K Naomi the new Maybelline ‘It Girl’
HER STAR is on the rise and she is fast becoming a household name. Keitumetse Naomi Noinyane, who is popularly known as K Naomi, recently returned to South Africa after shooting her first campaign with cosmetics giant Maybelline.
The model and television presenter was announced as a Maybelline “It Girl” this year, a few months after she became the first African female ambassador for Reebok.
“For me it’s a little weird because I have always hated the term ‘It Girl’. I never wanted to be one, but now that I am a Maybelline It Girl, I don’t mind the title too much because I get to change the perception of what an It Girl is supposed to be,” said the 25-year-old.
For Naomi, it was a case of being in the right place at the right time. “I went to a casting for Maybelline’s new web series on YouTube. I arrived, auditioned and left. I remember asking my manager to call Maybelline a week later to ask them if they had made a decision because I really wanted the gig. (But) they came back to me with more than I expected,” she said.
She was indeed offered the job as host for their web series, but on top of that she became the first African brand representative for Maybelline. “When they sat me down and put their proposal on the table, I could not believe what I was hearing. I had prayed for one job, but got two,” she enthused.
Naomi, who was born in Mafikeng in North West, said her trip to Los Angeles to shoot her new campaign and meet other It Girls from across the globe was nerve-racking.
“It was my first time in LA. When we arrived, I realised that I was the only black girl in the group – I was conscious of that. There were girls from Lebanon, India and Australia, but everyone was so relaxed and warm that we soon didn’t even notice our differences,” she said.
Naomi has also been juggling her duties as Reebok ambassador this year.
“It’s almost a year now that I have been with Reebok and it’s been an amazing journey. I remember getting an e-mail from them and thinking it was a prank. They wanted to work with me because of my fitness work – I have always been a big fan of the gym and looking after my body,” she said.
The former Channel O and BET A-list presenter said she believed it was now her time to shine. “I have been working hard at trying to create a name for myself. I started off as a model and then made the move into TV, which has been great, but I really believe in staying in your own lane.
“I love what I do and I am so happy to have huge brands wanting to be associated with me, but I do not want to be everywhere, I don’t want to be in your face all the time,” she said.
Although she is a newbie in the entertainment industry, she has had a lot written about her. “I have been linked to men I don’t even know, I have ‘dated multiple celebrities’ – all of which is far from the truth. So I have had to develop a thick skin very quickly.
“It has been very hard because I have had to change how people see me. It is very clichéd, but I am not just a pretty face. I work hard and all I want to do is inspire other girls. I want to break boundaries.”
Naomi is also a full-time student. “I am a brand building and management student and I will be graduating next month. I get asked how I manage to do it all and it boils down to a lot of sacrifices.
“School is my priority so I have had to turn down a lot of jobs and it’s been difficult because I have bills to pay, but everything I sacrificed has been worth it,” she said.
Naomi also gives free self-defence classes through her campaign, Pretty Lethal with Reebok, and although she considers herself a great teacher, she admits that she has also learnt a few lessons about herself.
“I am always learning, the entertainment industry is always teaching me things. Over the years I have become very strict about who I associate with and I have started taking myself very seriously. I have also learnt to always try to rise above anything negative.”
She also said that her fans could look forward to her returning to their TV screens.
“I believe in God’s timing and I have worked and prayed for a lot to happen this year. I will definitely be on TV this year and I have many other tricks up my sleeve.”