Meet the YouTube comedian behind the hilarious make-up video
If you are active on Facebook by now you have come across the video titled, “When you tell a Kamba to do a make-up tutorial.”
Well, if not, worry not as it is still available online expressing the other side of comedy, YouTube comedy.
Nairobi News had a one-on-one with the creative mind behind the video, Janet Kioko aka Syokimanga, a 30 year-old Kenyan born and raised in Thika now living in Munich, Germany.
Tell us something brief about Janet Kioko
I am a born again Christian, second born with two siblings and a media graduate. I studied at the East African School of Journalism and proceeded to the Akademie der Media in Munich. I am a freelance audio and video media designer who loves making people laugh.
What prompted you to do the video ‘When you tell a Kamba to do a make-up tutorial?’
(Laughs) The video was just a by the way as I had been making and sharing hilarious videos with my friends Sarah, Anne and Bianca just for fun and uploading them on my Facebook page.
Last week I decided to send Anne the Syokimanga goes personal video, that I later uploaded on YouTube too, and I found myself going into the character by doing bad make up. After she watched it she recommended that I share the make-up tips behind the look on video again just for fun.
I shared both videos on Facebook intending to brighten anyone one who was having a bad day and then people started commenting and saying they liked it and I should put it on YouTube.
Now that the video has been well received online, is this something you will keep doing?
I love making people happy and if this is the way and platform then I will keep doing it. First I didn’t expect Syokimanga to go viral so maybe I can give her a chance if it’s God’s will. Much as I was doing it for family and friends to enjoy, I am open to making more and more people happy.
How did you fuse in the two characters, Syokimanga and Janet? Are you an actress too?
Well, Janet and Syokimanga are more or less the same but Janet is more private, loves baking, cooking, travelling and hanging out with family. Syokimanga on the other end just wants to make people happy; it doesn’t matter what topics she discusses in the video.
I have never been a professional actress but I had been doing a lot of school plays and the usual stand-up comedy while with friends and family.
What is next for you in the media industry and your new found love in YouTube comedy?
More and more videos, professionally done this time using the journalism skills I have. I also want to test the waters and keep doing the videos just to make people happy and see what will be in it at the end.