For Africa Day, Stylist and creative director Medinah Sanusi shines the light on the women who stood beside Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the unrecognised vibrant cultural vanguards who brought his vision to life.
On Africa Day, we honour the voices and stories that have moved our continent through the rhythm of their bodies and the fire of their expression. Among these powerful forces were the Kalakuta Queens — the legendary dancers of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Often overlooked and unrecognised, these women, with their movements, became the heartbeat of a revolution.
The soul of Afrobeat was feminine
Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s music defined an era — nearly four decades of Afrobeat brilliance that challenged systemic oppression and celebrated Nigerian identity. Behind, beside, and beyond his sound were women who made the message deeper. The Kalakuta Queens were more than dancers. They were priestesses in waist beads and storytellers in motion.
Every hip thrust, chest pop and barefoot stomp was a call to consciousness, summoning spirits, telling truths and defiling silence. Their movements weren’t just for entertainment — they were protest, poetry, and prayer.
“Their bodies were drums.
Their movement: message, medicine and mutiny.”
In a world that sought to silence them, they responded with rhythm. In a society that targeted them, they danced in defiance. These women embodied resistance in sweat, scars and song. And in doing so, they reminded the world that Fela’s revolution had rhythm — but these women gave it soul.
A tribute through modern eyes
In curating this artistic homage, Stylist and creative director Medinah Sanusi wanted to reflect the spirit of these women — their grace, grit, and unshakeable sisterhood. It was about ensuring that today’s generation sees the Kalakuta Queens not just as dancers in Fela’s band, but as icons in their own right.
The creative process began with an ideation board deeply rooted in history — Yoruba orisha dance, Black power movements of the 1960s and 1970s, and the trance-like group performances that once filled the Kalakuta Republic. These references informed costume design, lighting direction, and model selection.
Beginning with a subtle makeover. Medinah and the makeup artist Julia painted on brown morphsuits using water-activated makeup that blended seamlessly with the models’ skin. The intention was to mimic the spiritual intensity of body art and to centre the physical form as a site of power.
Read also: Exploring the Nigerian Orisha horoscope and how to know your sign
In the 1960s and 1970s, natural hair was a political act and afrocentric pride. So the hair — sharp, intentional, and unapologetically African — framed each woman’s presence and power. The waist beads of the original queens were replaced with boho vintage necklaces and silver bangles, juxtaposing the past with a touch of present-day minimalism.
These design choices were visual acts of defiance that spoke to the Queens’ agency, beauty, and resilience.
Photographing this tribute was a collaborative act of reverence. Darren, the photographer, is a long-time admirer of Fela’s work and shares Medinah’s appreciation for icons like Grace Jones. Though not Black himself, his artistic sensibility aligned with the vision, and his lens captured the Queens’ fire with clarity and respect.
This shoot is a reimagining of what it means to honour women who danced not behind Fela, but with him. Women who moved a nation, not with guns, but with grace.
Why the Kalakuta Queens matter today
As we celebrate Africa Day, let us remember that power takes many forms. For the Kalakuta Queens, it came through movement. Through sensuality turned spirituality. Through sisterhood that stood firm against police raids, propaganda, and prison walls.
They were shamed because they were fearless. They were hunted because they were powerful. And still, they remained — in solidarity, in song, in spirit.
Their legacy lives in every woman who dares to move boldly. In every artist who creates without permission and in every African who remembers that revolution is not always shouted. Sometimes, it is danced.
CREDITS
Styling & Creative Direction: Medinah Sanusi
Stylist Assistant: @tessa_flor
Photography: Darren Black (@darren_black)
Makeup Artist: Julia Mocca (loca_mocca_makeup)
Hairstylist: Lucia Josephine (luciajosephine_)
Model: Sabrina & Fatou (@firstlondon)
Model: Sisi (@tessmanagement)
Costume: Stylist
Accessories: Stylist
