- TV personality Ayanda Thabethe steps into the future by bringing to life iYANDA: her virtual alter-ego.
- Ayanda now joins a host of Virtual Human Influencers (VI's) such as Shudu, Kim Zulu, Lil'Miquela, Bermuda and many more.
About the announcement, Ayanda says: "I am honoured to have received this global acknowledgement and more excitingly to be the first African to launch my own identical digital twin."
TV personality Ayanda Thabethe steps into the future by bringing to life iYANDA: her virtual alter-ego.
Ayanda now joins a host of Virtual Human Influencers (VI's) such as Shudu, Kim Zulu, Lil'Miquela, Bermuda and many more.
The announcement comes hot on the heels of Ayanda being identified as one of the top twelve Black tastemakers in beauty, hip-hop, food and fashion in Time Out magazine's (USA edition) list of global Black 'influencers of influence'.
The list featured influencers from the US and UK, and she's one of only two from Africa - the other being Kim Zulu.
About the announcement, Ayanda says: "I am honoured to have received this global acknowledgement and more excitingly to be the first African to launch my own identical digital twin. iYANDA, my avatar is Africa's newest virtual human. We may look identical, but she will have a life of her own - living in the digital realm."
iYANDA is the brainchild of a collaboration between Ayanda Thabethe and THE AVATAR COMPANY, the co-creators of South Africa's first virtual influencer, Kim Zulu, who was introduced to the world in March 2020.
"iYANDA follows in Kim's digital footprint, and while she is inspired by her real-life muse, Ayanda Thabethe, she is her own 'person' - a young-minded model and actress with aspirations of one day contributing globally through her many talents and with the big aim of becoming a real role model for young girls across the continent," says digital maverick, Lebo Kambule.
Ayanda and iYANDA are set to work together in the real and virtual world from March 2021 and are expected to marry the physical and cyberworlds through fashion and goodwill projects.