awwww thank you Blanche! We appreciate a lot.

much

BLANCHE BAILLY: My pleasure, and thank you too. You can check out more about Blanche Bailly on her website www.blanchebailly.com SAMAJESTE MAGAZINE

NEW YEAR NEW YOU? ARE YOU READY? It’s that time of the year again, time to list all our new year resolutions for 2018. Studies have shown that one of the most common resolutions people take is « to get healthy » whether it is to lose weight, be more active, quit smoking/alcohol. For fitness goals, many people sign up at a gym or for program at the beginning of the year and before valentine’s day, they have abandonned it. Whatever your fitness goals are, if you follow these simple tips, you’ll be able to achieve them. Are you mentally ready ? Analyse your current state of mind. Many people gain weight after a stressful experience where they found comfort in food. In order to move forward, you have to examine your mental readiness. Once you have determined that your are mentally ready, check with your doctor if you are able to start a fitness journey and ask yourself what is your motivation ? Analyse your current environment Your environment speaks for yourself and how well you are going to smash your goals. If you organised parties during the festive period at your 26

place, you are likely to have some leftovers. Get rid of leftovers progressively by planning your meals in small portions or inviting your friends or family over again. Set realistic goals Trying to lose 10kgs in a week is not realistic. And it becomes more so if you have been eating a lot more during the end of the year festivities. Studies say that losing 0.5 kg to 1kg per week is a very good pace. It gives time to your body to adapt to your new lifestyle. Deciding to be in the gym 7 days a week for a beginner could be exhausting especially if you are overweight or have never worked out

or have stopped working out a long time ago. Select 2 to 3 days for a start and make sure you respect that engagement.

workout in. Your workouts don’t have to be hours long ; just 30 minutes of your best will be enough for a start. You can later build up on that.

Create a plan

Act your plan

Plan your meals, plan your workouts If you want to lose weight, know that this will only happen if you change your eating habits. Plan your meals in advance. Look for healthy ways to prepare your meals. You can look into meal prep and if it’s your first time, go for 2/3 days of meals prep. In a weightloss journey, training is optional. However, training is important if you want to

Many people say « I want to lose weight « I am resuming working out tomorrow » and when it’s time to act, they come up with many excuses such as « I didn’t feel like working out ». Remember your goals don’t care how you feel and excuses don’t get results. Get some help/support If you don’t know how and where to start, do some research and/or get some professional help if you can afford to. If not, there are thousands of free videos online that can help you start your fitness journey. Don’t forget to be accountable whetther by keeping a journal of your journey, recording what you eat and your workout performance or by having a friend to workout with you.

Nobody gets it right the first time. Dont be afraid to get up where you slipped and keep moving.

shape your body. If you have decided to workout, answer these questions : when will you exercise ? at home or in a gym ? what type of exercise do you like ? like said previously, identify 2 to 3 days and the times that are convenient for you and make sure you get your

Take your time They say « never miss a Monday » however keep in mind that everyday is a new day ; therefore, everyday, you have the opportunity to start all over again. If you decide to workout on tuesday, thursday and Saturday, make sure you do your best to exercise on those days and if an emergency arises and stop you from working out, go for the workout the next day.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE WORKOUT STYLE? SAMAJESTE MAGAZINE

Final words Take it easy on yourself. Do not get frustrated if you slip up every now and then or if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see great results at the beginning. Nobody gets it right the first time. Dont be afraid to get up where you slipped and keep moving. Remember it is the sum of small changes that what will become your new habits. Those new habits are definitely to impact positively on your life. And small progress is still progress. Good luck with your 2018 fitness goals ! Follow me on my social media Facebook / Instagram / Youtube : Fit Your Way by MelD

Ease yourself in your new lifestyle 28

This column is about any Cameroonian upcoming model, artist, actor, producer, video director etc. Anyone in the entertainment industry we notice the world should watch out for and definitely needs more exposure. In this issueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Upcomer, we decided to showcase Sama A. Tanya. Know the name? Probably not, but remember this name. Trust us!

R E M O C SAMAJESTE MAGAZINE

Photos by Studio 89’

SAMA ASONGTIA TANYA or “Mr. Calée” as most people call him now, is a digital marketer, founder of bequadi. com, model, and fashion lover. His love for fashion and modelling dates back to when he was a kid. He always had this admiration for men who dressed elegantly well and embodied so much class. Sama even got nicknamed “Stylist” by his classmates in the university. He also gives credits to his Mom, who he says is one hell of a fashionista. While in college (Form Four), Sama developed this love for fitness which was inspired by a senior schoolmate called Chi Ngalla. He told us he always watched how he routinely did crunches, sit ups, pull ups and so many other fitness exercises. Chi always got all the girls in school. So in order to attract more girls too, Sama decided to get that awesome body and define his packs too. {He laughed} People always told Sama he’ll make a good model because of his dark skin tone, sculpted cheekbones and a great body but he never ventured into it until recently when he worked with Cameroonian fashion designers like Louis Fame,

Amah Bertrand and Visco Ngenge. What actually put Sama in the spotlight was the role he played in Daphne’s hit song “Calee”. He was Daphne’s love interest in the video. Daphne allegedly spotted him on the set of “Madame Tout Le Monde” video shoot by Rythmz featuring Mr.Leo and told him she wanted someone with his body features and looks on her next video. Several months later, “Calee” was shot. When we asked him what his dreams were, Sama said he always dreamt of working with brands like Calvin Klein, Puma, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Mai Atafo, and so many others. He added, and we quote: “I’ve also wanted to work with other brands like Guinness, CIROC, Veuve Cliquot etc. It might take time but I know I have God!” His modeling and fashion career is just starting and there’s so much he still has up his sleeves. The fashion industry is a vast world, which is still finding its feet in Cameroon. From brand influencing to creating his own shoe line, there’s just a lot Sama wants to do. Also, as a content marketer, he holds a strong conviction that marketing is not just about the products we sell, but also the story we tell. That’s why he plans on expanding his digital marketing brand into advertising. When we asked Sama what he wants the world to know about him he said; “I am art and an avid lover of art. My heart thrives and lives for creativity.”

You can check more about Sama Tanya’s content marketing brand on www.bequadi.com Follow him on Instagram: @black_samatanya

Throwing some clothes on for any occasion and calling it a day is too easy. Making an impression however, would require a little more effort and attention to details. Here are a few grooming tips I have for you for different occasions: 1. DATE/RENDEZ-VOUS You are having a date with the lady of your dreams or simply with someone of interest. Everything would clearly revolve around emotions so tapping on emotions would take you a long way. Colors are everything. If you already know what your significant other’s favorite color is, I suggest you wear something with that color. No need to wear a full suit with that color; it could be something as little as a lapel pin, pocket square or shirt, which would catch her attention at first glance. Your outfit should depend on the venue - a dinner at a fancy restaurant would require a classic black two piece suit with black shoes and white shirt. Accessorizing your outfit will add an accent to it and prevent your outfit from being “boring”. A black two piece suit can be accessorized with a gold feather lapel pin, a white ironed pocket square and your white shirt left unbuttoned at the top, (first two or three buttons depending on how the shirt is tailored). A pair of Chelsea boots would be great with this outfit when the weather allows it, and some simple black dress shoes is a good alternative. PS: Brown shoes with a classic black and white look is a DON’T.

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2. WORK/CORPORATE: You are prepping for a meeting or youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just about to have another day at work. A well tailored navy blue suit with a pink button-up shirt and knitted red tie would do it for you. Having those colors show your attention to details since they all coordinate, will definitely brighten up the room. A pair of brown double monk strap shoes with a silver or gold tie clip and a red and white or red and blue polka dot pocket square is a great addition to your outfit. Your shoes could be worn either with some loafer foot cover ankle socks (Low cut footies), or some awesome funky socks with fun patterns (blue and white, red and white, etc).

3. NIGHTLIFE: Your clubbing/nightlife outfit depends on your agenda. Plan on dancing your life away? No problem. Some white denim with tan loafers, shoes or boots would go well with your white or blue top (dress shirt, crew neck or v-neck). You can accessorize your outfit with some wooden bracelets or necklace. You can also go for a more sporty look like a blue denim with white adidas sneakers, and a white and blue polka dot button up shirt with a tan fedora hat or with snap back cap.

Harry Ondoa Menswear Stylist info@thessentialist.com SAMAJESTE MAGAZINE

T O H S T O P S

TWIS Moly esta Buea b

ST is a rooftop hookah lounge based in yko, Buea. Its reputation has long been ablished as the only place to chill at in between the hours of 7pm to midnight.

SAMAJESTE MAGAZINE

TWIST is great for a coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s date night or a chill night for a group of friends.

Either way, with TWIST you are guaranteed a great night out!

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