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A LETTER FROM NIK BARNES
FROM THE EDITOR’s DESK
In our first issue of 2018 we feature Travolta Cooper in ‘Where in The World is Wally?’ Travolta is accompanied by his cast members Renel Brown, Leah Eneas, Timico Sawyer and speaks about the upcoming digital bahamian folklore series debuting in October 2018. After making a pitch to the Cannes Festival in May 2018, Travolta received enough money to go to full series (21 episodes). Cooper who is usually behind the scenes as producer, took on a role in front of the camera to bring to life a story passed down through generations in Bimini and directly to him by his grandmother. A special thank yo to all our sponsors, contributors and hard working staff at Stylezine Magazine. Join us as we continue to explore, experiment and inspire. The Dream lives on.
Nik Barnes Editor-In-Chief editor@stylezinemagazine.com www.twitter.com/stylezinemag
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WHAT’SINSIDE CLICK A THUMBNAIL TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE STORY.
ON THE COVER
IN THIS ISSUE This Bahamian Gyal Artist to Watch Le Modele The Runway Feature Story: Where in the World is Wally?
CONTRIBUTORS Editor-In-Chief Nik Barnes Creative Director Scharad Lightbourne Staff Writers Celeste Smith Sherron Young Travis Edgecombe Photographers Scharad Lightbourne Leo Creary Photography
STYLEZINE MAGAZINE © 2018. All rights reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of the owners. For more information, please contact us. No part of STYLEZINE may be produced in any form by any means without prior written consent. For permissions requests, please call 242.525.9751. For reproduction on articles, please contact Nikolas Barnes at at stylezinemag@gmail.com.
#WWWALLY Photographer: Scharad Lightbourne MUA: Regina McCook Styling: Latrell Strachan Male Wardrobe: Fine Threads Female Wardrobe: David Rolle of RAPHELITIA
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Sales Team Jaquay Adderley The Barnes Group of Companies Unicorn Club Worldwide
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KIS BESPOKE a custom suiting experience by appointment only 242-815-0304 Instagram: @kisbespoke
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THIS
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ifestyle blogger, columnist, radio/TV personality and pop culture junkie, Rogan Smith is all about being a Bahamian gyal. But, not just any gyal – This Bahamian Gyal. The creator of this colorful blog highlights life in The Bahamas, showcases her creativity and gets a little ratchet when she’s ready. The longtime journalist, who traded the news for creative writing, says it took a while for her to come up with the right name for her blog. “When I first decided that I wanted to start blogging I mulled over a name for months. I am ridiculously anal and have a tendency to overthink things. I went with “The Bohemian Bahamian” at first. I have a lot of bohemian tendencies and thought it would be perfect. But, it sounded pretentious and I got anxious about the expectations that would be placed upon me. There’s nothing pretentious about my personality, so I scrapped that,” says Rogan.
hottest daytime talk shows on TV – the Wendy Williams Show. The goal was to watch the daytime diva serve tea from her purple chair. But, she ended up doing much more. My experience on The Wendy Williams show was out of this world. I blogged about it on This Bahamian Gyal. You’ll find it under the “I Did That” section. Wendy is my aunt in my head. I don’t always agree with her, but I respect her hustle. So, to appear on such a hugely popular show like that, especially as her “cohost” was mind blowing,” she said. “I also respect great productions, so it was fantastic watching the show behind the scenes. Not only did I appear in the front row of the show, but I got to play a game with Wendy and talk to her during the breaks. That was an incredible experience.” “A year later, I was in California on the Steve Harvey show. I got a chance to play a game with Steve and spent six hours with him during the production. Steve is one of my icons, so that was a blessing and he is so funny in person. Even though I lost the game, he let me keep the money. Very generous. I hope I get to work with these talented people some day in some form. God has blessed me with these opportunities for a reason and I don’t take them for granted.”
“While bouncing ideas off of my niece, I told her that I’m just a regular Bahamian gyal. So, I said, ‘well, what do you think about This Bahamian Gyal?’ She loved it! Her reaction was so over the top that I just knew that was the right name. I started envisioning people saying, ‘hey, you see what This Bahamian Gyal wrote?’ It just stuck and I Rogan is living life to the fullest and says her faith has love it. played a major role in that.
Rogan describes her blog as “creative jambalaya” – a place “I honestly love that I am growing closer to God. I am a people can go to laugh, get advice and relate. She says it’s believer and I see how God has opened up so many doors her favorite place on the web. of opportunity for me. Sometimes I get out of line, but just like a great parent, He gets me back where I need to “It’s such a fun place. I think most people are creative be. I see his hands all over my life,” she said. beings. We’re not just any one thing and this is why I think my blog resonates with audiences. Here, you’ll “I also love that I am delving into new areas, doing things find funny stories that poke fun at the Bahamian way that scare the crap out of me, but that I know will help me of life, inspirational stories, stories about relationships, in the end. I’m very optimistic about the future and will discussions about God, etc. There’s even a Reality continue to work hard. I want the name, Rogan Smith to Rundown section. I love my ratchet reality shows. So, mean something great to future generations. I’m simply after every episode you will get to read my take on it and laying the foundation. I don’t hold back.”
To read more about this amazing blog, log on to www. Rogan’s love of pop culture landed her on one of the thisbahamiangyal.com and subscribe. STYLEZINE MAGAZINE
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“I honestly love that I am growing closer to God. I am a believer and I see how God has opened up so many doors of opportunity for me. “
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Gaet ane Va lembr un
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or
Who what greatest
is your inspiration? My greatest inspiration is to be a Filmwriter. I want to inspire others with my stories. I believe everyone has the ability to change the world through their talents and individualities. Turn on’s: Happy + Positive People who inspires others. S TAT S Horoscope: Libra Age: 26 Citizenship: US Measurements: 34-26-37 Current Location: NewYork, NY Stars that you are most compared to: Kelly Rowland
Turn off ’s: Dishonest and callous individuals What are you listening to right now? Erykah Badu “Back in the Day.” If we were to raid your room right now what would we find? A lot of Artsy stuff. From monologues books, Tap Shoes, screenplays and tons of romance books.
What is your biggest fear? My biggest fear is trusting. I have a huge heart and times people do take advantage of kind individuals. I’m slowly learning to not let that affect the Inner beauty God has given me. Finish this sentence…what really makes me smile is…God. Any time i’m having a bad day or dealing with Life challenges, God always pulls me through it. I learned to trust in him.
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G a et ane Va lembr u n
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THE RUNWAY
l a m i n A tyle S Animal print has been an ongoing trend for years and this year the Animal print trend is even bigger and better with the introduction of TIGER PRINT. And really who doesnt love animal print? This seasons advice is the more eye catching the outfit, the better statement you will make on your personal Runway.
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STYLING | LATRELL STRACHAN WORDS | TRAVIS SWEETING
IMAGES | SCHARAD LIGHTBOURNE
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Travolta WRITER. DIRECTOR. ACTOR.
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. world is.. e h t in e r whe
In the world of Bahamian Film, Over the last ten years there has emerged filmmakers such as; Maria Govan, Kareem Mortimer, Lavado Stubbs, and there’s filmmaker Travolta Cooper also known as “Trav” or ‘Volty”. Travolta was born in Grand Bahama and later moved to Bimini where he was raised in a two parent home with his mother and grandmother. “When I was three or four years old in my
I use to create skits with my cousins. The first film I remember watching was Star Wars “The Return of The Jedi” and I would create mock scenes from the movie and eventually that evolved into acting. grandmother’s yard, I use to create skits with my cousins. The first film I remember watching was Star Wars “The Return of The Jedi” and I would create mock scenes from the movie and eventually that evolved into acting.” As he got older, he became musically inclined
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that inspired him to write. His passion for production grew stronger as he attended film school. All of the tools Travolta needed to become a successful filmmaker became a reality as time progressed. Shortly after film school,
You may think Travolta has done it all but truth be told he’s just getting started. At the moment, Travolta is currently producing his first narrative digital series “Where in the World is Wally”. he had the opportunity to get his feet wet by working on reality TV shows such as; “Hogan Knows Best”, “8th and Ocean” and “Miami Ink” as Production Assistant and Coordinator. He later returned home where he produced and wrote short and long documentaries such as; “The Black Moses” and “Founding Fathers: Sir Stafford Sands” that received rave reviews both local and international. You may think Travolta has done it all but truth be told he’s just getting started. At the moment, Travolta is currently producing his first narrative digital series “Where in the World is Wally”. “Wally is the story about a Bahamian man who opens his eyes in another part of the world with no idea, memory or receipts as to how he got there. It is an Instagram series and it is a global series.
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Timico Sawyer as Sam Jones I love what you do, you are very creative and relatable, I like how it’s so Bahamian and funny at the same time. These are the things I hear that keeps me motivated and driven to prove myself and all the naysayers wrong. The world will know about The Bahamas and everything we have to offer.
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#WWWALLY
Leah Eneas as Lisa Rolle
My most challenging character is one I have yet to play. While I have been greatly privileged with the many acting jobs I have gotten, I have not been given the opportunity to use my dramatic range as much as I would like yet.
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Wally is special! My grandmother was a master story teller that influenced my way of sharing various points of views through my documentaries. In another life she would have been a filmmaker.” He also enjoyed the many power outages on the island of Bimini especially at night time because he knew while the other kids were upset and wanted to watch television; he knew that was story time. “My grandmother would say “Come out! Come out and play! Where in the World is Wally today?” The All-star Bahamian
The All-star Bahamian cast includes; Renel Brown, Leah Eneas, and Timico Sawyer also known as “Sawyer Boy” and the lead character “Wally” played by Travolta. cast includes; Renel Brown as the lead character, Leah Eneas, Timico Sawyer (Sawyer Boy) and Travolta as the title character.
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Travolta Cooper as Wally Cooper
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“I am currently producing “Mr. Purpose” and that’s taking me to six continents. In my humble opinion, we have not produced a Bahamian around the world that’s more famous than Dr. Myles Munroe. This man had charisma that impacted the world and we’re going to prove it on film.” American Film Directors, Producers and Actor Spike Lee and Barry Jenkins, has had major influences on Travolta. “I grew up in the 80’s and Spike Lee was the first person of color that I saw in filmmaking that represented a black man behind the camera telling stories and making films was massive! Barry is a filmmaker’s filmmaker. If you are a film nerd, it’s impossible to not be influenced by him or love him.” Besides his new series, he is also working on a new documentary that highlights the Late Dr. Myles Munroe. “I am currently producing “Mr. Purpose” and that’s taking me to six continents. In my humble opinion, we have not produced a Bahamian around the world S TSYTLYELZEIZNI EN EM M A AGGAAZZ II NN EE
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Renel Brown as Atlantis Jones Since the release of “Rain”, acting and filmmaking has changed my life tremendously. It gave me hope that I never had. It caused my faith to grow. I began to believe in myself. It allowed me to see that I am special.
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that’s more famous than Dr. Myles Munroe. This man had charisma that impacted the world and we’re going to prove it on film.” In 2017, the film industry generated over five million dollars in revenue from 247 film and TV-related projects and is still growing. Films produced here in The Bahamas has an economic value that can provide employment and new revenue opportunities. From an island boy to a world renowned filmmaker, Travolta’s passion for film and production exudes excellence and has made room for future filmmakers in The Bahamas.
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orld is... w e h t in where
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WATCH THE VIDEO
ULTIMATE EARS MEGABOOM 3
SOURCE: iClarified.com
Here’s what we think are the next hot gadgets on the market. This will satisfy any tech’s tastes buds and keep you “in” on what’s hip.
So Ultimate Ears (UE) just annouced their new portable speaker, the MEGABOOM 3 and I we have to say that we are very excited about this product launch. Being owners of the Mega 2, we love its portability, connectivity and its ability to sync with its family member speakers. Another plus with this speaker is that they are completely dust and waterproof (IP 67 rating) so no pool, ocean, nature trail or thunderstorm can kill this speaker’s vibe. They come in a ton of colours, and with the revised design they look even better in any home. Now at $199.99, The price point isnt that bad either. For the audio quality, build and features of this speaker, its definately a good purchase. Go on! Live a little. Buy a few and connect them with UE’s PartyUp feature which balances the audio over multiple speakers at once!
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>ARTISTWATCH L E O
“I see myself
maximizing my ambitions to be an entrepreneur, entertainer, cultural ambassador and youth mentor.
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“NEW BEGINNINGS” BY: TRAVIS EDGECOMBE
As time progresses, Bahamian music in The Bahamas continues to evolve. New Artist “Leo” also known as Leoneisha Johnson continues with that trend with her premiere single “Das Why I Single” produced by Sammi Star and written by herself and sister, Lakishna Johnson. This feel good jam displays elements of “Goombay” and “Junkanoo” that expresses relative issues single women face on a regular basis. “I wanted my first single to tell a story, be relatable and a banger all in one.” Leo is a musician and entertainer who is passionate about the arts. Her musical influences are leading female Bahamian artists such as; Emily Williams (formally known as “Sweet Emily”), Lady E and Wendi. She is a former member of the National Youth Choir and currently a soprano in The University of The Bahamas Concert Choir. She is also a Graduate of The University of The Bahamas with an Associate’s of Arts degree in Music and now continuing her education to obtain her Bachelor’s degree. “Since I was a child, I always knew that my purpose in life involved music. In 5 years, I see myself maximizing my ambitions to be an entrepreneur, entertainer, cultural ambassador and youth mentor.” Leo is well on her way of becoming a prominent name in the music industry in The Bahamas and owes many thanks to the people who are most important in her life. “My family and friends have been my biggest support especially my parents. I am grateful for the many sacrifices they have made to get me where I am today.” “Das Why I’m Single” will be released on all digital platforms in September but will premiere on all radio airwaves August 28th, 2018. here are a lot of talented artists in The Bahamas, notice I said The Bahamas, because I’ve spent some time in Freeport and there are a lot of talented artists in Freeport as well. I feel when it comes to saying what the hip-hop scene is like, I can say for sure it’s not a family, because everybody is going hard to try and be king, but to me it’s futile, because…king of what? There is nothing there to be king of, in terms of being a rapper or top rapper. You could have that title, then what? What does it really mean? There is no industry there, yeah you’ll drop a hot song like I did and do shows but that’s it. It’s no opportunities, it’s not like certain companies would reach out to you because they like singers, they don’t do rappers. In the states or even
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