Meet The French Illustrator Who Is All About Sisterhood And #BlackGirlMagic
The works of Nicholle Kobi have been reposted and being saved in our phones as lockscreens, phone backgrounds, and inspiration for years. And for good reason. In just one scroll through her Instagram feed, you are instantly met with feel-good vibes: seeing images that proudly feature natural hair, working women, friendship, and black love.
The world should take note.
Originally from Normandy, France, the now NYC-based artist has received wide acclaim for her celebration of the "black woman without cliche." Recently, Nicholle chatted with xoNecole to talk about the importance of portraying black woman in a multilayered multifaceted light, her upcoming art exhibit series, as well as the message behind her artwork.
"The message in my artwork is to show my sisters how powerful we are when we stay together, when we work together, when we support and love ourselves," she said. "I really want to show the beauty of black women and how strong we are… I want more unity and love for ourselves."
Artist, Nicholle Kobi
Before building Maison Nicholle Kobi, the brand we have come to love and respect, Nicholle was discouraged from tailoring her artwork to the black female experience and ultimately left art school for the private sector. After spending 10 years working in insurance, while on maternity leave, she began to question what truly brought her happiness. "I remembered drawing is the thing that gives me peace… so I decided to draw. I was drawing 10 illustrations a day and started to post all of my artwork on social media."
"I remembered drawing is the thing that gives me peace."
With time, Nicholle set her sights on flipping the narrative about how society thinks about the black woman. "I was looking for images of real life black women without any cliche, not images that degraded us, and it was not very easy. I wanted to see more modern images of me and my friends, my sisters. So, I decided to stop complaining and do it myself."
Rejecting negative media portrayals, she has turned her artwork into a powerful platform for self-love and sisterhood.
"In my artwork, I want to humanize my sisters… For me, it's very important for all [of the] African diaspora to recognize themselves in my artwork. Every black woman must be able to see herself or her future in my images. We are not what people say we are. We are clever, strong, beautiful, powerful. Nothing can stop us from being who we want to be: mothers, entrepreneurs, doctors, [or even the] president."
"Every black woman must be able to see herself or her future in my images."
Her work has brought together so many women of different backgrounds, from the Caribbean to the Americas, and she hopes that her work will continue to create space to discuss, explore, and unite. With these themes in mind, Nicholle is currently headlining her 'Parisian Instant' 2018 Art Series Exhibit with 30+ stops spanning the world including Brazil, the United States, Europe, and Africa, bringing her artwork and message to the masses.
"This tour was a crazy idea I had two years ago, going out there and meeting all these women who support and love my artwork, but the learning goes both ways. This year, we added more cities in the US because I love to learn from black America and the demand was very important too. "
USA
San Francisco: July 25
Los Angeles: July 28
Nashville: August 27
Charlotte: August 29
Chicago: September 26
Boston: November 27
Detroit: November 29
Washington, DC: December 1
New York, NY ( Brooklyn): December 8
International
Durban: August 8
Cape Town: August 11
Johannesburg: August 15
London: September 8
Paris: September 15
Find more information regarding her art series tour here.
Nicholle is also excited to announce that she has partnered with Hallmark to release a new collection of cards celebrating black mothers, black lovers, and black sisterhood! They will be released in the near future and she hopes that you love them as much as she does.
More than anything, Nicholle wants to showcase the real beauty of black women across the globe and reminds us to lift up our fellow sisters and to be proud of who we truly are. "Because black women come in all shapes and all shades. Because I believe in my people."
Artist, Nicholle Kobi, at her 'Parisian Instant' 2018 Art Series Exhibit
Want to learn more about Nicholle Kobi? Find her work on Instagram @nichollekobi and at: https://nichollekobi.com/. Click through the gallery below to browse some of our favorite Nicholle Kobi works:
Lydia is a recent Ivy League graduate who is passionate about using her voice to enact change in minority and female communities. Dubbed the "Intern Queen," she has worked 8+ internships in diverse industries, including Wall Street firms and the Obama White House, and is now bringing her career and lifestyle tips to you! Meet Lydia on Instagram @queen_of_anglin and Twitter @its_lit_dia.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Kendrick Lamar And Whitney Alford: A Timeline Of Their Decades-Long Relationship
Kendrick Lamar and Whitney Alford are one of those couples who like to live their lives outside of the public eye. Unlike many celebrity couples, we don’t really hear a lot of details about their relationship in blogs and social media except for when Kendrick raps about it. Whitney has even been featured on many of her fiancé’s songs, but it was his last album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, where he was the most vulnerable.
Outside of supporting her Pulitzer Prize-winning man, Whitney is also a licensed esthetician and makeup artist. The couple share two beautiful children together and seem to enjoy their privacy. From high school sweethearts to starting a family, here is a timeline of Kendrick Lamar and Whitney Alford’s relationship.
2001-2005?: Kendrick Lamar and Whitney Alford Meet
Whitney Alford and Kendrick Lamar at 2016 Key to the City Ceremony
Photo by Johnny Nunez/Getty Images
Kendrick and Whitney met in high school. However, there’s not a lot of details about what year. The two attended Centennial High School, which is located in Compton, CA, and began dating shortly after becoming friends.
2009: Kendrick Lamar Raps About Whitney
In his 2009 self-titled EP, Kendrick rapped about Whitney in the songs “She Needs Me” and “Determined.” He highlighted how he can’t live without her in “She Needs Me” and shared how she’s been his rock in “Determined.”
2014: Kendrick Lamar and Whitney Alford’s First Public Appearance as a Couple
56th Grammy Awards with Kendrick Lamar and Whitney Alford
Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS
Whitney stepped out with Kendrick for the first time at the 56th Grammy Awards. Kendrick was nominated for seven awards, including Best Rap Album for Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.
2015: Kendrick Calls Whitney His Best Friend
Talking to Billboard in January, the Compton rapper opened up about his love for Whitney. “I wouldn’t even call her my girl,” he said. “That’s my best friend. I don’t even like the term that society has put in the world as far as being a companion — she’s somebody I can tell my fears to.”
Whitney Appears on Kendrick’s "To Pimp a Butterfly" Album
In March 2015, Kendrick dropped his highly anticipated third album, To Pimp a Butterfly, andWhitney provided backup vocals for songs “King Kunta” and “Wesley’s Theory.”
Kendrick Confirms Engagement to Whitney Alford
Kendrick Lamar and Whitney Alford at 2015 BET Awards
Photo by Johnny Nunez/BET/Getty Images for BET
During a The Breakfast Club interview, the Grammy award-winning artist confirmed that he and his high school sweetheart were engaged. “Yeah, definitely,” he said. “I’m loyal to the soul.”
2019: Kendrick Lamar and Whitney Alford Welcome Their First Child
It was reported that the couple had their first child in July 2019. While her name wasn’t revealed at the time, fans later suggested that he mentioned her name in his song “Mr. Morale,” which is off of his fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. He rapped, “Uzi, your father's in deep meditation.”
2022: Kendrick Lamar and Whitney Alford Welcomes Their Second Child
The couple quietly welcomed a second child, a baby boy named Enoch and they made the big reveal on the cover of the Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers album. The cover features Kendrick holding Uzi while Whitney holds Enoch. Kendrick also mentioned Enoch’s name in his song “Mr. Morale” when he rapped, “Enoch, your father's just detoxed.”
Whitney Reflects on Working With Kendrick on "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers"
In May, the makeup artist reflected on working with Kendrick on the album, which she helped narrate, and thanked him in an Instagram post. “Sometimes the mirror is a harsh critic. Shit can get real ugly. Im proud of the work we’ve done individually and as a family. Honored to be a part of this album @kendricklamar. Thank you for your transparency. Healing can begin…,” she wrote.
Whitney Appears in Kendrick's "Count Me Out" Music Video
Whitney also appeared in her beau’s “Count Me Out” music video and shared a snippet on her Instagram page in December.
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Feature image by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for NARAS