Meet Africa Miranda of “The New Atlanta.” Along with being one of the newest members to join the Bravo reality series family, Africa is also a performer in all genres: acting, modeling, theater and dance. She is the face of several hair campaigns and co-creator of her own live concept show. Africa sits down with UPTOWN to discuss her Broadway dreams, love triangle with cast members Jevon Sims and Alexandra Dilworth, and how she is not representative of “every brown girl around the world” …
UPTOWN: Africa it’s great to meet you! You’re a beautiful woman, and that hair is to die for! (We will get to that later!) What led you to joining “The New Atlanta” cast?
Africa: Thank you! Well it was actually a case of somebody who knew somebody, who knew somebody that approached me about doing the show. It felt like a perfect situation.
[Images: Bravo]
UPTOWN: On the series you come across as a woman who has a strong personality, and of course with reality shows there is backlash against that at times, as not only being a woman with a strong personality, but being a black woman with a strong personality. How do you feel about how people will interpret that?
Africa: On one hand I like to tell people I’d rather have someone absolutely love me or absolutely hate me. What you don’t want is the indifference, like, “Oh, she’s cool.” If I’m at least getting extremes, I know I’m having an impact. You do think of your responsibility as an African-American woman. On one hand, I don’t want to have to feel like every time I do something I’m representing every brown girl of the world. At the same time, while it may not always be there, if you are given an opportunity and a platform you do have to think about that … I am definitely aware of the choices I make and how I carry myself. I am very much, just, showing my life and life is well put together, and sometimes, it’s a mess. I don’t claim to have all the answers, I’m just trying to show how I get through each day; trying to find love, trying to move forward in my career and find balance. It’s a challenge but I’ve never been one to back down from a challenge.
UPTOWN: What are your aspirations and goals?
Africa: I grew up in theater and have been playing violin since I was three years old. I’ve always been very creative and am at a point in my life where I can say I make a living as a performer. By no means am I Mariah Carey, but I am proud to say that I make a living doing what I do, and hope that from this show people can see that. If I could end up on Broadway touring with my show I would be the happiest girl in the world. The stage is my happy place. I guest-starred on “The Game” last season, I have a vocal coach, and I’m absolutely working on my craft and would love to do everything.
UPTOWN: You know I have to ask you about the footage that I have seen! There seems to be a major storyline revolved around you and your cast mates Alexandra Dilworth and Jevon “Vawn” Sims. Almost a love and war type of relationship, so was there a winner in this war? Are you and Jevon together?
Africa: I can tell you that Vawn is amazing and we knew each other already socially, and kind of professionally but never had the chance to get to know each other on a personal level. The connection we had was a wonderful surprise on both ends. You do get to see that develop and I’m sure a man as charming and magnetic as Vawn … Well, I’m not the only one who thinks that is the case. I’m very open about what I want in love. As far as Alexandra … The king and queen always has to have a court jester, so there’s always entertainment right there.
UPTOWN: What is it that you want to come across about you from being on “The New Atlanta”?
Africa: Just that this is my real life. I love glamour and I love drama but at the end of the day I am the same brown girl from Montgomery, Alabama … there is a dirt road at the end of my street. I feel that while there are a lot of us on these shows – and I’m a reality show junkie – I felt that I never saw a version of myself and my friends. A different side of what it is to be a Black girl, and just be living and going through life … It’s my real life, my real house, my real friends. You know the real things that are happening to me. Sometimes it’s my real hair, sometimes it’s not! We [Black women] can be sexy, fun, and quirky, we can be a lot of things and I wanted a chance to show a different side of who we are.
UPTOWN: Lastly, we have to talk about the beautiful hair! Give us some tips … What do you use and what is your hair care regimen?
Africa: A few things … I tried transitioning to Team Natural a few times before and totally transitioned around 2007. Coconut oil is our friend; deep conditioning is a must, and so is trimming your hair. I am not opposed to wearing a sew-in or having custom pieces made to wear to prevent damaging my hair when I am working. You will also get to see that on the show as well. Wearing a sew-in or wig if you’re not ready to big chop is OK!
Follow Africa Miranda on Twitter. Find out what cast mate Alexandra Dilworth had to say about Africa here. And keep checking back over the next three days for UPTOWN’s exclusive interviews with the other three cast members of “The New Atlanta,” which premieres September 17 at 10 p.m. EST on Bravo.
