Elsa Majimbo and Naomi Campbell: The Complication of a Friendship Turned Sour
Kenyan influencer and comedian Elsa Majimbo and English model Naomi Campbell have been the talk of the socials with the rot of their relationship hitting the fans, prompting social media furor and debates about the exploitation of young talents in the industry.
In a now-deleted TikTok video, the comedian chronicled her strained relationship with Campbell, colouring her narrative with details pertaining to her stardom, Naomi’s influence on her ascent, and clarification as to why she’d been struggling with drinking and registering the same online impact pre-fall out.
Throughout the eight-minute video, Elsa applies and sprays various cosmetics on her body.
Watch the video below:
The slow-burning account of their complex relationship started in 2020 when Naomi called up Elsa when she touched down in Kenya to do shopping. As they were doing shopping, according to Elsa, Naomi then offered her and her brother the opportunity to fly back and go on vacation with her. Elsa obliged, and conceded that Naomi had been a great host, saying “Naomi took care of me the whole entire time.”
One of the key points in the video that allude to the beginning of the deterioration of the Elsa-Naomi relationship was the release of Majimbo’s self-written documentary Elsa, which was released in June 9, 2022 and screened at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival.
After the drop of the doccie, which centered around themes of bullying, colorism, and her upbringing, she alleged in the video that she received a call from her friend-turned-foe Naomi, who threatened to “sue” her because during the vacation they had taken together, Naomi had suggested a film idea that sounded similar to what Elsa would eventually do in the future in the shape of Elsa.
Majimbo (Pictured)
After receiving the phone call, Elsa recalled striking out when it came to content creation and putting out her craft, crediting her struggles to what had transpired between her and her former mentor. This was when she, as per the recording, “started drinking a lot” to cope with the swift changes and adverse effects of the collapse of their friendship.
Albeit she concluded her video on an ominous note of them being “strangers”, Elsa has come out and stood her ground on X, stating that she would continue to stand by her truth despite the polarised reception.
Naomi’s response has been cryptic amid the saga, with the internationally-acclaimed model opting for the high road. On her IG stories, she posted a picture saying, “Sometimes maturing in Christ means letting people think things about you that aren’t true, remaining quiet, and trusting God is more than able to defend you.”
Naomi’s post on her IG stories
Some people such as @papaallano_, were critical of her decision to out Naomi the way she did on TikTok, positing that Naomi not only had “connections” in the industry, but that “no big brand or name will want to associate with her in future” due to the video.
Others were more favourable to Elsa, citing that her courageous act of standing up for herself was an act of bravery that would help others who might have gone through what she went through.
@marthamwatha posted on X, commending Elsa, saying, “I’m so proud of Elsa Majimbo. Standing up to a powerful bully is not easy. The girl [Elsa] was shaking, but she did it anyway.” She concluded by stating that Majimbo “is to be protected at all costs.”
@mirthdot brought up an exchange between supermodel Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell, relating the snippets to how Elsa took to TikTok to put Naomi on blast and saying, “Basically this was Tyra bringing Naomi on her show to do exactly what Elsa Majimbo did on her TikTok.”