The era of the socialite boss ladies

In 2006, as Toxic (Juliet Kwamboka) was clearing high school at State House girls, she had already made a name for herself as a dancer, singer and a socialite.

In 2007, she won her first award at the annual Chaguo La Teeniz Awards and launched her dancing troupe The Toxic Dancers.

Not many showbiz lovers can remember any of her songs but https://cdn.standardmedia.co.ke/images of her bouncing commanding presence and her curvaceous and bootylicious frame will always remain in our memories.

The 1988-born was truly Kenya’s first showbiz socialite. Wherever she stopped, a fresh story was written.

Back then, just like video vixens and fashion bloggers, socialites were non-existent in the local entertainment scene and even as Toxic engineered the socialite code with her set of sexy girls, she couldn’t make as much money from her trade as it is the case with the likes of Vera Sidika and Huddah Monroe and the rest of the ‘boss ladies’ who have now become a permanent fixture in every showbiz event. Back then we only heard of escort girls.

This is the age of the video vixen cum socialites. The new category of celebrities is ironically raking in more showbiz cash than most of our musicians and actors as their demand remains high.

While a socialite will be paid about Sh60,000 for a club appearance and almost four times of the same for a video appearance, deals the most established ones get on regular bases, our musicians keep struggling with few - if any - shows coming their way.

Even though the society has been slow to accept that video vixens and socialites have their rightful place in showbiz, the growing culture remains unstoppable as more girls have been working hard to join the creative art.

“We thrive on socialites, both local and also regional, who attract a lot of following every time we give them a gig in our clubs.

Because of their big social media following, they maximise on their popularity to attract crowds that most musicians and DJs cannot attract in the club,” a manager at XS-Millionaires that has a socialites-centred show every Thursday told Pulse.

Many advertising companies as well as corporate companies are signing deals with socialites as their ambassadors in product promotions.

And having made a name for themselves, the young girls are now able to show their worth as most of them are now running their successful entrepreneurial establishments, driving the best cars in town and living in the most posh residential settings in town.

Thirteen years on, the socialites business seems like a new celebs category, no one can no longer afford to ignore them.