Earlier this year, I had the privilege of visiting the Samsung Galaxy Studio at Sandton City, to explore their latest innovation: the Samsung Galaxy S24.

As someone who absolutely loves Samsung smartphones, this experience was nothing short of exhilarating. Samsung has once again raised the bar, crafting a device that blends cutting-edge AI technology with user-friendly features designed to enhance everyday life.

Read along to get the Galaxy S24 features overview. You can also check the reel I made about it here.

Innovative Features that Stand Out

The Galaxy S24 is packed with an array of features that make it more than just a smartphone. Here are a few that truly stood out to me:

1. Circle to Search
   Imagine spotting an item that catches your eye—perhaps a pair of sneakers or a handbag—and wanting to know more about it immediately. With the Galaxy S24, all you need to do is use the “Circle to Search” feature. Simply circle the object on your screen, and the phone instantly provides detailed information. This feature is a game-changer for fashion enthusiasts, shoppers, and curious minds alike.
2. Note Assist
   If you’re like me and frequently take notes, you’ll appreciate the “Note Assist” feature. It not only makes note-taking a breeze but also helps with formatting and summarising your notes. Whether you’re jotting down ideas for your next project or taking meeting notes, this feature ensures that everything is organised and easy to reference later.
3. Live Translate
   In our increasingly globalised world, language barriers can be a challenge. The Galaxy S24’s “Live Translate” feature addresses this by translating conversations in real-time. Whether you’re traveling abroad or communicating with someone who speaks a different language, this feature ensures that nothing gets lost in translation.

A Seamless User Experience

Beyond these standout features, the Galaxy S24 offers a seamless user experience. The phone is powered by advanced AI that adapts to your habits, making it more intuitive and efficient over time. The design is sleek, and the performance is top-notch, handling multitasking and high-demand apps with ease.

The Galaxy S24 also boasts a stunning display that brings images and videos to life with vibrant colors and sharp details. Whether you’re watching your favorite show, playing a game, or simply browsing through your gallery, the visual experience is immersive and satisfying.

Final Thoughts

The Samsung Galaxy S24 is more than just a smartphone—it’s a smart companion that enhances your daily life. From helping you find information on the go with “Circle to Search” to assisting with note-taking and breaking down language barriers, this phone is designed to meet the needs of the modern user.

If you’re in the market for a new phone, I highly recommend checking out the Galaxy S24. Don’t just take my word for it; visit a Samsung Store near you and experience the innovation for yourself!

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Last week, I visited a brand new museum in town, with family and friends. Read along to unlock the magic and let’s explore together the Museum of Illusions In Johannesburg.

A little history about the Museum of Illusions

The Museum of Illusions, a global chain of interactive museums, invites visitors into the fascinating world of optical illusions and sensory experiences. Since its founding in 2015 in Zagreb, Croatia, the museum has expanded to over 30 cities worldwide, captivating audiences with its unique blend of education and entertainment. Each location features exhibits that challenge your perception, play with your senses, and make you question reality.

In Johannesburg, the Museum of Illusions which opened its doors in July this year, offers the same intriguing experience. Located at The Zone Rosebank Mall, this museum brings the world of illusions to life through various immersive exhibits and mind-bending installations.

This is how our visit went:

Upon arrival, a friendly staff member greeted us and quickly checked us in. As we entered the venue, the adults in our group hesitated for a moment, unsure of where to begin. Meanwhile, the kids were already hopping excitedly from room to room, engaging with every installation they encountered. Their enthusiasm was our cue to embrace our inner child and join in the fun.

Standard Installations

From my research about the museum, most installations are standards across the countries. I’ve came across a blog post describing the Illusions museum in Charlotte (USA) and the experience felt very similar. Thus, some of their most popular attractions include:

The Infinity Room:  A seemingly endless space created by mirrors and lights, where you can lose yourself in an infinite reflection.

The Ames Room:   A mind-bending optical illusion that distorts the perception of size, making one person appear much larger or smaller than the other.

The Vortex Tunnel: A rotating tunnel that tricks your brain into thinking you’re losing balance, even though you’re on solid ground (P.S: Although the kids ran through this one multiple times, I couldn’t go through it).

Tips to plan your visit the Museum of Illusion in Johannesburg:

Book your tickets online

Although tickets can be purchase at the door, it’s recommended to book online in advance, especially during weekends and holidays, to avoid long wait times.

Arrive approximatively 15 minutes earlier

We had booked for the 12 pm slot and between looking for parking space, and finding our way through a crowded mall, we arrived a couple of minutes late. Give yourself 15-20 minutes extra in your traveling time to find the venue without stressing too much. This is necessary when your group include young kids as ours.

The visit takes approximately 45-60 minutes

The museum is not your typical large arts or science museums. The visit can be wrapped up in about 40 minutes to an hour. We visited the museum on a Saturday during school holidays so it was reasonably crowded with families. Sometimes we had to queue to be able to experiment an installation. Because of this, I didn’t properly experiment some exhibits, especially the mind-bending wall arts. But, after an hour, all of us felt like we had seen and enjoyed most of the museum.

Pair your visit with a more relaxing activity, such as a family lunch

The visit time was just enough to get the kids interested and engaged. We wrapped up the visit with a nice lunch at a pizza family restaurant in the mall to rest our brain neurones.

Come with a fully charged phone and take plenty of pictures

One of the appeal of this kind of museum is that it’s a literally a mini-shooting session. The museums offer a lot of photo-worthy installations, and some illusions are only seen after your captured them via your lenses. We all left with a lot of fun and memorable photos. Also, The Illusions assistants are very helpful. They help visitors enjoy the exhibits and they double as photo-assistants which is great!

Some bonus tips:

Location and Pricing

The Museum of Illusions Johannesburg is conveniently located at the Zone, Rosebank, a vibrant area known for its shopping centres, restaurants, and entertainment options.

N.B:  The museum can be difficult to find, especially if you’re not familiar with Rosebank Mall/ The Zone. It’s easily accessible by the lifts from the Parking near Newscafe (opp. Starbucks). You will find the museum opposite the department store, Egg Beauty.

Address:

The Zone @ Rosebank,

177 Oxford Rd, Rosebank, Johannesburg, 2196

Pricing:

• Adults: R190 
• Children (under 15): R150 Family Ticket (2 Adults + 2 Children): R540 
• Seniors and Students: R150 

You can get more info on their website.

Whether you’re looking to explore the science behind illusions, enjoy a fun day out with family or friends, or capture Instagram-worthy photos, the Museum of Illusions is an unforgettable destination. furthermore, the venue can be a great choice for birthday parties, school outings and more (Group discounts are available for bookings of 10 or more people).

Have you been to the Museum of Illusions in Johannesburg or anywhere in the world? Did you enjoy it?

Let’s get social, let’s connect!

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Facebook page : House of Nzinga

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An Homage To Black Queer Culture.

(This article was last updated on 18 August 2024)

On Friday July 30, Beyoncé released her much anticipated 7^th studio album, Renaissance. The album dropped 6 weeks after “Break my soul”, its first single, was released. The single sent her fandom (the whole world even!), into a frenzy of anticipation of the superstar’s comeback.

The long and....

“Break My Soul” gave us a glimpse into Queen Bey’s new artistic direction. The release of Renaissance confirmed it. We’re going (back) to the Disco! Upon its release, the album sparked all sort of reactions, ranging from total euphoria from the Beyhive (her adoring fanbase), to (mostly) raving and positive reviews from the media and music critics.

But it also sparked a lot of controversies, think-pieces and dramas on social media. Like with every Beyoncé’s project over the past few years, the reactions are always extremes and polarized.

However, many agree that Renaissance is nothing more than an invitation to dance, party and rejoice. A breath of fresh air, after two years of isolation brought by one of the biggest pandemics of our modern times, the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Break my soul’’ lyrics, an invitation to release everything, (including our jobs!), perfectly summarize the general mood of the album.

“And we back outside
You said you outside, but you ain’t that outside
Worldwide hoodie with the mask outside
In case you forgot how we act outside”

…The short of it

The album is a mix of disco, soul, and electro vibes. It evokes a feeling of fun, nostalgia and familiarity. To achieve this, Renaissance contains a long list of samples, interpolations and familiar elements of disco, pop and hip-hop songs. One notable ‘sample’ is “Show me love” by Robin S. on the hit single “Break my soul”.

The songs transition and blend smoothly into one another, like a long DJ set, reinforcing the feeling of a big disco party.

Renaissance also boasts a very long list of credits, with notable participation of producers, songwriters and composers. The Dream, Nile Rodgers, Raphael Saadiq, Drake¸ Big Freedia and the latest sensation on the Afrobeats/Afropop scene, Nigerian songbird Tems, are among those on the list.

Ultimately, the album is a lover letter to the Black Queer community, who are the originators and innovators of many of today’s pop culture trends.

In short, Renaissance is a real ode to Black Joy.

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Here is a full, song-by-song, review.

1. “I’m that girl”

When the album started playing, my initial reaction after few seconds was an uncertain “hmm?”. But when the beat drops (at exactly 0.43 seconds), I got immediately hooked. Beyoncé’s invitation to join her big dancing party is accepted!

The first track transitions smoothly to what sounds like a self-love anthem: “Cozy”. The track is full of, what we can anticipate, will be social media quotable:

2. “Cozy”

The first track transitions smoothly to what will probably be the self-love anthem of the album: “Cozy”. The track is full of, what we can anticipate, will be social media quotables:

Might I suggest you don’t fuck with my sis (Ooh)
‘Cause she comfortable
Comfortable in my skin
Cozy with who I am
Comfortable in my skin
Cozy, cozy

3.“Alien Superstar”

“Please do not be alarmed. Do not attempt to leave the dance floor” announces a robotic voice through a megaphone”. This intro transports the listener into a retro-futuristic space (cue: Bestie Boy’s Intergalactic) and elevates the sonic experience of the album.

The song also contains an interpolation of the 90ies rap hit ‘’I’m too Sexy”’ by Right Said Fred. “Alien superstar” brings a lot of nostalgia and fun, enhanced by beautiful vocals, blended with her signature rap-talking.

4. “ Cuff-It “

The good mood set by “Alien Superstar” continues and transitions nicely into “Cuff-It”.  Here Beyoncé invites us to get lose through the night and get high on the dance floor. Nile Rodgers is credited as one of the songwriters. The song is already a favourite on social media boosted by the #Cuffitdancechallenge).

For those who don’t know, Nile Rodgers is a legendary American record producer, songwriter, musician, composer, arranger, and guitarist. He is behind some of the world biggest hits: “Like a Virgin” (Madonna), “Le Freak” (Chic), David Bowie’s” Let’s Dance” and Daft Punk’s Ft Pharrell Williams, “Get Lucky”. We can definitely feel his touch on the track.

5. Energy

The transition between “Cuff-It” and “Energy” is probably one of the best on the album. Here Beyoncé enrols Beam, a Jamaican-American rap artist, who delivers a catchy and dance-hall verse. It provides an excellent bridge between Cuff It and Energy.

Side Note: Unfortunately, just a couple of hours after the album’s release, “Energy” was at the centre of a controversy. The first of many thereafter. Singer Kelis accused Beyoncé of ‘Theft “after some of her fans ‘account spotted her name in the song’s credits and praised the “collaboration “between the two artists. However, Kelis declared that she was not consulted and expressed her anger toward the star. She went on a several days tirade on social media to air her grievance with the star.

For context, “Energy” contains an interpolation of “Milkshake”, a song produced by The Neptunes and performed by Kelis. Beyoncé seems like a collateral damage in Kelis’ years-long feud with The Neptunes, mainly with Pharrel Williams, over the song’s rights and ownership. However, it is important to note that she is not listed as a songwriter/composer on that song and Beyoncé, or any other artists, are not legally require to go through her, to clear a sample. Beyoncé probably thought she was being considerate by crediting her as the performer of the song, but it unfortunately backfires.  You can read the full story here:

[NB: after Kelis’ dramas, Beyonce removed her from the credits list ]

The song also contains a nod to Fugees’ Oh lalala’ (“Fu-Gee-La”) chorus. The sentence “Them Karens have turned into terrorists” is a reminder that we can still for something, even while we’re having fun

6. Break my soul

That’s the debut single that introduced us to the new colour and sound direction of the album. Here Beyoncé promises us a good time and to take us back the disco and the ballroom era. She enrols, once again, Big Freedia (the two have collaborated on Lemonade), to tap into and, celebrate the Black queer and bounce music culture.

“Break My soul” is really an “We’re outside !!” anthem. A celebration of the world post-pandemic, where we can hopefully be ourselves again. It’s a vibration and mood lifter. Some media and commentators have linked it to the “Great resignation” phenomenon, thanks to “release your fears, release your job” part in the lyrics.

As stated above, Beyoncé here interpolates a very famous disco song of the 90ies, “Show me love” by Robin S. The later went on several media appearances and thanked Beyoncé for honouring and crediting her in the song. Hopefully, it will also boost her streaming numbers, with the help of the younger generation who will want to discover the original song and the older ones, nostalgic of the good old days.

7. Church Girl

That’s the first time that the album actually makes a few seconds stop, contrary to the smooth transition which intertwined all the previous songs together. Probably to let us catch our breath?

Church girl is a very interesting song. One could naively expect a gospel song. But trust Beyoncé to take the stereotype of the “good church girl” and turn into an hymn for girls living life into their own terms. She warns:

I’m warning everybody, soon as I get in this party
I’m gon’ let go of this body, I’m gonna love on me
Nobody can judge me but me, I was born free

In a plot twist, the song becomes a twerking anthem:

I’ll drop it like a thotty, drop it like a thotty
I said, now pop it like a thotty, pop it like a thotty (you bad)
Mi seh, now drop it like a thotty, drop it like a thotty (you bad)
Church girls actin’ loose, bad girls actin’ snotty (you bad)
Let it go, girl (let it go), let it out, girl (let it out)
Twerk that ass like you came up out the South, girl (ooh, ooh)
I said, now drop it like a thotty, drop it like a thotty (you bad)
Bad girl actin’ naughty, church girl, don’t hurt nobody

The song contains some notable interpolations, including of “Center of thy will”, from legendary gospel group, the Clark Sisters,

Side Note: If you have seen the Clark ‘sisters’ biopic, it shows the tension between the need to stay ‘holy’ and abide by the church rules, and a fierce will of emancipation within some of the sisters, making them some kind of “Church girls” too.

8. Plastic off the sofa

“Plastic off the Sofa” transitions the heavily disco infused album, into a smooth adult R&B atmosphere. The song gives old school and nostalgic vibes. It evokes a picture of lovers, who have grown old together and are reminiscing of the good old times. It is an invitation to let your hair down and be yourself around the person you love.

9. Virgo Growth

As a famous Virgo, Beyoncé offers a cool, unpretentious song that bring us back to the dancefloor. She provides a hymn for her fellow virgos. The song rhythms remind of “Before I let go”, from Franky Beverly and Mase, a song she famously sampled upon the released of “Homecoming”, her acclaimed Coachella’s performance.

10 Move

Another obvious nod to the black queer culture. Move is a “voguing” song, the synchronized dances originally created in underground black queers’ community. Voguing is a type of dancing that including posing movement like a model (of Vogue magazine). It has been made mainstream by Madonna, in her song, famously titled “Vogue” (1997).

The song features a surprising collaboration by Nigerian artist, Tems and the legendary Grace Jones.

11. Heated

It is interesting to note that, when Beyoncé started teasing her new album, Drake released, a few days before Renaissance, a surprising electro-house project. 

Media and fans alike were wondering about the odds of two of the biggest superstars, to take a similar creative direction. Pure artistic coincidence or they have enrolled the same producers?

Seeing Drake being credited as one of the producers of the album, make sense. Although, Drake drew his inspiration into the current Afro-house sounds (especially the popular Amapiano genre). Beyoncé chose to lean toward the old-school US electro and disco scene.

The song is also a tribute to Beyoncé’s late uncle Johnny, a gay man who died young of HIV Aids related complications. He seemed to have been a major influential figure in her life. The chorus “Uncle Johnny made my dress “is already becoming popular on social media.

12 Thique

Another voguing song! Beyoncé once again goes back to her rap-singing voice. The song is light with a repetition of lyrics.

13. All up in your mind in your mind.

 Between Move and this one, songs are more laid back and easily transitions into one another, almost monotonously but still a pleasant and cohesive listening experience.

 14. America has a problem

The song breaks the previous monotony with an old-school rap intro. One can imagine the music video like those old school rap videos. Cue: A Run DMC video with rappers sporting heavy gold chains, Adidas track shoes and shoes, tearing up a screen and ready to take you back into a 90ies Breakdance dancefloor. Beyoncé even choose to “rap’ in this song.

The song contains a sample of an old-school rap song “(Cocaine) America has a problem” by Kilo Ali.

15. Pure Honey

Bad bitches to the left
Money bitches to the right
You can be both, meet in the middle, dance all night
Take it all off or just a little if you like
It’s pure

It should cost a billion to look this good (oh, yeah)

Queen Bey is urging all of her fans “to get into formation”, in perhaps the ultimate voguing song of the album

What best than an homage to the ultimate queen of disco herself, Donna Summer, to close up this heavily infused Disco party we’ve been invited to?

Summer Renaissance gives a feeling of ‘full circle ‘moment. And perhaps, it offers one of the biggest lesson of this album: do not be afraid to take risks (as she did by taking this artistic direction).

You’re the director of your life, you can hit the spectator with a plot twist and unexpected turn, any time.

On 24 March 2024, Beyonce released Cowboy Carter, Act II, a country inspired album.

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You can stream Renaissance full album here:

UPDATE

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Let’s get social, let’s connect!

Welcome to the Queendom : http://houseofnzinga.com/welcome/

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