adminBongani Ndlovu Showbiz Correspondent
The name Makho Ndlovu is a brand on its own. The 32- year old has been on the red carpet in America and interviewed top celebrities like the Braxtons, Lupita Nyong’o from Kenya and worked for hip hop business mogul Russel Simmons.
Most recently she wrote the December cover story for top magazine True Love of South African Television personality Mini Dlamini.
Saturday Leisure correspondent Bongani Ndlovu (BN) spoke to Makho (MN) about her life and how it is on the red carpet in her home city of New York City, the Big Apple.
BN: Tell us who Makho Ndlovu is?
MN: Makho Ndlovu is a daughter, sister, girlfriend (soon to be wife). I’m someone who believes in living life to the fullest.
BN: Who are your parents where did they grow up and how did they get to live in the United States of America.
MN: My parents are wonderful individuals who inspire me and ultimately helped make me the person I am today. My Mom came to the US in the early 90’s and brought me to New York a few years later.
BN: Where, when were you born? Where did you grow up, which schools did you attend?
MN: I was born in the beautiful city of Bulawayo and I attended Coghlan Primary before I left the country for the US.
BN: How did you get into modelling?
MN: Modelling was a way to make quick money. When I moved from Indiana to New York after college I quickly realised how expensive it was just to live in the Empire State, so modelling allowed me to make a decent amount of money on the side while maintaining a full time job.
BN: Did your modelling career help you in the career you are in?
MN: Before I started modelling, I was a pageant girl. I was Miss Zim US in 2006 and was the first runner up for Miss New York, US. The year I was the first runner up, there were about 164 girls in the competition, so I was super close to making and having the distinct honour of representing the great state of the NY on a national level. That disappointment of not winning the pageant ultimately helped me in the career I’m in today. I was fortunate to learn and understand rejection very early on in the game. I probably hear a yes for every ten nos. My industry isn’t for the faint hearted.
BN Please share with us how it was to be on Global Grind and rubbing shoulders with the who’s who of showbiz?
MN: I won’t lie to you it’s a lot of fun. Being handpicked to represent Global Grind by a musical genius like Russell Simmons is something that I’ll never forget. Meeting celebrities I’ve often “idolized” is a trip of a life time. What I’ve however realised is that people are just that- people.
Stars are just like us. Yes of course they look aesthetically pleasing and have the best hair, makeup, glam team but they have insecurities and issues just like the next person.
BN: Who did you meet and which functions did you attend on Global Grind?
MN: I have been fortunate to meet a number of celebrities but my favourite one met thus far is our Kenyan beauty — Lupita Nyong’o. This was before she won the Academy Award at an Essence Hollywood luncheon and it was just amazing to see this gorgeous African woman with natural hair captivating an entire room filled with likes of Oprah, Brandy and Angela Bassett. She is a star and meeting her was a delight. My other favourite so far (not Global Grind related) is South African actress and presenter Minnie Dlamini. I just wrote my first ever cover story on her for the December issue True Love magazine. I am so grateful to her that she trusted me with her story and allowed me to write openly and freely about her life and love. I spent three days with her in New York and it was just amazing.
BN: Tell us your experiences on the red carpet.
MN: Most people think that the red carpet is a walk in the park. It’s as easy as 1,2,3 . . . all you have to do is just get a nice dress, show up and have a giggle or two with celebrities. Wrong! The red carpet is serious business, you get one shot to talk to the celebrities and it’s important to stand out and be seen. They don’t stop for everyone so there is a lot of yelling and shouting to get their attention. But once you get them, the magic you capture on film can sometimes be amazing. Essentially we are strangers when we first meet but we have to pretend to be chummy to make the conversation resonate with the viewer at home. I get to ask these people that I have never met about their personal lives, controversial issues and other such subjects. Its fun but it can be stressful.
BN: Which celebrity have you enjoyed talking to?
MN: My favourite has been the cast of Braxton Family Values. I interviewed them last year and we had a really good time. The video is up on YouTube and the energy in that room was palpable, we had a great time.
BN: We know that celebrities have pre-Madonna tendencies or characters. Are there any celebrities who you have rubbed shoulders with that intimidated you? What do you do when faced by such a situation?
MN: No one intimidates me. I have such a strong sense of who I am that I can’t get caught up in being afraid of approaching people or encountering difficult situations. So luckily I have only met a handful of celebrities with diva tendencies but I usually just keep going with my interview because I have a job to do. I honestly can’t be bothered.
BN: Tell us about your blog and how it came about.
MN: My blog www.makhondlovu.com is just my way of sharing my thoughts with the world. I of course love celebrity gossip so if a story catches my eyes, I will post it on my blog. I also enjoy writing about the continent of Africa — specifically South Africa and Zimbabwe so my blog allows me to have that constant outlet.
BN: How do you express yourself in terms of fashion?
MN: I like to wear a myriad of things. It really just depends on my mood. Overall I would say I love bright and vibrant colours. New Yorkers wear a lot of black and it’s so boring and predictable. So colour is my thing.
BN: Back home who have you worked with or who do you work with in the local showbiz industry?
MN: In Zimbabwe I haven’t worked with anyone. I have been interviewed sporadically but I haven’t had the chance to collaborate with people. It’s one of my goals for 2015 for sure. There are so many talented creative people in Zimbabwe and I would be honoured to work with them. In South Africa I have worked with a number of outlets in TV, print and online.
BN: What are your future plans in American showbiz and your life in general?
MN: I am still learning and growing. I am going into my third year of being in this industry so there’s still so much I want to achieve. All I can say is stay tuned.
BN: What are your future plans?
MN: My career focus for 2015 is to expand my brand in Zimbabwe. I plan on opening up a pop up shop that will allow fashionistas to rent dresses for a fraction of their retail price. It will give people a chance to look tres chic on a budget.
derick.khumalo