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CNN
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
How Rotimi and Vanessa Mdee's chance romance became a deep dive into faith and purpose
When Nigerian American actor-singer Rotimi and Tanzanian pop star Vanessa Mdee first met in 2019, it was the beginning of a love story that neither of them expected. That first encounter six years ago could be straight from a rom-com. They had both just performed at the Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans and ended up at the same Spotify afterparty – neither one particularly eager to be there. But fate had other plans. 'She was sitting on a pool table,' Rotimi laughs. 'The lights were glowing and beaming, and I just thought, 'Yo, who is this?'' A friend of Rotimi made the introduction, which led to several hours of deep conversation. Within days, they were inseparable. A long-distance relationship began – Vanessa in Tanzania, Rotimi in Atlanta, Georgia, in the US – and she came to visit not long after. 'I never left,' Vanessa says with a grin. Now, several years, two children, and a wedding later, the power couple opened up to CNN's Larry Madowo in their first-ever joint interview about love, legacy and living an intentional life of faith. Love in lockdown While the Covid-19 pandemic forced much of the world into stillness, for Rotimi and Vanessa, it became a sacred time. 'I really thank God because he was creating an environment for us to really dive deep into getting to know each other on a very intimate and spiritual level,' Vanessa reflects. At the encouragement of Rotimi, she booked a flight to the US for a mini vacation, but it became an extended stay due to travel restrictions. 'If I had been a day late, we wouldn't have been able to see each other for the period of nine-plus months during which the borders were locked,' she says. The lockdown forced them both into a much-needed break. Cecil and Keke Hammond are bridging cultures in Nigeria. About 20 years ago, the first Rhythm Unplugged concert was created in Lagos to provide a platform for Nigerian artists. later, Flytime Fest was developed to expand that original concept. 'I came onto the scene at the age of 18 years old, so I had been working well into my 30s at this point and I had never taken time off,' Vanessa adds. The timing was also divine for Rotimi, who had just released the hit 'In My Bed.' 'For me, during that time, if the world was open and my record 'In My Bed' had just come out, I would have been moving around touring for the whole run of that song, still doing what I needed to do, and my mind wouldn't have been on anything else,' he says. That time off allowed something deeper than fame to grow, the couple says, sparking a journey toward faith, family and purpose. 'God wanted me to sit down and heal a lot of things,' Rotimi adds, 'and He blessed me with the opportunity to learn this woman.' From fame to faith Vanessa, once one of East Africa's biggest music stars, made headlines when she walked away from the industry at the height of her career in 2020. But the decision wasn't impulsive – it was deeply spiritual. 'For me, (the music industry) was depleting my mental, spiritual, emotional and physical health in many ways. I turned to many different vices that were not good for me as a person,' she says. 'It got to a point where the music industry became extremely toxic for me. I'm not saying it's everybody's story; it's my story.' Today, she co-leads 'For The Better,' the couple's faith-based wellness app and community, where she mentors women across the globe through Bible studies, prayer circles, and now a women's conference. 'I just want every time I step out and do something to be meaningful, purposeful, and effective,' she adds. Rotimi, whose real name is Olurotimi Akinosho, has embraced a life beyond the spotlight, although he continues to build his career with his current role as Pastor Charles on the Showtime series 'The Chi' while releasing new music. 'The job is to be a vessel,' the 36-year-old says. 'God works in mysterious ways; it's not a cookie-cutter approach – it's more of a roundabout way.' A 'kingdom marriage' Their love is both bold and deeply rooted. Married in 2021, they refer to their relationship as a 'kingdom marriage,' grounded in their shared faith. 'We're not perfect,' Vanessa says. 'But we know who's at the center of it all: God.' Together, they are raising two children and navigating a blended cultural household where Yoruba, Swahili and American traditions harmonize. '(The children) know they're 50% Tanzanian and 50% Nigerian, and they can champion that,' Rotimi says. 'It's about giving our kids roots and wings.' 'Building a strong foundation for our children requires a lot of time, commitment, and being very present – like playing with the kids, nurturing their skills, and honing their crafts while giving them a strong foundation in Christ,' adds Vanessa. From love-centered music and wellness apps to Bible studies, it's clear Rotimi and Vanessa feel they are on a mission that reflects a deeper calling. However, when asked if ministry was in their future, the couple was uncertain. 'It would be foolish for us to say no, but it's too early to say yes,' Rotimi says. 'I just know that whatever we do, it's going to be for His glory,' Vanessa adds.
New York Times
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
He Saw Her on a Billboard. Then Fate Brought Them Together.
The first time the filmmaker Chike Antoine Ozah laid eyes on Kellie Montoya Brown, a journalist, she was larger than life. Actually, her image was peering down at him from a billboard advertising an NBC affiliated television station in New Orleans. It was late 2018, and Mr. Ozah was in town from New York for a film project. He didn't know anything about Ms. Brown, but he was immediately captivated. He saw her again in early 2019 while visiting New Orleans for another work trip. This time she appeared on his TV screen while reporting traffic on a morning show. 'I mentioned to my mother how beautiful she was and how I gotta meet her,' Mr. Ozah said. Mr. Ozah decided to ask a close friend, Edward Buckles, well-connected in New Orleans, if he knew her by chance. 'He did,' Mr. Ozah said. They went to Dillard University together. 'So, I asked if he could introduce me to her.' But Mr. Buckles didn't know how to get in touch with her. Months went by, and Mr. Ozah said he even 'floated the idea of throwing a party in New Orleans just to create the opportunity to meet her, sort of like 'The Great Gatsby,'' he said. But before he had put that plan in motion, fate stepped in. Mr. Ozah was in New Orleans the same week in July 2019 as the Essence Festival, a music and culture gathering held by, and for, Black women, when he finally came face to face with Ms. Brown. 'I was at an event in the lobby of the Ace Hotel and the next thing I knew she came in smiling and dancing with her friends,' Mr. Ozah said. 'She had this presence. I will never forget that moment. It's literally ingrained in my brain.' Mr. Buckles was there with Mr. Ozah that night. 'So, I looked at him like, 'You know what you have to do, right?'' Mr. Ozah said. Mr. Buckles introduced them. Although she was very polite and accepted his phone number, she did not give him hers. The introduction, Ms. Brown said, 'Felt very intentional and serious. He gave me his whole pedigree, about his parents and that he was a filmmaker.' Ms. Brown was in the process of ending a serious relationship at that time. So, the timing simply wasn't right. She said she recalled thinking, 'It was too soon. I can't jump into something else.' Although he heard nothing from her after that night, he was not deterred. 'I kept thinking about her in this whimsical, day-dreamy way,' Mr. Ozah said. 'I'm not stalkerish. But I am persistent.' A month after meeting in person, Mr. Ozah followed Ms. Brown on Instagram. 'And she followed me back,' Mr. Ozah said. 'I liked a few pictures and lightly DM'd her,' Mr. Ozah said. 'She had an orange wig on and I asked her who her alter ego was. She said Peaches.' After several messages, 'I knew I'd visit Nola for Thanksgiving. So I sent her a message asking if I could take her somewhere she'd never been.' They spent the time between that message and Thanksgiving connecting. 'I credit our relationship to those weeks on the phone,' Mr. Ozah said. 'I learned so much about her.' Two months after that late-September message, the two went on their first official date on Nov. 30, 2019, at Haifa Cuisine & Hookah Bar. 'She had one of her girlfriends with her, so I was like, 'Man, I have to win her friend over, too.'' It was tough at first, he said, but eventually she warmed up. 'He killed it,' Ms. Brown said. 'We had the best time, and I was smitten.' Mr. Ozah must have known he had killed it. After that date, he texted his best friend, 'I found my wife. I'm moving back to New Orleans,' he recalled saying. It was three weeks later when they had their second date. He flew into Baton Rouge, La., for the weekend, where Ms. Brown had relocated for work. Ms. Brown said, 'He was so intelligent and worldly. It felt like I was a treasure he'd spent his life searching for. Although I didn't want to jump into anything, I didn't really have a choice.' For their first Valentine's Day together, while he was on a trip to Chicago, Mr. Ozah flew Ms. Brown out to visit and told her he loved her for the first time. They became official that summer. On March 5, 2020, Ms. Brown went to New York to see a premiere of Mr. Ozah's film company's documentary, 'A Kid from Coney Island,' at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. 'I didn't want to leave,' Ms. Brown said. 'Although I couldn't imagine moving there.' After a trip to Mexico in November 2020, Mr. Ozah convinced Ms. Brown to fly back with him to New York instead of back to New Orleans. 'I was having issues at work, so on a whim, I ended up going to back New York,' Ms. Brown said. 'It was supposed to be short-lived.' Once there, Ms. Brown said, 'I decided to put it in God's hands. I applied to the graduate program at Columbia University the week before the application deadline and decided that if I got in, I would stay and, if not, I would go back to Louisiana.' She got in. Binge more Vows columns here and read all our wedding, relationship and divorce coverage here. The couple moved into the apartment where Mr. Ozah had lived in Jersey City, N.J., in December 2020. In April 2023, they bought a home in the Uptown neighborhood of New Orleans, where they now live. Ms. Brown, 35, is a freelance journalist at WDSU News, the NBC affiliate in New Orleans, as well as a story producer and consultant on documentary projects. She also teaches public speaking at Xavier University of Louisiana. She holds a bachelor's degree from Dillard University in mass communication and a master's degree from Columbia University's School of Journalism. She was born and raised in New Orleans. Mr. Ozah, 47, is a filmmaker and a founder of the production studio Creative Control in New York. The studio is behind a number of award-winning productions. These include the three-part Netflix documentary 'Jeen-yuhs," which chronicles 21 years of the life of Kanye West; the HBO film 'Katrina Babies'; and the Showtime documentary 'NYC Point Gods.' Mr. Ozah has a B.F.A. from the Savannah College of Art and Design. He also was born and raised in New Orleans. On June 24, 2023, Mr. Ozah proposed in Positano, Italy, while on a trip to Europe for the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Ms. Brown had been telling Mr. Ozah for years that she wanted to go to Positano, so they extended their trip. 'It was magical,' Mr. Ozah said. 'I surprised her by flying out her best friend, Toi Thornton. The best part of the proposal for me aside from her saying yes was when she saw Toi and realized what was happening.' While they were dating, Mr. Ozah would write Ms. Brown love notes every day. 'They were so deep — they totally disarmed me,' Ms. Brown said. 'So, for the proposal, he wrote me a letter and put it on a scroll.' The two were wed April 12 at Felicity, a church turned wedding venue in New Orleans. Ms. Thornton, who was ordained by Christian Global Outreach Ministries for the wedding, led the ceremony before 140 guests. 'We had a quartet called the Delachaise Ensemble playing soulful R&B songs like 'Let's Stay Together' by Al Green during the ceremony and the whole church sang along,' Ms. Brown said. The bride wore a fitted mermaid gown by Martina Liana, while the groom donned a bespoke black tuxedo by Chris Fellow, a New Orleans designer. 'Toward the end of the reception, I changed into a customized old school airbrush T-shirt with a bunch of Kellie's photo on it and it read 'Kellie Ozah.' She was surprised as she had no idea I had gotten that made.' 'I felt so incredibly loved by everyone. The love felt so tangible,' Ms. Brown said. 'I also felt the gravity of the union and joining our families together.' Mr. Ozah added, 'I felt feelings I had never felt before, like unlocking a new set of euphoric emotions.' The evening ended in true New Orleans style with a second line parade, a local tradition and a highlight of the night for their guests, the couple said. Custom handkerchiefs were handed out during the reception at the Chicory emblazoned with the couple's names, wedding date and 'Uptown 4 Life,' before the room was filled with trumpets, trombones, tubas, snares, and bass drums. Guests waved their handkerchiefs in the air. The second line wended through the reception, and then, Ms. Brown said, 'We paraded through the streets with police escorts shutting the streets down.' When April 12, 2025 Where Felicity, New Orleans Ring Exchange 'I put Chike's ring on the wrong hand. So, I had to say the exchange of rings speech again,' Ms. Brown said. 'I said them over in a very heavy New Orleans accent. We got a great laugh out of the audience.' Keeping With Tradition A close friend and business partner of Mr. Ozah, the film producer Marjorie Clarke gifted the couple a broom. 'So, we jumped the broom,' Mr. Ozah said. Taste of New Orleans 'We had a chargrilled oyster station outside provided by the Chicory, which was definitely a crowd favorite along with the sno-balls,' Mr. Ozah said. 'We were lucky enough to book the famous Hansen's Sno-Bliz to make sno-balls for our guests. The sno-ball is customary in New Orleans, and Hanson's is known for its thinly shaved ice. We also had a 'tequila man' spiking the sno-balls with Casa Azul tequila and mezcal.' Creative Sweets In lieu of a traditional wedding cake, 'We did a small vintage heart-shaped cake with 'Just married' written in white accompanied with petit fours and cupcakes all from Batter,' Ms. Brown said. 'And the Chicory's amazing chef made beignets.' Big Second Line Energy 'The procession was led by three 'tramps,' members of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club, a Carnival krewe known for its distinctive costumes,' Mr. Ozah said. 'We followed behind them each with an umbrella in our hands, followed by a Black Masking Indian who was followed by the brass band Sporty's Brass Band. The tramps and Indian really set the pace and kept the energy high, hyping us and the crowd up.'
