Meet Kenya’s Most Forward Thinking Millennial , Lyra Aoko.

Meet Kenya’s most forward thinking millennial, Lyra Aoko. An artist who is changing the creative scene in her city of Nairobi. The 24 year old photographer, videographer and lifestyle blogger is dedicated to creating beautiful imagery within Africa which has then led her to work with East African models, Nike, Samsung and Burger King. Her work speaks to the generation and has garnered her over 43.8k followers on Instagram.

In an in interview with Design Indaba, we get to know the photographer personally as she discusses her views on photography saying “Photography has allowed and given me a platform to share my unique story as an African woman and capture real images that would be lost in the clutter of everyday life. I have been able to make special moments permanent and it has also given me a new perspective on life and everything around me in such a beautiful way. Photography is a powerful means of communication and it has allowed me to share my unique narrative as an artist living, working and building creative Africa, something I cherish and will never forsake.” and when asked what’s next for her she adds “ I am focusing on changing the narrative of Africa. My life’s mission is to showcase all the beauty and the wonders that our continent holds and my plan is to capture it all over the next few years. I am working on a few photography projects that will hopefully see the light of day in the new year. I am excited about everything my hands will touch and my camera will see over the next few years. It will be an explosion of goodness I promise you. In the meantime, I will keep creating every day.”

According to Asos Marketplace, Lyra is also a Blaze Kenya mentor, a BAKE award nominee and when asked about how it all started she responds “My creative journey started when I was very young. I used to sing, dance, paint and more in primary school. My musical side however progressed in High School as I was part of the school choir. I did not know whether I wanted to be a full-time artist at the time but I went with the flow and ended up winning a singing competition and doing music professionally for close to two years. Photography came naturally over time and has always been a part of me and my identity. I started my photography company a year ago and have been creating images ever since.”

Lyra is true voice of her generation and we are excited to watch her progress on this journey of spreading her appreciation for beauty. To see her work, visit her website Lyraaoko.com