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Creative Heartbeat of the Soul
with Fennella Like Whoa
melanin muse® & Kiana Smith
April 03, 2024
Our Cover Muse™: Fennella Like Whoa, Creative Director and Entrepreneur
Fennella Like Whoa, a dynamic creative entrepreneur hailing from Sierra Leone, channels her artistic expression through creative direction, fashion, and business endeavors. Based in Atlanta and boasting a marketing background as a former global marketing director, she seamlessly transitioned into the realms of creative direction and entrepreneurship full-time. With an illustrious portfolio spanning collaborations with industry giants such as iHeart Radio, Samsung, and Capitol Music, as well as notable artists like Ice Spice, Queen Naija, and JT, Fennella Like Whoa is adept at materializing brands' visions. Continuously pushing her creative and entrepreneurial boundaries, she ventures into new avenues, orchestrating captivating events and even launching her own wig line, Like Whoa Wigs.
Fennella Like Whoa, Creative Director
Continue reading Fennella Like Whoa’s cover story below.
Fennella Like Whoa:
Since the ancient days of Myspace, I’ve always been into social media. I used to plan photoshoots with my friends for us to post on Myspace as our new profile pictures. When I was in college I would turn the common areas in my dorm room into a photoshoot studio and style and photograph other students as models for my online store.
 Fennella Like Whoa Every time people look at my Instagram they ask me if I am a model and I have a hard time claiming that title. Instead, I see it as a platform for creative expression, blending various mediums that resonate with me. I take ownership of styling, directing, and makeup for my editorial shoots from conceptualization to execution. |  Fennella Like Whoa I enjoy the entire process from picking the outfit colors, doing my makeup while listening to inspiring music and posing. Creative directing my own fashion editorials is a passion of mine. Nowadays content creation is so fast and feels microwaved. I find peace in the slowness of crafting and orchestrating my own editorials - it’s quite therapeutic for me. |
This year I am allowing God to be the creative director of my life.
Creativity, It’s in the Soul
Talk about one of your favorite projects and what you find most fulfilling about your work.
Fennella Like Whoa:
Like many of you reading this, I am a true creative soul at heart. One of the biggest lessons that I have learned is that it is just as important to work on personal projects as it is to work on client projects. This will help keep you sane as a creative and help you to continuously feel a sense of purpose.
Sometimes, I look back at my old portfolio and thank God for the growth because it makes no sense at all. I recently attended the iHeart Radio Music Awards; it felt surreal seeing so many people whom I've watched on TV for years in the flesh. They hired my agency to create video content for a celebrity client. I saw countless celebrities such as Pink, Doja Cat, Ice Spice, Jackie Aina, and the list goes on.
The craziest part is they found me on TikTok through a "day in the life as a Creative Director" video that I posted. This is why I always push people to showcase their work and promote themselves online because you never know who is watching.
I love bringing the vision of my clients and my own creative visions to life. Conceiving ideas is one thing, bringing them to fruition is an entirely different art. The ability to breathe life into creative visions is a gift for which I am deeply thankful.
#HEADSUP The Pivot Muse podcast is PIVOTING (pun intended) to Wednesdays and episode six drops on 4/10! Listen to our latest episode now!
#TECHTIME STAY TUNED FOR NEXT WEEK’S COVER MUSE!
@fennellalikewhoaa A day in my life as a Creative Director - Black girl edition 💅🏾 16 hour day 😆✨ #creativedirector #photoshoot #blackgirlmagic #blackgirltik... See more
Watch Fennella Like Whoa’s latest creative direction behind clothing brand Ake’mma and luxury sunglasses line Allure below.
muses on the move:
Morgan DeBaun
Co-Founded by Morgan DeBaun in 2014, Blavity Inc. has emerged as a leading digital media company, serving as a prominent voice for Black culture and Millennials. DeBaun has received many awards that include ADCOLOR’s Innovative Award, recognition by Forbes 30 Under 30, and even named one of the 100 Most Influential African Americans by The Root.
The company operates multiple platforms, including Blavity News, which covers topics ranging from politics and social justice to entertainment and lifestyle. AfroTech highlights innovation and entrepreneurship in the Black tech community, while 21Ninety caters to Black women with content on health, wellness, and lifestyle. Blavity has not only provided a platform for crucial discussions and storytelling but has also played a significant role in shaping cultural narratives and amplifying underrepresented voices. | Through its diverse initiatives, Blavity continues to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion both within media and beyond. Adding to its roster of events, Blavity is excited to announce its inaugural Blavity House Party Music Festival, set to take place in Nashville, TN on June 14th - 15th. This weekend promises an immersive experience of music, culture, and community. Featuring captivating performances by artists such as Lil Wayne, Monica, Victoria Monet, and more, the festival offers attendees a vibrant and rejuvenating getaway |
Blavity House Party Music Festival
melanin muse® exclusive perks
Discover the transformative power of pivotal moments on The Pivot Muse Podcast. Listen to 'Everything Black Blew Up,' as we delve into the explosive growth of black businesses during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Our guest, Todd Finley, Founder & CEO of HBCU GRAD, a media company with a social media footprint spanning over a million, shares how his passion for HBCUs fueled his remarkable pivotal journey.
