• Rhulani Anthony Bila, Wandering Nomad of Human Interaction
    Jul 10 2025

    What does it mean to express yourself beyond the confines of job titles and creative labels? What happens when photography is no longer about the image, but about the connection it sparks?

    In this powerful episode of Listen To Your Footsteps, Kojo Baffoe sits down with multidisciplinary artist and cultural entrepreneur Rhulani Anthony Bila, also known as The Expressionist. A commercial photographer, filmmaker, and founder of the creative consultancy Studio Bila, Anthony unpacks what it means to live, create, and collaborate with purpose.

    Raised in Tembisa and shaped by books, music, and a relentlessly curious household, Anthony reflects on the evolution of identity, from being a kid who hated photographs to becoming someone who uses the camera as a bridge into the souls of others. As he tells it, “I’m strange and I’m odd. The camera is just an excuse. I’ve become a wandering nomad of human interaction.”

    This episode explores:

    • The tension between creative freedom and commercial responsibility

    • How personal history, politics, and aesthetics intertwine in African storytelling

    • The struggle to balance art, business, legacy, and rest

    • Why COVID inspired his experimental film The Isolationist and a deeper commitment to family memory-making

    • The idea that “you are not your skillset, you are your adaptability”

    You’ll hear reflections on creativity not as a profession but as a way of thinking, and why the future of African storytelling lies in community, accessibility, and reclamation. Whether through fashion, film, or family portraits, Anthony is deeply committed to documenting human stories that matter, even when no one is watching.

    This isn’t a conversation about chasing fame or aesthetic perfection. It’s about coming home to yourself, expressing the unspoken, and using every tool available, from Tumblr blogs to 16-hour film shoots, to make meaning in a complex world.

    If you’ve ever felt like your art was more than just output, or if you’re navigating how to live more truthfully in your work and in your skin—this episode will resonate.

    🎧 Tune in to hear Rhulani Anthony Bila reflect on becoming, belonging, and building a creative life that leaves space for uncertainty, wonder, and remembering.

    Episode Title: Rhulani Anthony Bila, Wandering Nomad of Human Interaction
    Podcast: Listen To Your Footsteps
    Host: Kojo Baffoe
    Episode Number: 86
    Guest: Rhulani Anthony Bila



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    1 hr and 29 mins
  • Sizakele Marutlulle, Curious Enough to Be Afraid
    Jul 3 2025
    In this profound and quietly powerful episode of Listen To Your Footsteps, Kojo Baffoe sits down with Dr Sizakele Marutlulle, a creative strategist, leadership guide, brand thinker, educator, and diversity scholar, for a conversation that transcends labels and dives deep into the essence of human growth. What begins as a gentle reflection on bios, branding, and the evolution of personal tone slowly unfolds into an expertly guided walk in curiosity, courage, and self-definition.Sizakele’s journey defies neat categorisation. She's led advertising agencies, lectured at Africa’s top business schools, mentored future female leaders, launched her own strategy firm, and earned a PhD in Critical Diversity. Yet, as this episode reveals, her greatest pursuit is not professional, it’s personal. She speaks of learning for the sake of humility, of returning to fear as a teacher, and of becoming “a reformed cow” with laughter, honesty, and grace. With each insight, she invites listeners to reimagine leadership not as dominance, but as deep listening.Together, Kojo and Sizakele explore:What it means to live a multi-dimensional life, without apology.How personal branding has been distorted by social media, and why integrity matters more than performance.The idea of being “mentally obese but spiritually anorexic”, and the daily work of restoring balance.The influence of boarding schools, migration, under-fathering, and parental sacrifice on our sense of identity and belonging.Curiosity as a spiritual compass, and creativity as a way of thinking, not just producing.There is something disarming about this conversation, its refusal to rush, its permission to wander. As Sizakele reflects on how her Dominican nun teachers shaped her worldview, how she navigated South Africa's cultural codes after studying in Eswatini, and how she continues to challenge herself to swim in new waters (both literal and metaphorical), the listener is offered a rare portrait of someone who has embraced contradiction as clarity.She speaks candidly about burnout, bruising in corporate life, and stepping away to reassemble herself piece by piece. Her honesty about failure, fear, and her deliberate return to vulnerability, will resonate with anyone feeling trapped in performance and yearning for transformation.This is a dialogue of mutual recognition. Kojo, in his signature style, offers his own stories of fatherhood, migration, literature, and spiritual reparenting. The result is an emotionally textured conversation that speaks to the parts of us that are still becoming, still breaking, and still learning to soften.Whether you are a strategist, parent, teacher, artist, or simply a seeker, this episode offers language for the journey, questions for the silence, and a reminder that being curious enough to be afraid is often the first step toward something extraordinary.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:How to reframe fear as a gateway to growth.Why embracing multiplicity is more powerful than pursuing polish.What it means to show up as a whole human, at work, at home, and in the world.How curiosity, compassion, and creativity form the triad for conscious leadership.This is not an episode to rush through. It is one to return to, on quiet walks, during moments of doubt, or when the path ahead feels uncertain. Because what Sizakele teaches us is not how to be right, but how to be real. And in a world obsessed with noise, her clarity cuts through like still water.You can find the latest from Sizakele on the following digital spaces: ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠or ⁠sizakelemarutlulle.comFor more on my book Listen To Your Footsteps, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kojobaffoe.com/book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to: ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch/Listen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Zebra Culture Newslette⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Recorded at Spotify Africa Joburg StudioShow Music by Kweku 'Taygo' BaffoeProduced by Ayob Vania
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    1 hr and 36 mins
  • Simphiwe Dana, Raising Voice, Raising Children, Raising Spirit
    Jun 19 2025

    In this stirring episode of Listen To Your Footsteps, Kojo Baffoe sits down with iconic South African singer, songwriter, and activist Simphiwe Dana, as she reflects on two decades of music, motherhood, loss, identity, and resilience. With trademark grace and searing honesty, Simphiwe offers insight into the making of a celebrated artist and a deeply personal reflection on womanhood, purpose, and the spiritual nature of creation.

    Born in the Transkei and raised in Lusikisiki, Simphiwe’s childhood was shaped by movement, responsibility, and the discipline of being the firstborn. She shares vivid memories of growing up surrounded by nature—fetching water, hunting birds, and playing in rivers—which grounded her in a spiritual relationship with the world. This, combined with her father’s role as a preacher and the harmonies of church choirs, formed the foundation for her work: political, poetic, and rooted.

    Listeners are taken back to a defining moment at Johannesburg’s 206 bar, where Simphiwe nervously took the stage at a poetry night, closed her eyes, and sang Jill Scott’s “A Long Walk.” The standing ovation led to her first televised performance and her acclaimed debut album Zandisile. Behind the success was a deliberate choice: to leave a career in IT and leap into the unknown, trusting only her instincts and her voice.

    Dana speaks passionately about her creative process. For her, music is spiritual, a sacred act requiring silence, solitude, and surrender. “Something takes over,” she says. “It’s like standing on holy ground.” Her albums are milestones—emotional and political responses to moments that shift her understanding of the world.

    The conversation also explores grief, especially after the loss of her mother. Dana shares how it made her stop talking, stop eating, and retreat inward. She relied on wine as a means of escape and still cannot bring herself to open her mother’s final messages. “I feel like if I do, I will fall apart, and I cannot afford to fall apart.”

    Her identity as a mother and provider is a central thread. She raises two children as a single parent—both now university students. She reflects on performing with a baby on her hip, breastfeeding between studio takes, and relying on chosen family. Her parenting style is open to critique and deeply invested in emotional growth.

    This episode also critiques the South African music industry and the country’s relationship with its cultural identity. Dana speaks about the lack of support for local artists, the devaluation of home-grown creativity, and the post-apartheid failure to rebuild cultural patriotism. “Play the music,” she says. “We’re not asking for charity. We’ve done the work. We just want to be heard.”

    Now, marking 20 years in the industry, Simphiwe stands at what she calls “a precipice.” While working on a new album, she senses an internal shift. She is expanding her creative expression with a collaborative exhibition, a coffee-table book of unpublished writing, and signature aromatic oils.

    If you’ve ever struggled with creative doubt, carried too much for too many, or wondered how to sustain your spirit, this conversation is for you. It’s about survival—but also softness. Rebellion, but also surrender. Holding on to wonder, even when life gives you every reason to let it go.

    Simphiwe Dana is more than a voice. She is a vessel. And this episode is not just a story; it is an offering. Listen now.

    You can find the latest from Simphiwe on the following social spaces: ⁠⁠⁠X | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠or listen to her music on Spotify

    For more on my book Listen To Your Footsteps, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kojobaffoe.com/book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Subscribe NOW:

    • ​⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch/Listen⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Zebra Culture Newslette⁠⁠⁠⁠r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Recorded at Spotify Africa Joburg Studio

    Show Music by Kweku 'Taygo' Baffoe

    Produced by Ayob Vania

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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • Nandi Dlepu, Called to Create Connection
    Jun 12 2025

    In this soul-stirring episode of Listen To Your Footsteps, Kojo Baffoe sits down with creative polymath and cultural architect, Nandi Dlepu. Best known as the founder of Mamakashaka and the curator behind experiential cultural brands such as Feel Good Series, Pantone Sundays, and Bloom, Nandi opens up about the stories behind her purpose-driven path. From her early explorations of Rastafarianism to her current relationship with stoicism and ancestral practice, Nandi shares the inner frameworks that guide her creative and personal life.

    The conversation dives deep into what it means to live intentionally, build platforms with purpose, and honour both ritual and rest. Nandi reflects on the influence of her childhood, the emotional labour of entrepreneurship, and how motherhood intensified her drive to inspire and empower others, especially the next generation. She also touches on pain as a form of initiation, explaining how recent challenges have inspired her to reconfigure her routines and realign with her deeper purpose.

    Listeners will gain insight into the complexities of spiritual and cultural identity, the rhythms that structure a meaningful life, and how to create work that reflects who you are becoming. If you’ve ever grappled with belonging, transitions, or the weight of responsibility, this episode offers powerful resonance and reassurance.

    Highlights include:

    • Building community from a place of awkwardness

    • The evolution of faith, identity, and meaning

    • Behind-the-scenes of Mamakashaka’s creative DNA

    • Parenting as a catalyst for purpose

    • How morning routines can transform your world

    • Why entrepreneurship often feels like answering a spiritual call

    Whether you're an aspiring creative, an entrepreneur at a crossroads, or someone searching for ways to live more intentionally, this episode offers profound insights into crafting a life with depth and direction.

    You can find the latest from Nandi on the following social spaces: ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠and for more on Mamakashaka check out mamakashaka.co.za

    For more on my book Listen To Your Footsteps, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kojobaffoe.com/book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Subscribe NOW:

    • ⁠⁠⁠Watch/Listen⁠⁠⁠
    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Zebra Culture Newslette⁠⁠⁠r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    Recorded at Spotify Africa Joburg Studio

    Show Music by Kweku 'Taygo' Baffoe

    Produced by Ayob Vania

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    1 hr and 23 mins
  • Sheila Afari, The Audacity of Becoming
    Jun 5 2025

    In this deeply reflective episode of the Listen To Your Footsteps podcast, host Kojo Baffoe sits down with Ghanaian-South African entrepreneur and publicist Sheila Afari to explore a journey shaped by love, legacy, and fearless innovation. From unexpectedly launching her first business after stepping on a flyer at university, to growing a PR empire across continents, Sheila’s story is a masterclass in audacity, instinct, and emotional resilience.

    Now based in Washington, D.C., Sheila candidly shares what it means to uproot one’s life for love without letting go of one's roots. Raised in the Eastern Cape by Ghanaian parents, she reflects on how her cultural heritage continues to influence her entrepreneurial spirit. Her journey is not linear, it’s layered. Sheila studied medicine before pivoting to psychology, flirted with law, and eventually followed a calling she didn’t yet have the language for: building things from scratch and making them work.

    Throughout the conversation, she reveals how she grew her boutique PR agency, launched multiple online media publications, and nurtured a business mindset that focuses not only on scale but on succession. She opens up about battling internal and external expectations, especially from her parents, and how she has had to prove, often silently, that her unconventional path was valid. Her reflections on parenthood, cultural belonging, and legacy-building offer powerful insight for anyone at a crossroads.

    What you’ll learn in this episode:

    • How to seize opportunity even when you’re not “ready”
    • The unspoken pressures of African family expectations
    • The balance between personal ambition and partnership
    • Why building systems is the next level of entrepreneurship
    • The role of storytelling in creating platforms for African narratives
    • Why legacy is not just what you build, but who you become in the process

    Memorable moments include:

    • Sheila describing how she landed her first event gig
    • Her honest thoughts on moving to the US for love, and what “home” really means now
    • Her quiet realisation that media isn’t dying, it’s evolving into something more democratised and deeply personal
    • Her powerful reframing of “purpose” as something you grow into, not just stumble upon


    This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, creatives, cultural builders, and anyone navigating multiple homes, whether physical, emotional, or ancestral. Sheila’s journey is a reminder that sometimes, the life you’re meant to live begins with a moment of saying yes to the unknown.


    You can find the latest from Sheila on sheilaafari.com or on the following social spaces ⁠LinkedIn⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠

    For more on my book Listen To Your Footsteps, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kojobaffoe.com/book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Subscribe:

    • To ⁠⁠Watch/Listen⁠⁠ now
    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Zebra Culture Newslette⁠⁠r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ now.


    Recorded at Spotify Africa Joburg Studio

    Show Music by Kweku 'Taygo' Baffoe

    Produced by Ayob Vania

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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • Donald Nxumalo, The Room Remembers Everything
    May 29 2025
    In this episode of Listen To Your Footsteps, Kojo Baffoe sits down with celebrated interior designer and creative director Donald Nxumalo for a rich, reflective conversation that redefines what it means to “design a space.”The conversation takes listeners through a journey of identity, business ethics, cultural narrative, and the sacred connection between people and the spaces they inhabit. It is at once deeply personal and universally relatable, a masterclass in how interiors become an extension of selfhood.Donald’s design philosophy is simple but profound: every space has a story to tell because every person has a story worth honouring. In his words, a well-designed home is not just functional; it’s “a mirror of who you are and a quiet act of dignity.” His reflections range from renovating his mother’s home to manifest her worth to designing multi-million rand properties for a wide spectrum of clients with the same reverence and care.Donald talks about designing with empathy, his transformations are emotional, generational, and cultural. For Donald, design is healing.Donald shares the reality of being an African designer today. He speaks candidly about the tension of expectations, constantly being asked to “show Africa” in a very specific aesthetic way, while navigating the global stage as a contemporary, globally-minded African creative. “We are more than a look,” he explains. “To reduce it to a look is myopic.”They also unpack the complexities of being personality-led in business. For Donald, brand identity is not a PR strategy, it’s a mirror of values. “If I’m consistent, honest, and intentional, then my company reflects that. Visual language is a brand language,” he asserts. This idea becomes central to the conversation: how you show up matters. Not just online. But in how you answer the phone, in how you price integrity. In how you honour people’s time and trust.The conversation looks into Donald’s early years, how he taught himself design before even studying it, how a chance reality TV show launched his career, and how a project with a wealthy South African family introduced him to luxury design at scale. It’s not about glossy finishes and marble, it’s about listening to people. Learning how they live. Understanding that success is not only in the aesthetics, but in the emotional safety a room can offer.Kojo and Donald reflect on the world of publishing, digital media, and building a reputation in an era where validation is democratised through the internet. Donald credits platforms like Destiny Man for giving him visibility, but also acknowledges the power of showing up consistently, even when nobody is watching. “You could just come to work, do your job, and one day someone in Windsor Castle calls you,” he laughs, referencing a surreal moment where a past client in London recognised him and hired him via Instagram.The episode is a reminder that legacy isn’t loud. That impact is often quiet. And that beauty, when done with care, can echo across continents.Whether you’re a creative entrepreneur, an aspiring designer, a business owner, or someone just trying to live with more intentionality, this conversation will resonate. It speaks to the heart of building a life and a brand with values at the centre.Listen to Donald Nxumalo, The Room Remembers Everything, now. And walk away seeing your own space, and your own story, with new eyes.You can find the latest from Donald on LinkedIn, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ and check out ⁠donaldnxumalo.africa ⁠For more on my book Listen To Your Footsteps, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kojobaffoe.com/book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe: To ⁠Watch/Listen⁠ now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Zebra Culture Newslette⁠r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ now.Recorded at Spotify Africa Joburg StudioShow Music by Kweku 'Taygo' BaffoeProduced by Ayob Vania
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    1 hr and 26 mins
  • Vusumzi Ngxande, Stories My Name Never Told
    May 22 2025
    In this unforgettable episode of Listen To Your Footsteps, host Kojo Baffoe welcomes writer, designer, and multidisciplinary storyteller Vusumzi Ngxande into an intimate and reflective conversation that traces the invisible lines between identity, language, lineage, and healing.What happens when your name holds stories that even you do not fully know? What does it mean to belong to a family history that has been severed, renamed, or forgotten? And how do you begin to reconnect with the ancestral rhythm of your own becoming?These are the questions Vusumzi dives into and generously explores as he shares his personal journey of cultural reclamation, spiritual growth, and creative awakening. “I didn’t choose to tell stories,” he reflects, “I just started trying to make sense of myself.”The episode weaves through his childhood experiences, his discovery of spirituality through ancestral dreaming, and his gradual reconciliation with a fractured family name. Raised primarily by women and the cadence of prayer, Vusumzi speaks about the quiet power of matriarchs, the violence of displacement, and the silence around identity that shaped his early life.From his years as a student of design to becoming a published author, photographer, podcaster, and emerging creative force, Vusumzi speaks to the discomfort and necessity of self-excavation. “Sometimes it is the silence that holds the loudest truth,” he says. His insights on masculinity, vulnerability, and healing challenge social expectations while also creating space for listeners to re-evaluate their own journeys.Kojo and Vusumzi discuss the intersections between language and belonging, particularly how isiXhosa and its ceremonial use unlocked deeper connections to self. They reflect on the creative tension between tradition and individual expression, and the courage it takes to move forward while honouring where you come from.This conversation is a meditation on the messy, beautiful, often painful process of becoming. It is a quiet yet powerful call to listeners who are trying to navigate personal transformation, ancestral memory, or cultural complexity, especially those who feel like they have never quite fit into the boxes the world offers.If you’ve ever questioned your origins, struggled to name your pain, or wondered where the stories inside you come from, this episode will meet you where you are. It is an invitation to stand at the intersection of memory and meaning and to walk forward, even when the path is unclear.Expect moments of stillness, clarity, and goosebump-inducing truths. Expect to be moved.Listen to this episode if you are:• Exploring your identity, name, or family history• Curious about African spirituality and ancestral wisdom• An emerging creative trying to make meaning from your personal story• A man seeking to redefine masculinity through softness and presence• Interested in the politics of language, culture, and self-expressionKey moments include:• The symbolic and emotional weight of a surname• Learning to embrace ceremony as creative clarity• How matriarchal guidance shaped his worldview• Naming the trauma of disconnection and dislocation• Holding grief, healing, and hope in the same breath Quotable insight:“I didn’t know what I was carrying until I started writing it down. Then the pages started to feel like home.”This episode is a mirror. A memoir in conversation. A stillness that stirs something in you.Listen, share, and be still to experience the full story.You can find the latest from Vusumzi on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and X or check out thokozadlozi For more on my book Listen To Your Footsteps, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kojobaffoe.com/book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe: To Watch/Listen now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Zebra Culture Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ now.Recorded at Spotify Africa Joburg StudioShow Music by Kweku 'Taygo' BaffoeProduced by Ayob Vania
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    1 hr and 40 mins
  • Shaldon Kopman, Wearing Wisdom, Stitching Memory
    May 15 2025
    In this rich and reflective episode of Listen To Your Footsteps, Kojo Baffoe sits down with renowned designer, stylist, and creative director Shaldon Kopman, founder and creative director of Naked Ape, for a conversation that is as layered as the garments he creates. Titled Wearing Wisdom, Stitching Memory, this episode weaves together the threads of personal identity, cultural heritage, global exposure, and the purpose of creativity in a constantly shifting world.From the moment Shaldon speaks about his first steps into the fashion world as a model in Paris during apartheid-era South Africa, it becomes clear that his path was never conventional. “All I wanted to do was leave South Africa,” he says, describing how he wandered the streets of Paris with a metro pass, educating himself on art and style by walking through museums, observing people, and absorbing energy. This self-guided journey became the foundation for a creative voice rooted in purpose and introspection.But this episode is about more than just fashion. It is about memory. It is about land. It is about stitching the past to the present in a way that carries wisdom forward. Shaldon explores his deep connection to storytelling and how his brand is a response to the colonial gaze and the commodification of culture. “We were always somebody else's version of what they thought Africa was,” he shares. Through Naked Ape, he challenges that by creating work that is deliberately African, proudly rooted in craft, and reflective of the continent’s depth and nuance.This episode also delves into Shaldon’s reflections on masculinity, fatherhood, and emotional maturity. He speaks candidly about personal evolution and the desire to be present as a parent and as a partner. In a world often driven by bravado and performative success, his thoughts on emotional literacy and authenticity are powerful. “I am learning to be okay with stillness. To create from truth, not urgency,” he says.You will walk away with a renewed understanding of what it means to build a creative life that is both authentic and sustainable. Whether you're in the fashion industry, a creative thinker, or someone on a personal journey of reflection and alignment, Shaldon’s voice offers valuable perspectives and an invitation to slow down, to listen, and to remember.Shaldon Kopman, Wearing Wisdom, Stitching Memory is a rare, grounding conversation. It invites us to not only consider what we wear but to ask ourselves: What are we carrying? What are we honouring? And how can we show up in the world stitched in memory, clothed in intention?Listen now to experience the full story.Subscribe, watch/listen now on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or wherever you find your podcasts. Leave a comment or review and join the conversation. You can find the latest from Shaldon on shaldonkopman.com, ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more on my book Listen To Your Footsteps, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kojobaffoe.com/book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Zebra Culture Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ now.Recorded at Spotify Africa Joburg StudioShow Music by Kweku 'Taygo' BaffoeProduced by Ayob Vania
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    1 hr and 19 mins