She’s an absolute beauty. Fondly known to her friends as Bami, Bamidele Malaika is certainly a new age model; whose thoughts are deeply ingrained in her dreams and what matters most in life.
I discovered her from the Lyra Aoko shoot that I told you about several weeks ago. Upon conversing with her for awhile, she came across as an exceptionally smart girl with a penchant for writing and art. She’s obsessed with reading anything objective and high concept.
Hhm…I was actually surprised.
“To begin with, for fun I read a lot, novels, articles, anything. I’m almost always reading something, I draw, make things from time to time. I write poetry and a few stories, I love playing around with make-up too both everyday makeup and SFX looks. I like mythology and ancient civilisations, cultures, love learning about them. I don’t go out much but I like places with a nice aesthetic oh and I love dancing too,” she said.
With her futuristic view on existence, I feel that she could be the next Karlie Kloss; the model who was chosen by legendary inventor Elon Musk (known for Tesla and Space X) for a shoot. Or Naomi Campbell, who’s set a mark in the fashion realm with her indelible legacy in the industry.
Her music taste reflects her soul. She loves alternative, afrobeats, jazz and classics. Frank Sinatra is one of her favorites.
“For some reason, I’m in love with Portuguese music, too.”
Not only that, her photography skills are also on point.
For the moment, Bamidele is busy working towards achieving her life goals. Not many girls her age in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital have such an ambitious masterplan. From my experience interacting with them, looks can deceive you. Brains are a rare thing.
Sometimes it may feel lonely being such a dreamer, but the results are super rewarding (talking from my personal experience).
“I’m studying Film and Television production as a foundation. I want to go to AFDA in South Africa or EICAR in Paris, still weighing my options. I might also want to study Cosmetology/Cosmetic Engineering for a while as well,” she reveals.
But why Cosmetic Engineering? I guess she has a start-up development approach to life. She wants to gain the most relevant skills in her areas of interest – by taking a multidisciplinary approach. That’s quite something, huh?
When I said that being a dreamer may feel awkward sometimes (which is fine), this is what I meant.
“I guess it’s both an advantage and a disadvantage sometimes, being an idealist. You dream big, huge and have such beautiful hopes for everything and expectations too, the downside comes in the realisation that the world isn’t your little fantasy but I try to stay positive through it, surround myself with good energy, you know?,” she poses.
Having done the “Chorwa” shoot with Lyra Aoko – one of the most celebrated lifestyle and fashion photographers in Kenya – at a young age is a dream come true. It could be a precursor to a global magazine cover in the near future. The shoot made me realize how innovative and creative Kenyans are. I am proud to be one.
Bamidele reflects the talent that lies unnoticed in this country. Maybe it’s about time youth became more vocal about their thoughts and actualized their dreams without having to conform to the standards loved by everyone. That’s what real success is, BTW.
“Success muse? I’ve always felt this is one of those questions everybody has an answer to, you know. But I’ve never really had a genuine name to float, I have people who inspire me but not necessarily people I’d model my success after. I hope that makes sense. At the end of the day, it’s about me and how much I feel I’m moving up towards what I want, what my mind feels is the right track,” she tells me, marking the end of our conversation.
The girl is Kenyan by birth with roots in West Africa. Her mother is a Liberian Kenyan with a tie to Sierra Leone and her dad is Béninoise. She’s truly destined for greater heights.
Follow Best Model Reviews Africa editor Harun Momanyi on Instagram and Twitter @harunmomanyi and the official Instagram page @bestmodelreviewsafrica.
