She Defines Soul. Substance. Style (No. 23): Sofia Boutella

((  Written By:  Staff Writer  ))  Sofia Boutella is an Algerian-French dancer who has been at the top of her game since 2006, when she was picked for Jamie King's choreography for Nike as the embodiment of femininity and hip-hop.  Dubbed "the Nile Girl" by Nike, Sofia began studying classical dance at the age of 5.  The Berklee College of Music graduate has danced in music videos (Michael Jackson), starred in television and film (StreetDance 2), and toured with the best (Madonna's Confessions Tour).   Notwithstanding her impressive list of accomplishments, when asked about her greatest accomplishment, Sofia astutely answered:  "I think it's in the future." 

((  Photo Credits:  Nike  ))

She Defines Soul. Substance. Style (No. 22): Nneka

((  Written By:  Nani Hapa  ))  Her soulful music has moved us to label her "The Voice Of Africa," the substance of her lyrics have us convinced that were she not a musician, she might have made an excellent investigative journalist ... or perhaps a philosopher, and her style has inspired us to proudly rock tom boy chic with our afros.  Do we need to give any more serious consideration about why Nneka Egbuna defines Soul.Substance.Style?

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 021): Vickie Remoe

Written By: MIM!—Vickie Remoe is a twenty something socialist, fashionista, concerned global citizen, know-it-all, Africanist, self-proclaimed “Biggest Swit Mot Na Salone” with the gift of gab. One of the first "cool kids" to move back to Sierra Leone as early as 2007, she hosts her own television show (The Vickie Remoe Show) and is an innovative serial entrepreneur with ventures such as country director for Canoe Magazine, author of The SwitSalone Blog, and host on Free Radio 95:7.

(Photo Credits: © The Vickie Remoe Show)

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 020): Megalyn Echikunwoke

Written By: MIM!—If looks could kill, then actress Megalyn Echikunwoke would be behind bars, or at least that's what most men think when they see her. But maybe that's not surprising given Echikunwoke means "leader of men." At age 14, Megalyn was discovered while performing in an arts academy summer camp play, and thus began her long distance relationship with Hollywood. She began auditioning for parts via videotape, and then she and her mom would make the long drive in from Arizona (where she lived). Her persistence paid off and at age 15 she was cast as the young female lead in the ABC/Peter Benchley miniseries "Creature." Soon thereafter she and her family moved to Los Angeles where Megalyn enrolled in high school and immersed herself in the theatre department. Her career with Hollywood has only continued to move in an upward trajectory as she has appeared on screen in several roles, including television series such as The Game, 24, For the People, That ‘70's Show, ER, Boston Public and Buffy the Vampire Slayer ... to name just a few of this woman of Soul.Substance.Style's acting credits. But we especially love her for lending her name and giving her time to Women (And Girls), Education, And Arts, Providing Opportunities, Now ("W.E.A.P.O.N."), an organization committed to ensuring that African women and girls have easy access to education and a forum where their voices can be heard.

(Photo Credits: © Megalyn Echikunwoke)

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 019): Ndidi Onukwulu

Written By: MIM!—This lady sings the blues, and defines Soul.Substance.Style.

(Photo Credits: © Side Street Management For Ndidi Onukwulu)

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 018): Zaki Ibrahim

Written By: Nani Hapa—Singer Zaki Ibrahim is a soul in bloom who is creating a soulful sound steeped in poetry and earnest emotion. Born to a South African father who was an anti-apartheid political activist involved in community broadcast radio and a Scottish-English mother who taught English as a second language, Zaki has been as much shaped by the diversity of her Apartheid-era hometown and household as she has by her time spent in Canada (where she now based). "[G]oing back and forth as a child, [between South Africa and Canada,] I got to see a lot of the differences in things like education quality and people's attitude towards it. On one side in South Africa people are struggling to go to school while there were a lot of riots, and then coming to North America later on in high school people are skipping school and the attitude is completely different. Just being able to observe that was an experience. It shaped the way I see the world in general, in interesting ways that come out in my art and in my poetry."

Beyond reflecting her upbringing in her music, Zaki has also involved herself in many projects aimed at achieving social change. This has recently culminated in her co-founding the Universal Magnetic, a project working to manifest her words: "I realise that the amount of ground possible to cover in a lifetime too often depends on money. I pray that the good guys get rich and stay on the ground ... where true beauty lives…” To find out who this woman of Soul.Substance.Style is, listen to her music by visiting www.zakiibrahim.com.

(Photo Credits: Che Kothari)

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 017): Luam

Written By: Staff Writer—Choreographer. Dancer. Dreamer. Musician. That’s Eritrean born, New York based Luam Kiflezghi (who simply goes by “Luam”) to a tee in four words. Luam began dancing with African Rhythms Dance Company at the University of Pennsylvania and Ballet Shango in Philadelphia before moving to New York. In New York, she continued her dance training while working in corporate America on creative technology projects with the likes of Fortune, People, and Entertainment Weekly. Her passion for teaching and choreography only grew as she continued to train, which led Luam to teach her own classes at the Djoniba Dance Center and NY Sports Clubs. But it wasn’t until 2002 when Luam pursued her love for dance full time. Read more about this woman of Soul.Substance.Style.

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 016): Celia Faussart

Written By: Staff Writer—Célia Faussart was born in France to a Cameroonian mother and a French father. Her love for music began as a young girl growing up in Chad. At age 15, she began singing professionally with her older sister Hélène in France, later forming the internationally renowned Grammy-nominated singing duo Les Nubians. The band has intrigued audiences for more than a decade with their inventive and glamorous “Afropean” style. Read more about this woman of Soul.Substance.Style.

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 015): Inna Modja

Written By: Staff Writer—25-year-old Malian singer, Inna Modja is a newcomer to France’s musical scene, but her star is quickly rising. Although she is inspired by Malian artists such as the legendary Salif Keita (who she met at fifteen by literally knocking on his door seeking guidance, which led to Inna singing back-up for his Bamako Rail Band until she decided to pursue music as a solo artist), Inna’s music is a departure from the Malian sound of artists such as Keita and Rokia Traore. The former model who calls herself a “Motown girl” labels her music “rock ’n love” rather than “rock ’n roll” because she is a clean cut artist with no dramatic antics up her sleeve. Read more about this woman of Soul.Substance.Style.

(Photo Credits: Provided Courtesy of Camus Production)

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 014): Maia von Lekow

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Written By: MIM!—Maia von Lekow is a twenty-something jazz artist representing Kenya’s dynamic musical scene. The daughter of Tanzanian jazz groover Sal Davis, Maia fuses her musical influences like a lounge chameleon, singing in English and Swahili. While her vocals are reminiscent of 1960 soul music, Maia draws from her varied life experiences experiences—backpacking around the world, living in Australia and now Kenya—to create a hybrid sound that is her very much her own. Listen to this woman of Soul.Substance.Style by visiting MySpace and Facebook.

(Photo Credits: Provided Courtesy of Maia von Lekow)

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 013): Mireille Urumuri

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Written By: MIM!—We are big fans of actress, model, and aspiring writer Mireille Urumuri, and it's not just because her nickname is Mimi. The Rwandan born multi-talented Mireille discovered her love for the performing arts at four years old while living in Spain with her family. At the time, Mireille wanted to become a Flamenco dancer, but at six, when Mireille's family moved to Canada, she fell in love with acting and committed to the arts, ultimately attending the Montreal School of Performing Arts.

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 012): Somi

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Written By: MIM!—A true multicultural woman, Somi was born in Illinois to immigrants from Rwanda and Uganda, then spent her early childhood in Zambia. The African cultural legacy, always crucial to her sound, is as vital as ever in her current music, which Somi likes to call New African Soul. But so too is the music she heard upon relocating to New York, with American jazz singers like Nina Simone and Sarah Vaughan. Blending tradition and modernity, like the jazz greats—Miriam Makeba, Cesaria Evora and Sade—who paved the path for her, Somi is adding her own musical interpretation and leaving a musical footprint as this generation's voice of African soul and jazz. Hear more from this woman of Soul.Substance.Style by visiting www.somimusic.com.

(Photo Credits: Matthew Furman)

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 011): Lira

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Written By: MIM!—Lira is undoubtedly one of the hottest performing artists in South Africa. Although she has been singing since childhood, it was the 2006 release of her second album Feel Good which catapulted Lira to the stratosphere. A sweet mix of Afro-Jazz, R&B, and soul, the album earned her several South Africa Music Awards (SAMA) nominations including Best New Artist, Best Female Artist, Best R&B Album, Best Single, and Best Video (which she won). At the time (2007) the title track off the album enjoyed more radio airplay than any other South African song. Today, Lira has another album under her belt, Soul In My Mind, and her star continues to shine bright.

(Photo Credits: Sony BMG South Africa)

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 010): Aïssa Maïga

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Written By: MIM!—Aïssa Maïga is a Senegal-born actress who has stared in a number of French films including Paris, Je T'aime and Bamako, for which she was nominated in 2007 for the Most Promising Actress César Award. From her first role in the 1997 thriller Saraka Bô, there was no denying Aïssa's star power; on an obvious upward trajectory, today, Aïssa has 31 films under her belt and is one of France's most celebrated actresses. As she explains, ‘‘Directors are starting to call me for movies because they knew me. Not because they wanted a black African French girl.’’ A mother of two, Aïssa keeps her personal life private and instead lets her growing body of work speak to her talent.

(Photo Credits: Laboratorio Immagine Donna)

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 009): Simphiwe Dana

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Written By: MIM!—Born and raised in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, her name means "gift" and many of her fans would agree that she is just that, a gift to the South African music scene. Simphiwe Dana has become one of South Africa’s favorite daughters representing her culture and heritage all around the world. Described as a young Miriam Makeba, Dana’s voice transports you to that golden era in South Africa’s history. Her music is rich with warm harmonies from her backing vocalists and stylishly held together by her band's jazz grooves. Simphiwe is the winner of 7 South African Music Awards (SAMA) for her two albums Zandisile (2004) and The One Love Movement on Bantu Biko Street (2006).

(Photo Credits: Simphiwe Dana EPK Provided Courtesy Of Gallo Records)

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 008): Zamajobe

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Written By: MIM!—The talented young singer first entertained the public with her smooth, jazzy voice during the South African Idols competition in 2003. Upon reaching the top ten, Zamajobe Sithole was snapped up by recording company, Sony/BMG and released her debut album, Ndawo Yami (which translates to "My Place") in 2004 firmly cemented Zamajobe Sithole's place on the continent’s music scene.

Loved by critics and fans alike, Zamajobe's debut album was certified gold in South Africa and earned Zamajobe four South African Music Awards (SAMA) nominations in the categories: Best Newcomer, Best Jazz Vocal Album, Best Joint Composition, and Best Engineer. When the gifted young artist talks about her debut album, she immediately displays the intensity that propelled its creation, talking seriously about the vision that underscores her second album in a way that makes it impossible not to be drawn into it. “For me the album is about bringing everything that makes up village life in Africa into an urban setting in a way that’s easy for everyone to relate to,” Zamajobe explains.

Firmly rooted in community, Zamajobe's second album, Ndoni Yamanzi (released in the fall of 2008) continued in the tradition of her debut. According to Zamajobe, Ndoni Yamanzi means a black stone or it could mean a beautiful black woman. Most of the album is sung in her home-language, Zulu. "It just felt right to keep it close to home. This is a personal album in so many respects and singing in Zulu just felt right."

With a sophisticated jazz sound that remains grounded in African soil, Zamajobe is driven to create original music that is a true reflection of who she is and where she is at; and what a great place to be at the top of South Africa's list of jazz artists. Get to know more about this woman who defines Soul.Substance.Style at www.zamajobe.co.za.

(Photo Credits: Sony BMG South Africa)

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 007): Iyadede

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Written By: MIM!—IyaDedE represents beautifully what it means to be a young African woman today; carrying a heavy past, but moving forward, with strength and hope. Read a full length Q&A with this woman of Soul.Substance.Style in The Girl Who Fell To Earth, and learn more about her by visiting www.iyadede.com.

(Photo Credits: Provided Courtesy Of IyaDedE)

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 006): Shingai Shoniwa

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Written By: MIM!—Shingai Elizabeth Maria Shoniwa is an English singer of Zimbabwean descent, best known as 1/3 of UK indie rock band Noisettes. Her first name, Shingai means "persevere" in Shona, which is fitting for the vocalist and bassist who was raised by her single mother who emigrated from then Rhodesia, in a South London public-housing estate. The experience, Shoniwa says, informs her music. “Wanting to escape from reality can inspire the greatest and most trivial creative natures in people,” and “I think escapism is something that connects all of us. Everybody has their own little soundtrack, and I guess I’m trying to make my own soundtrack to my escape plan. I want people to realize that there’s so much more.” Learn more about this woman of Soul.Substance.Style at the official Noisettes site: www.noisettes.co.uk.

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 005): Zoe Mazah

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Written By: MIM!—Born in Bong Mine, Liberia, Zoe (pronounced So-i) Mazah is a German-Liberian singer (her mother is Liberian and her father is German) whose heavily reggae influenced music has earned her acclaim with critics and fans alike. Among her biggest hits are Could It Be You a sweet, groovy, love song featuring Ky-Mani Marley. Although Zoe and her family left Liberia shortly after her birth, her music is firmly rooted in her birthplace. This is most evident in her album Exile African, which features songs such as Liberia (featuring Chuck Fender) where she laments, "I don't know where home has gone." Learn more about this woman of Soul.Substance.Style by visiting myspace.com/zoeonline.

(Photo Credits: Zoe Mazah EPK)

She Defines Soul.Substance.Style (No. 004): Ayo

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Written By: MIM!—Folk-soul chanteuse Ayo (born Joy Olasunmibo Ogunmakin) emerged as one of Europe's biggest new pop stars of 2006 with her breakthrough album, Joyful. Born to a Nigerian father and a gypsy mother in Cologne, West Germany, as a child Ayo absorbed the musical traditions of her parentage as well as influences including American soul, reggae, and Afrobeat, all staples of her father's extensive record collection, which were reflected on Joyful. Following the success of Joyful, Ayo returned with the album Gravity At Last. On her second album, Ayo opted for a more orchestrated sound, but like her debut album Joyful, love remained the main lyrical-theme on the album and Ayo once again struck gold with critical and popular acclaim. Get to know this woman who defines Soul.Substance.Style at ayomusic.com.

(Photo Credits: Marc Baptiste)