Urban Creator Trudy Kazangu: "To be able to say: voila, I did it, that's really fantastic."

March 18, 2019

min read

Trudy Kazangu has a passion for photography because she believes images say much more than words. She has been part of the Chase team for a few years now and with an interest in fashion and urban music, we can count on her for seasonal fashion updates and festival coverage. 2019 is the year she wants to do - well, everything.

The Chase Urban Creators are digital creatives who create videos, photos, articles and social stories on topics such as urban music, lifestyle, creatives and society. They are a diverse group of young people looking for a platform to pursue their passions and expand their skills.

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Hey Trudy Kazangu, what are you doing for Chase?

I mainly write articles about fashion. Often this is seasonal: articles about winter coats or colors for summer. Furthermore, I am interested in various social topics, as long as I can learn something from them. That's why I wrote an article for Chase about identity crisis among Congolese youth. I am also a photographer at various events. I am currently studying journalism at the Erasmushogeschool in Brussels, combining the second and third years. So it's still a bit of a puzzle to combine everything.

Where did you study photography?

I actually don't like to call myself a "photographer," because I have never trained in photography at any accredited institution. I recently bought a new camera and I really enjoy working with it. I also started with analog photography, which gives a different feel and is super cool to work with. I do not develop the photos myself and leave this task to a professional.

How long have you been an urban creator at Chase?

Maybe I've been with Chase for four or five years? I ended up here through the grapevine. A friend of mine was already writing for Chase and she thought Chase would satisfy my interests. So I did an intake and offered myself as a volunteer.

What are your main interests?

For Chase, I write about fashion, and within this theme I have also written a number of list articles. But the thing is: I would rather not have a "fashion stamp," so I wanted to write about something deeper. I wanted to delve into something more serious that is also close to my personality. So I ended up writing the article about African girls with tattoos: I have tattoos myself and I notice how it is difficult to be accepted in this way, for example in my own family. From that human aspect and feeling I want to write. That's why I also wrote the article about the identity crisis among Congolese youth: I started again from a personal angle, and then I interviewed some people to open the topic.

What was the most exciting assignment you've already done for Chase?

The most exciting thing I did for Chase was to go to WECANDANCE 2017 by myself. Taking photos at the festival was very stressful, but also very cool and very revealing. At the time, I didn't have much professional photography experience and I had so much stress to introduce myself to everyone. You have to take enough pictures, and especially enough good pictures. Everyone looks at you and wonders if you are a real photographer or someone pretending to be a photographer. You are alone and know that people are counting on you: I felt a lot of pressure. But WECANDANCE was a great place and experience, and I was able to photograph a lot of nice people. To be able to say, voila, I did it, that's really great.

Do you work on other projects besides Chase assignments?

I recently answered an open call from the Fotomuseum in Antwerp. Their project, Black History Month Antwerp, aims to bring young Afro-Belgians closer to art in which they recognize themselves and find inspiration. They made an appeal to young, gifted and black people to think about what freedom means and how that can be expressed creatively in photography. Some of my photos were selected and are currently on display at FOMU on the occasion of Black History Month under the heading "What does freedom mean to you as an Afro-Belgian?

What skills would you like to expand?

I would love to write more, but I'm actually very insecure about my writing. So I'd rather do something I'm more confident about, and that's making videos. What I would really like to do later is make documentaries, because I'm pretty good with images. At least I think so, because I hear this a lot. I want to do everything myself: from making the images to editing. I like to work around social and cultural topics, but fashion and lifestyle also interest me. Although I prefer to focus on the social aspect of beauty.

I would like to make a docu about beauty ideals among street children in Congo, for example. Making photos with a little bit of text is therefore perfect for me. Chase's main goal is to publish content about music and lifestyle. But there is also room for more in-depth topics, so I can publish my articles about tattoos and Congolese youth. All the photos I took for Chase are on my Instagram feed. And I always get really good feedback. I think because people see that I work for Chase, they take me a little more seriously.

Do you also use other social media to distribute your work?

I'm only active on Instagram. Snapchat is not for me, I don't understand anything about Twitter, and Tumblr I never had. Pinterest I use sometimes, mostly to find photos that fit my style. I use Instagram to post photos that I take myself. Currently, photography is really a hobby and I wouldn't describe my work on Instagram itself as "branding." If I were working full-time, I would indeed use Instagram as a channel to showcase my work.

What would you like to do in 2019?

I am planning to travel in June and go to Costa Rica for a month. I would really like to do something here for Chase, because there is a very big urban scene there. In the coming days and weeks I might also want to do some traveling in the spring and do something about fashion this season. 2019 is the year I want to do everything, especially focus more on music. I'm a little insecure about myself. So I thought, "Trudy if you don't do anything with it now, nothing will ever come of it." So making and producing music is at the top of my list for 2019: my style is very acoustic, with my guitar and synthesizer and my own vocals.

And I also want to get my driver's license this year. That's very important when you're young and want to do creative assignments, because depending on other people is annoying. I don't necessarily need to have my own car, but if I have to work by the sea or in the Ardennes, I can just go.

Do you have any tips for other creators: young startups or creatives who might be struggling with the same things you are?

I have a tip about social media: there is an abundance of content and you are influenced by so many things. There is a lot of competition, so many people are already working on the same thing, and they may even be better at it. But keep in mind that you only get to see the best of the best. You quickly get the feeling: what's the use of me still doing what I'm doing? I think it's very dangerous to compare yourself to other people. It's very nice to get positive feedback and it helps to further build your self-confidence. So if you are a creative person, don't do your work for other people, just for yourself!

Interview by Joke D'Hooghe.

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