Esther Mahlangu Partners With John Legend on Belvedere Deal, Mzansi Unimpressed: “She’s Not Celebrated Enough”

• Another win for Gogo Esther Mahlangu as she has put the Ndebele culture on the map
• She has partnered with American singer John Legend on a Belvedere campaign
• Social media thinks the incredible artist is being exploited for not getting her name printed on the bottle

Iconic Ndebele print painter Esther Mahlangu has bagged another campaign, this time with Polish beverage giant, Belvedere.

Esther Mahlangu's partnership with John Legend and Belvedere

The collaboration, which Belvedere and John Legend's social media accounts are still mum about, is much anticipated. Joy Zelda posted this on Twitter:

"John Legend x Esther Mahlangu x Belvedere: Musician John Legend has collaborated with Ndebele artist Esther Mahlangu to design the colorful and bold bottle inspired by the campaign 4 values, security, support, inspired, unity."

Read also

Maps Maponyane and Shudu Musida's romance secret blown with shoe in Instagram picture

Check out the colourful bottle in this post:

Tweeps disgruntled by Esther Mahlangu x Belvedere partnership

While some congratulated Gogo, most found the exclusion of her name to be unfair:

@MiniVelar lamented:

"Gogo Esther is too underrated in this country. She is not celebrated enough."

@Dante_lway found something amiss:

"What’s the purpose of John Legend here?"

@HsAttitudesucks protested:

"Bravo, but she deserves better. Her name should be in the forefront too, her legacy needs to live on. People should ask, 'who's Gogo Mahlangu', all it looks like is an African being taken advantage of again."

@Hlopheza90 asked an important question:

"Did they acknowledge mam Esther on that poison of theirs or her artwork?"

@HsAttitudesucks felt ashamed:

"Very disappointed by the level of disrespect, but well done to her."

Read also

Mzansi digs up picture of Dr Musa Mthombeni's wife Liesl Laurie and her ex Proverb: "Life is not fair"

@___kabiolafullstop___ said:

"Liked and unliked, cause where is her name? What did John Legend do?"

Esther Mahlangu designs go global

The Mpumalanga-born artist's work has been celebrated internationally. One notable campaign was with BMW when Esther Mahlangu designed their 525i interior.

The University of Johannesburg awarded her an honorary doctorate in 2018 for her contribution to South African arts.

Azania Mosaka graduates from Wits

In another Briefly News story, broadcast queen Azania Mosaka graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand with distinction.

The university took to its social media account to congratulate the second-time graduate. She obtained an Honours Degree in Journalism and Media Studies.

Source: Briefly News