Chelsea Lazkani is the latest addition to the popular Netflix reality series Selling Sunset. The British-Nigerian boss made her debut on season five of the show which is about the luxury real estate market in Los Angeles and the people who sell it. She quickly became a fan favorite due to her captivating fashions and bubbly personality, but Selling Sunset’s newest star also wants to open doors for other Black women.
In an interview with Tudum, the 29-year-old realtor said, “My main goal in all of this is to inspire other women, give access to other women, support and help other Black women — who were me — get into living their best life. It’s not just in real estate, it’s in anything they choose to do.”
“Representation is so important. When I decided to get my license, I was looking for somebody that was killing it in real estate. I found so many role models, but none of them were Black girls. I was like, ‘Damn, that sucks.’ When you don’t have your role model, you become your role model — and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Here are five things to know about Chelsea.
Chelsea is a wife and mother.
Chelsea is married to businessman Jeff Lazkani whom she said on the show that she met shortly after moving to the United States. The couple shares two children, Maddox and Melia, and live in Manhattan Beach, CA.
The stylish realtor took a break from real estate after having her kids but decided to go back into the industry. She met Jason Oppenheim who is the co-owner of The Oppenheim Group along with his twin brother Brett through her husband and later joined the brokerage after impressing the owners.
Chelsea’s British accent is real.
I’ve lived 3 countries (not 4) in 29 years. Born and raised in United Kingdom. Lived in Switzerland and now United States 😊 pic.twitter.com/cCYYOtE760
— Chelsea Lazkani (@ChelseaLazkani) April 23, 2022
Selling Sunset fans had a bone to pick with Chelsea over her British accent. Many fans suggested that she wasn’t British and that her accent was fake. However, the mom of two had an explanation for that.
“I’ve lived 3 countries (not 4) in 29 years,” she tweeted. “Born and raised in United Kingdom. Lived in Switzerland and now United States.”
She’s the definition of having beauty and brains.
Chelsea graduated with a BA in Economics from the University of Buckingham and a Masters in Oil and Gas Economics from Scotland’s University of Dundee. However, she decided to take her talents to Los Angeles and conquer the luxury real estate market.
According to her bio on The Oppenheim Group’s website, she made over $10 million in sales in her first year as a realtor in the bustling city. Her mom worked as the Chief People Officer at Emerson and her dad is an architect and property developer, and both parents serve as an inspiration for her.
Chelsea has an affinity for fashion.
Every time the British babe appeared on screen, she was 'designer'-ed down. Chelsea, who has referred to herself as “Black Barbie” made an entrance in a Balmain green dress and blazer and later we saw her strut down Sunset Blvd alongside her co-star Christine Quinn in a Louis Vuttion trench coach that was a head-turner. Chelsea explained her love for fashion in the Tudum interview. “Fashion’s always been my creative outlet, but more than anything it’s been really important for me to redefine what it means to be a boss lady and not have to wear tailored black pants and a shirt,” she said.
“You can be intelligent, you can be smart, you can be quirky, and you can wear colorful and even slightly revealing clothing. It doesn’t take away from your professionalism or how great you are at what you do. I just really want to go out there with my fashion to show people that you can wear whatever you like.”
She’s not for the drama and is getting along with everyone.
If you’ve been watching the new season, then you know that Chelsea isn’t about the drama, and in an interview with PEOPLE, she revealed that she has formed friendships with nearly everyone on the cast. "I just adore Christine. We have such a great relationship," she said. While Christine is portrayed as the show’s villain, the realtor introduced her to the brokerage.
"Emma and I have a very special connection. I think the world of Chrishell. To be honest with you, I just have a budding relationship with all the girls. I'm still getting to know some of them, but I didn't know them before the show."
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Exclusive: Melanie Fiona On Making High-Vibrational Music & Saying Yes To Partnership
Melanie Fiona is back! After taking a little more than a decade-long hiatus, she has officially made her return to music and blessed us with two singles, “Say Yes” and “I Choose You.” While both singles are very different from each other, they both reflect who she is today and the type of music she wants to make. In our conversation, the mom of two expressed what she learned during her time away.
“It's interesting, even when I said it is like coming back, I don't ever feel like I really left because I was always still performing. I've still been public. It's not like I went into being this recluse person or version of myself, but the thing that I really learned in this process is that I think things take time,” Melanie says in a xoNecole exclusive.
“I think often we're so caught up in it, being on the timing of demand or popularity, or, like, striking while the iron is hot and the thing that I've learned is that everything is on God's time. That's it. Every time I thought I would have been ready, or, like, things were taking too long, I had to reship some things, personally, professionally, in my life. I also gave myself permission to make a living, not just make a living, but make a life for myself.”
Making a life for herself included getting married to Grammy-nominated songwriter Jared Cotter, starting a family, and embracing new landscapes, such as podcasting as a co-host of The Mama’s Den podcast. She also began doing more spiritual work and self-care practices like meditation, sound healing, Reiki, acupuncture, and boundary setting, which allowed her to get in touch with her inner voice.
“I wasn't putting out music, and I wasn't experiencing a number one record, but I was being a number one mom,” she says.
“I was experiencing things that were allowing me to heal and get in touch with myself so that I could make new music from a space of joy and freedom, and excitement again because I definitely feel like I did lose some excitement because of just politics and industry and what it can do to your mental health and even your physical health. So giving myself the space to really just say, ‘Hey, it's okay. Everything's right on time.’”
The joy and excitement are felt in one of two new singles, “I Choose You,” which is more of a lovers rock vibe, a tribute to Melanie’s Caribbean roots. While the Grammy award-winner is known for ballads like “It Kills Me” and “Fool For You,” she is becoming more intentional about the music she makes, calling it high-vibrational music. She says her music is a “reflection of my life,” as it captures every facet, from hanging out with friends to riding around in her car.
“Say Yes” has the classic R&B vibe Melanie is known for. However, both songs are inspired by her relationship. Melanie and Jared got married in December 2020, and the Toronto-bred artist dished on their relationship. Fun fact: he is featured in the “Say Yes” music video.
“When we first started dating, I had come into that relationship post a lot of self-work. I had gotten out of a long-term relationship, I had a year and a half to date and be by myself and do a lot of work on myself alone. And when we met, I remember feeling like this has to be my person because I feel it,” she says.
“And so when we went into that relationship, and we started dating, I was very clear. I was like, I know what I want. I'm very clear on what I need, and I'm not going to withhold my truth about myself in this process because of pride or fear of rejection. I know you love me, but I'm coming with my heart in my hand to let you know that if we're gonna get there, we have to put fear aside and say yes. So that was kind of like my open letter to him, which is why the video is us having a conversation.”
Melanie also shares that saying yes to her partner has empowered her in many ways, including motherhood and showing up for herself. Her new EP, also titled Say Yes, will be available at the top of 2025.
Check out the full interview below.
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'Boomeranging': 4 Signs It's Okay To Rebound To Your Old Job
Stories like Nelly and Ashanti's second go 'round at love prove that wanting that old thang back isn't always a bad thing. And this even applies to jobs. Recent research shows that 43 percent of people who resigned during the Great Resignation in early 2021 admitted they were "better off at their old job," and 41 percent felt they "quit their job too quickly." Other reports show that about a quarter of employees “boomeranged” to their old jobs voluntarily last year.
But just like in relationships, there are key things to consider before going back to a former employer. I mean, there was indeed a reason you left, so going back might be one of the worst mistakes you've made—twice.
Let me help you out with this one. Here are four major signs it's a good idea to rebound or "boomerang" to your old job:
1. There's new management.
This is one of the most important signs that going back to an old job is a good idea. If you left the job due to toxic, inexperienced, or burned-out management, you might have a better experience with new people in leadership. At least you can start over to build a fresh perspective and connection. A 2019 study found that 57 percent of professionals have left a job because of their manager, and 14 percent have left multiple jobs because of their managers.
Schedule an informative coffee or virtual meeting with an HR professional at your old company or have lunch with a former colleague to get a sense of the new management.
If you don't really have those types of ties to your old job, keep tabs on their latest developments by following their company's LinkedIn page, setting up Google alerts, or checking for news releases about updates from the company.
2. You can take on a role you'd wanted previously but couldn't get back then.
Budgets change along with the times, so maybe this time around, there's room to pay you what you're worth in a higher position. Check job boards, LinkedIn, or other online platforms to see what opportunities are now available, and utilize the experience you once had at the company to sell why you'd be perfect for that role. Harvard Business Report found that 28% of “new hires” were boomerang hires who had resigned within the last 36 months last year. It also found that boomerang employees were more likely to be managers than non-managers.
3. They're finally offering remote or flex schedules.
If you left because you wanted to prioritize time with your children, you felt like you didn't get enough time off after childbirth, or you need to take care of elder family members, this is the perfect reason to consider going back. After the pandemic, more than 40 percent of workers in three industries worked remotely. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report from October 2024, of 61 detailed industries, 44 had more than 10 percent of their workforce working remotely in 2021. In 2022, the top four industries in 2021 still had over 46 percent of their workforce working remotely.
While there has been news that companies, particularly in tech, are forcing people to go back to the office, while some are requiring employees to go in a few days per week, many have begun fully embracing remote work, changing their tune from years back. In an effort to retain a workforce who has expectations of work-life balance, flexibility, and wellness prioritizing, remote work is now something competitive companies embrace, and that could include your former employer.
4. Your old job was more fulfilling or more of a culture fit than your current one.
Sometimes, money and titles aren't everything. Maybe you had more autonomy at your old job, you were treated with respect, or you felt more accepted and free to be yourself at that company. The new job might have offered more money or a title raise, but the office culture just isn't that great.
If you left your previous job simply to try something new or you were offered more money at another company for a promotion and you're finding that that wasn't the best move, it might be a good idea to reach out to your old HR manager. Maybe they miss you, too.
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