Okenyo

Zindzi Okenyo is an Australian television and theatre actress and musician from Sydney.[2] A graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney,[2] she is a presenter on Play School, and performs music professionally under the stage name OKENYO.[1] She is best known for the song "Woman's World",[5] from her debut EP album, The Wave.[6]

Zindzi Okenyo
Also known asOKENYO[1]
BornSydney, New South Wales, Australia
GenresR&B, hip hop, soul[2][3]
Occupation(s)Musician, actress
LabelsElefant Traks[4]
Websitewww.okenyo.com

Career

Music

In 2013, Okenyo signed to the promotional label Niche Productions,[7] and in 2016 to indie record Label Elefant Traks.[4] Her debut musical track, "Broken Chest" was released in 2013.[8] "Woman's World" was nominated for Best Song on FBi Radio in 2017.[9] The song was chosen for the Women's National Basketball League 2017 Campaign,[10] and was also used in a US Apple Instagram Promotion.[11] Authors at the Noisey site, operated by Vice (magazine), said of the song: "There is a self-awareness and empowerment in the lyrics and a defiant resolve in the message as she identifies misrepresentation in gender and sexual stereotypes"[12] with comparisons to artists like Erykah Badu and Janelle Monae. Okenyo and her song featured in the documentary Her Sound, Her Story"[13] about the "inequality of women in the Australian Music Industry".

"WW 2.0" was released 1 December 2017, featuring Miss Blanks and Jesswar,[14] and was featured in the "This Girl Can" campaign for VicHealth,[15] where the aim of the advertisement was to "empower women".

OKENYO has played gigs with Santigold[16] and Billie Eilish,[17] played at Splendour In the Grass[18] and VIVID Sydney,[19] and recently played her first run of headline shows.[20]

Television

An article in the Sydney Morning Herald discussed her music and acting careers, as well as the program Play School. Okenyo stated, "It's really exciting because my identity and my artistry are starting to work together... I always imagined that happening because it's really important to me to explain myself and express myself in different ways."[21]

Okenyo's television credits include the role of Amanda in the Australian television series Sisters,[22][23] journalist Millie Hussey in the television drama series The Code, and Sophie in the series Janet King.[24]

Theatre

Okenyo has performed in the following theatre productions:

References
  1. McDonough, Keely (5 Feb 2018). "Zindzi Okenyo presents Play School by day and acts and performs sets by night". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 Jan 2019.
  2. Kembrey, Melanie (26 February 2018). "Actor, musician and presenter Zindzi Okenyo on taking risks and self care". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  3. "THE WAVE - EP by OKENYO on Apple Music". Apple Music.
  4. "Okenyo Inks Deal With Elefant Traks". theMusic. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  5. Double J (8 March 2018). "International Women's Day: Seven songs to soundtrack your International Women's Day". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  6. "Theatre star Okenyo negotiates hurdles of being a queer hip-hop artist". The Daily Telegraph. news.com.au.
  7. Heath, Larry (27 September 2013). "the AU interview: Okenyo (Sydney)". the AU review.
  8. Moskovitch, Greg (21 Nov 2013). "Okenyo releases "Broken Chest" music video". musicfeeds.com.au. Sydney, Australia. Retrieved 12 Jan 2019.
  9. "Best Song - FBi Radio".
  10. "OKENYO Teams Up With Fox Sports To Launch New WNBL Season". theMusic. 26 September 2017. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  11. "OKENYO in Apple's #TheVolumeUpSeries!". Sugaroo!. 17 March 2018.
  12. Burke, Cait Emma (9 August 2017). "Clink Your Glasses to OKENYO's New Video For 'WOMAN's WORLD'". Noisey. Vice.
  13. Rowe, Zan (6 July 2018). "Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore and Michelle Grace Hunder's 'Her Sound Her Story'". Take 5. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  14. McLaughlin, Molly (6 December 2017). "Okenyo, Miss Blanks and Jesswar team up for a tour de force on 'Woman's World 2.0'". Purple Sneakers.
  15. "This girl definitely can in Victoria". VicHealth. 26 March 2018.
  16. Tell, Stephanie (21 July 2016). "Santigold, Okenyo - Prince Bandroom, Melbourne 20/07/17". Music Feeds.
  17. "Billie Eilish, Okenyo". theMusic.
  18. Bullock, Kyle (28 July 2015). "One on One: Sampology & Okenyo at SITG". Red Bull.
  19. "Okenyo Feed". Music Feeds.
  20. "Okenyo Announces 'The Wave' National Tour". Niche Productions. Archived from the original on 2018-08-18. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  21. Mathieson, Craig (9 June 2018). "'I pushed myself': Zindzi Okenyo on EP The Wave and taking Urthboy's advice". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  22. Kembrey, Melanie (26 Feb 2018). "Actor, musician and presenter Zindzi Okenyo on taking risks and self care". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 Jan 2019.
  23. DeBolt, Virginia (6 Sep 2018). "Review: Sisters". oldaintdead.com. Old Ain't Dead. Retrieved 12 Jan 2019.
  24. "Janet King: Full Cast & Crew". imdb.com. Imdb.com, Inc. 2017. Retrieved 12 Jan 2019.
  25. "AN IDEAL HUSBAND Season Extended at Melbourne Theatre Company". broadwayworld.com. Wisdom Digital Media. 25 Jul 2018. Retrieved 12 Jan 2019.
  26. Kenney, Kath (11 Mar 2018). "ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA THEATRE REVIEW (SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE)". dailyreview.com.au. Ludo Media. Retrieved 12 Jan 2019.
  27. Tongue, Cassie (31 Aug 2015). "Review: La Traviata – Belvoir Downstairs". AussieTheatre.com. Retrieved 12 Jan 2019.
  28. Blake, Jason (12 Feb 2015). "Gaybies review: Modern families in focus in Dean Bryant's sharp verbatim show". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 Jan 2019.
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