The Most

The abundantly talented and visionary Tribeca Film Festival-awarded director, writer and TV showrunner Inès Eshun opens The Most season 4 sharing a powerful and deep conversation with your host Dominique. Inès paints her story - starting with her most recent directorial/writing triumph: dark comedy miniseries 'De Shaq'. She retraces the series' creative process & her unwavering intention of taking underrepresented talent on all levels through every door with her. She talks channelling profound and absurd life experiences and feelings of societal sorrow into her craft and working with co-writers Soe Nsuki & Chingiz Karibekov (listen to Soe's unforgettable episode here) and 'De Shaq' co-director Anthony Nti. Inès also lays out her journey of being a precocious kid growing up in between elitist Catholic schools and social housing and parenting herself as well as her younger siblings from a young age. Learn how she grew from being an autodidact extraordinaire, entering a spiritual dialogue with the universe and life itself – to eventually graduating Film school while creating much-lauded short films such as 'The Life of Esteban', which lead to working with BAFTA Winner and Oscar nominee Raoul Peck and landed her a Tribeca Film Festival 'Young Visionary' Award with celebrated author and jury member Sapphire beaming with pride in the background. A story of incredible persistence and unyielded giftedness.

Author, playwright and activist Dalilla Hermans accepted Dominique's invitation to come back on the show to keep up with a The Most Christmas tradition and end-of-year-wind-down set in motion last year.

The two friends can't help but always engage in candid conversations, so listen in on what happened when Dalilla invited 30 Black women, including your host, to spend a weekend together in the woods as an inspiration for her play that premiered 6 weeks later. Of course, AfroLit, the book Dalilla published together with Ebissé Rouw from Dipsaus Podcast is discussed and Dalilla shares some of her most important memories from the editing process. The duo then tries out some new segments Dominique came up with and will probably never use again like 'Can I live?" and "OOOF". Also, discover why Dalilla sometimes likes to pretend she's an English lady and Dominique is positive she is Kenya Barris' twin.

Follow Dalilla Hermans online here & buy 'AFROLIT' here.

Listen to Dipsaus Podcast here.

Subscribe to Folder 52 and get a Stefaan Pauwels poem sent to your mailbox every Saturday here.

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Calling into the loft is truly original, mould-breaking make-up artist Cécile Paravina. Hear Dominique and Cécile go all the way back as the prodigious MUA remembers going from not realizing make-up could be a career to her shooting with Hannelore Knuts for Vogue with legendary stylist Patti Wilson & landing POP Magazine, Interview, Numéro & 032C cover shoots as well as FENTY and Amina Muaddi campaigns plus being shortlisted by the British Fashion Council as one of the 50 most exciting young creatives worldwide. Cécile talks growing up isolated in a tiny border village in France to her first obsessions with faces and the clever way she studied the fashion runways of the aughts for the low-down on the make-up used by masters like Pat McGrath. She discusses the Internet being her first escape to find like-minded souls to taking the plunge & enrolling at Belgium's finest fashion schools La Cambre and the Fashion Department of The Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp Cécile shares how she dealt with academic setbacks - while wearing a full beat to class, of course - and how experimenting with make-up, motivated partly by frustration, and following her gut going against doubts from friends and parents alike lead her to where she is now. She talks about the significance of getting make-up right for Black models and those of colour and also doles out hard-learned tips for the perfect bleached eyebrow.

Follow Cécile online here and here.

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HYPEPEACE founders Jenn & Michael, sit down with Dominique to retrace the beginnings of their purpose-driven streetwear brand. Recounting how they went from somewhat hesitantly printing a small batch of bootleg T-shirts carrying a play on the famous Palace Tri-Ferg in 2016, to becoming a powerful and innovative force for change, supporting all-important causes and raising funds and political awareness.

On this episode, Jenn shares her story from growing up in the Philippines to studying fashion design in London and Michael retraces how hip-hop and Rage Against The Machine have impacted his life every step of the way. Find out how the two met and how HYPEPEACE evolved naturally to becoming a bullhorn for political change via fashion. The three discuss shifts in streetwear and harnessing hype culture to communicate messages of equity, justice and anti-racism. Jenn & Michael also talk being a community-based brand, staying focused and share their advice to young creators - as well as send out a global open call for collabs - plus share their plans ahead.

Gifted musician and producer Boris Zeebroek aka Bolis Pupul joins Dominique for episode 27 of The Most, which means another DEEWEE signee has entered the loft.

Having toured with Neneh Cherry in 2019 and Metronomy in 2020, the richly skilled artist sits down to discuss some of his many musical projects like Bolis Pupul, Charlotte Adigéry, The Germans and Hong Kong Dong. On this iteration of The Most, tune in to hear how the artist went from being a quirky teen with trust-issues (due to navigating life with a famous Dad) playing gigs at local youth houses as 'Boris and The Stiff Ones' to selling out shows touring in New York and L.A. and playing with the likes of Neneh Cherry and Metronomy. He discusses his thoughts on virtual and socially distanced performance in a post-COVID world and finding happiness in returning to the stage. Boris shares tour memory highs and lows and how he got a fresh start working with Stephen and David Dewaele aka Soulwax aka 2ManyDJs at DEEWEE. He also lays out the therapeutic process of crafting music with his friend and The Most Episode 12 guest Charlotte Adigéry and finishing their upcoming debut album, as well as his 'Bolis Pupul' album plans.

Past, present, future and an ideal festival line-up align in an essential new listen for music fiends all around.

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Listen to the new album by Geoffrey Burton (best guitar player in the world according to Bolis Pupul) here

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Visual artist and all-round cultural connector Brian Elstak, has called into the loft! Tune in to hear Brian unravel the story of growing up in a small town near Amsterdam and what those early days taught him about the importance of representation and community - plus how an Eddie Murphy movie shaped the vision of his future.

Brian shares with your host Dominique Nzeyimana how his mantra came to be and lays out his thoughts on the importance of putting your work out there regardless.

The two also delve into his process, self-definition and the challenges of being a multi-hyphenate versus the world's perception of you. They also discuss the inception of Brian's incredible children's books and 'TORI' the theatre play running at Het Nationaal Theater in collaboration with RIGHTABOUTNOW INC In this episode, Brian recounts how he wrote 'Tori' for his own kids, to fill a void on their story-time bookshelf. He also takes us through the winding, kill-your-darlings creative process of creating children's book number two and, now, number three.

Hear Brian's story of going from being a team player first to learning to turn the spotlight on yourself and how he aims to lead by example for his kids – doing the job he loves most.

He also talks accepting and growing within his signature style plus forever letting his inner child take the driver's seat.

Dominique wants to know more about a controversially titled upcoming Das Mag publication and what he thinks about Omroep ZWART the inclusive channel causing a ruckus in Holland. (Of course, Dominique is already a member.)

Force-of-nature author, artist and LGBTQIA+ activist Fleur Pierets has joined Dominique in the loft - safely and a couple of weeks before new COVID-19 measures were implemented. Hear Fleur unwind the tale from her early life-on-the-move to crucial lessons and falling in love head over heels with Julian. She recounts how they founded Et Alors? queer arts magazine with no experience except for what Google had on offer - eventually capturing 750,000 readers over 20 celebrated issues. Fleur then bravely opens up about the way she and her by then wife took on a globally reported performance piece in 2017 by planning to get married in the 22 countries where same-sex marriage was legal. Her poignant, compelling book 'Julian' tells Fleur's story of losing everything when Julian passed away early into the art project. She opens up about navigating life since then, embracing her fluid state of mind and finally making long-term plans again. Fleur also shares how harassing hatemail fuelled her commitment to helping LGBTQIA+ teens living in shelters worldwide and she gives the download on how she got cheeky with Boy George, ' as well as the children's book deal she landed while staring at a work of art at MoMa.

Follow Fleur Pierets here.

Get a copy or pre-order Fleur's children's books here, supporting indie bookstores.

Find 'Julian' at your local independent bookstore or order it from the publishere here. Show your love for the LGBTQIA+ causes Fleur mentions in the episode: support Lumi here and Le Refuge here.

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The inexhaustible artist Klaas Rommelaere is Dominique's guest as his must-be-seen exhibition 'Dark Uncles' is taking over. Sitting down at the loft, Klaas weaves a story starting from being a dancing boy scout to opening two solo shows during a pandemic. Bracingly honest, disarmingly energetic and funny, the artist retraces the road from fashion school to interning with greats like Raf Simons and Henrik Vibskov and how that taught him that life is mostly about grabbing opportunities and working your ass off. Learn how the enormous embroidered puppets in 'Dark Uncles' found their moniker thanks to Cynthia Erivo and how a group of retired women have seen the artist through highs and lows. Klaas shares how fighting through doubt, heartbreak and being overambitious can still lead to glorious fruition.

Visit Klaas Rommelaere: 'Dark Uncles' exhibition until January 31, 2021 at Texture Kortrijk.

'Dark Uncles' the book is available here.

Kim Peers graced the cover of Italian VOGUE multiple times when it most mattered, while also being the face of YSL during its Tom Ford-run. The iconic editorial and runway model and musician shares tales of working in high fashion and forming her band Skemer with Amenra-founding member and lead guitarist Mathieu Vandekerckhove. Kim recounts going from not knowing who Steven Meisel is to the master-photographer launching her career. Dominique wants to know if working with fellow Belgian Frederik Heyman -who is now known for his recent Arca and Lady Gaga covers- is as enthralling as it seems and the two compare notes on deciding to live an alcohol, drug and cigarette-free life. Kim also talks about how her non-conformist ways led her to being bullied in primary school, but how the free and ever-evolving path she chooses to follow is imperative to a deeper understanding of who she really is.

Olympian turned sustainable activewear entrepreneur and TV-host Elodie Ouedraogo talks to Dominique about her road from being "not-even-mediocre" at track-and-field to being the world's best together with the Belgian women's relay team in Beijing. The two discuss being on opposite sides of the runner-spectrum and Dominique feels like she is watching a thriller when Elodie describes what the moments leading up to a championship face-off feel like and how the mental game is played. The former athlete openly discusses self-sabotaging and what one of her biggest regrets is before moving onto the evolution of the sustainable performance wear brand 4254 she owns with her friend and former team mate Olivia Borlée. Elodie also fans out about fashion and The Most episode 13-guest Glenn Martens in particular and shares the lessons she learned from her fiancé Jeroom and how he stopped her from scaring Raf Simons off his bike.

Read Elodie's Black Lives Matter column here (Dutch)

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