"LET IT GO"

A creative campaign by NOIR The Agency

Mazbou Q - Just Let it Go (feat. Phodiso, Myele Manzanza, Tyler Trench & Fae)

creative director:
chichi nyangoni

photographer:
diana simumpande

styliST:
Afi badouin

Assistant Director:
Mary Adeosun

makeup artist:
aiden-leigh jansen

hair stylist:
vivian mavunga

JOURNALIST:
Sanele Ngubane

Videographer:
tino nyangoni

SPECIAL THANKS TO: MAZBOU Q, PHODISO, Myele Manzanza, Tyler Trench & FaE

We recently conducted THIS in-house campaign featuring 10 of our incredible models here at NOIR The Agency.

We wanted our models to look incredible whilst diving beneath the surface to explore what stops us from realising our goals and dreams. We spoke with our models about what freedom means to them and the art of letting things go; in order to live their most authentic selves.

This campaign was brought to life by a team of seven creative Black Women. Our Founder Chichi Nyangoni, wants to promote Black Women working in the creative sector here in Aotearoa.

“Freedom to me is being able to be yourself, being able to express yourself and the opportunity to try different things without limitations. Limitations like family or society; almost like there are contracts to what you can do and a certain way to do things. So when you achieve a certain type of freedom, you can accomplish what you want without such constraints.

I feel like what I need to let go of is pressure from society. I want to be able to travel, if I don’t like a job; I want to be able to quit. I don’t want to stay for the money or security. I want to achieve freedom.”

- Shaina

“I think freedom comes with the ability to let go of yourself. So these days with so much stimulation in our lives, it’s really hard to find that freedom because we’re confined to the opinions of so many people. Everyone is constantly criticising each other; whether or not it’s constructive. Once you’re able to let all of those opinions go and discover yourself and be able to express yourself without being confined to any stigmas - I think that’s when you find true freedom and it’s really hard to find this type of freedom.

For me personally, I think (the stigmas that confine me) come from being Asian; especially as I came to New Zealand really young and people would always stereotype with jokes or more serious comments. Whatever it is, it always ends up seeping into your mind. No matter what race you are, I think everyone experiences this. To be able to escape that stereotypical frame, and accept whoever I am, that’s the type of freedom that I and everyone want to achieve, but I don’t think society has achieved this.

People always try to give you their opinions and force it down your throat, but it’s your choice if you want to swallow it at the end of the day”

- Fred

“To me, freedom is the ability to express yourself in your most authentic way, without fearing persecution or harm. It’s the ability to be able to be your unapologetic self in whatever you that you see fit. I come from a place where I’m considered a minority and seeing how people treat each other - it's so hard to consider the idea of freedom.

A big part of what holds me back from being my authentic self would be my upbringing. With strict parents, you grow up differently. Growing up Asian, there are definitely a lot of cultural, traditionalist stereotypes or norms that we are raised with, that don’t so much relate to immigrant children.

Also my personal standards for myself. I’ve grown up with this mentality that in order to succeed, you need to constantly push yourself to be the best version of yourself that you can be, because no one is going to help you. Tough love. So I constantly put myself at this standard, which is incredibly high - but when I don’t hit that standard, I struggle. I care what people think of me, especially being a Brown woman in New Zealand. I care about the impressions that people have of me. I don’t want the way that I look or speak, or where I come from to speak for me. I’m very wary of these things.”

- Reshma

“I think just trying to please everyone, trying to impress or win people over holds me back when I could just be myself. When we moved to New Zealand 25 years ago from Cape Town, I grew up knowing I was physically different; even now people will ask where I am from - but I’ve grown up here. I’m a Kiwi.

Freedom to me means having the time to - a work life balance and being able to spend time with the people I want to be around. I feel the most confident around my closest friends, they’re always gassing me up and I can go to them with anything; I don’t have to hide my emotions. My group of friends are my support system.”

- Darren