Never too young to be a star
Tyla, Kairo Forbes and Biko’s Manna are waving the flag high for Mzansi at the 45th Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards (KCAs) 2024, with the main awards held last night at the Pauley Pavilion in Santa Monica, California.
The annual awards ceremony bestows accolades on the past year’s top television, film and music acts, as voted by Nicklodeon viewers.
A separate awards celebration for the African categories will be screened on Wednesday at 3pm on Nickelodeon Channel on DStv and GOtv. Kairo Forbes — the nineyear-old daughter of the late rapper AKA and DJ Zinhle — and the siblings group Biko’s Manna are competing in the same category of favourite African kidfluencer.
Tyla also earned a first-time nomination under the favourite global music star category, representing the African continent. She is also nominated for favourite breakout artist, and her hit song Water is nominated for favourite viral song.
This year’s awards show celebrated the 25th anniversary of SpongeBob SquarePants, which has reigned as the most-watched animated series for 22 consecutive years. The green slime-filled, immersive broadcast marked the first time that the animated characters have hosted the entire ceremony.
Kairo told the Sunday Times she was in the car driving home from school when she heard about her nomination. “I was so excited.”
When asked about being a “kidfluencer”, she said: “I don’t even know what that means. I just have fun doing fun things and because I have many followers they sometimes listen to me and I sometimes get paid for the stuff I do.
“Glammy [Lynn Forbes, Kairo’s grandmother] says I have influence. What I love most is having fun while doing things that I get paid for.”
Lynn said she saw Kairo’s talent at a very young age. “Kairo could read fluently even before she went to school, held her own in conversations, even with adults, and could express herself beautifully. She is very witty and artistic.
“Zinhle and Kiernan are both talented parents who provided a nurturing and supporting environment for Kairo to thrive in. Kairo still gets to be a kid, and 99.99% of her typical day does not include cameras, devices, phones, TV — and she doesn’t have access to social media. I handle all of her social media accounts so she doesn’t get exposed to any of it, except when we sit down with her and allow her to look through her accounts under supervision.”
Biko’s Manna is a South African singing group renowned for their rich vocal harmonies and powerful performances.
Named in honour of Steve Biko, the influential anti-apartheid activist, the group aims to keep his legacy alive through music that promotes social justice, unity and culture.
Nhlangothi siblings Biko Star, 17, Manna Hero, 14, and Mfundo, 9, have become known for their intricate harmonies, often accompanied by traditional African instruments. They have become worldwide sensations with their recent performances on America’s Got Talent and the Jennifer Hudson Show.