This Weekend, Everyone's a Barbie and Here's Why.

🧘‍♀️ Zen Note

Barbie has always been my all time feel-good movie. For me, it's more than just a movie; it's a whole mood, a time capsule of memories that bring an instant smile to my face. I watched my first Barbie movie as a pre-teen and my mind was blown by the captivating, magical stories this animated world of plastic characters had to tell. It was like stepping into a whimsical wonderland that I knew I'd never want to leave. But in reality: Not everyone felt the same way about Barbie. For some, it was just another kids' show, dismissed as 'girls' stuff' or enjoyed only by those deemed 'not-so-smart.' Growing up, I faced the challenge of breaking free from those narrow-minded stereotypes and embracing my love for this cherished childhood experience.

Fast forward to today, and I can't contain my excitement witnessing the incredible revolution taking place around this classic entertainment. There’s every identity in Barbie. Every look, every skin tone and every age. The transformation is real! It's like a breath of fresh air that's sweeping through pop culture. We’ve been in Barbie season since late March, and this weekend is the crowning moment we've all been waiting for. But it doesn't stop here; this movement has taken society by storm, turning everything pink with an infectious energy. It's more than just a 2hr+ movie — it's a full-blown cultural phenomenon, and I'm here for every moment of it.

- Edisana Stephen, Newsletter Editor

🥳 Z Brand Spotlight

Éluwa is a luxury candle making brand founded by Lee Litumbe. The brand takes its name from her native Bakweri language, where it means "market." The Bakweri people are an ethnic group from the southwestern region of Cameroon. The items which are handcrafted from inside a studio in Dakar, Senegal take inspiration from the exceptional artistry and exclusive raw materials found in artisanal markets.

The brand focuses on serving the contemporary woman who seeks to infuse her space with the essence of handmade luxury. Through handcrafted pieces, Éluwa is deeply committed to empowering women through artistic expression while simultaneously honoring the ingenuity of African craftsmanship.

📢 From the Inside

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💡 Z-Lang

Barbenheimer - a portmanteau that speaks to the irony and humor of the Barbie and Oppenheimer movies premiering on the same day — today.

😮‍💨 Weekenda

• Oppenheimer, a Christopher Nolan film

Choose your side between this weekend’s blockbuster, if you’re team Christopher Nolan, Cilian Murphy stars in this biographical thriller on the invention of the atomic bomb.

•  Barbie, a movie by Greta Gerwig

On the other side of the bill, Greta Gerwig takes you into the many worlds of many Barbies.

• Inside, a movie

This heist-gone-wrong thriller brings to light a thief’s moral dilemma while being confined.

• The Stolen Coast, a book by Dwyer Murphy

This heist novel allows a Harvard-polished lawyer who finds himself caught up in a diamond heist.

• Bees and Honey Brunch, an event at Beehive, Accra

For the day drinkers (no judgement), and the brunch girlies.

• L’unite du Vide (The Unit of Emptiness), an exhibition by KOUN at Labaraque gallery, Abidjan

KOUN asks the question with this body of work, ‘are you willing to lose yourself in the mystery of emiptiness?’

• Echoes of a Chattering Mind, an exhibition by MIIICKEYMADU at Elle Lokko, Osu

MIIICKEYMADU joins a team of artists for weekend that shares joy, curiosity, questions and observations of the artist’s mind.

Z-Rated is a weekly newsletter that curates the latest on Gen Z culture in Africa and around the world. Subscribe to be among the first to get the next issue when it’s up.