young & ambitious
W
hat do you get when you work until the job is done, because to earth. As you walked into the
combine sheer ambition in TV you don’t have set working room it smelled of weed and it was
with a knack for writing hours.’ Being mentored by Ash just like ‘Yep, I’m interviewing a
and a head for business? Annika Attalla, the award-winning Marley’. Akon was very open and
Allen of course. When most girls producer of The Office, was a honest. Anything I was asking he
were carefully accessorising their bonus. ‘He was always very was quite happy to answer.’
Barbie dolls at aged eight, Annika supportive and encouraging. The magazine is only the tip
was carefully mapping out her Observing the position he was in of the creative iceberg. ‘Flavour
career in journalism. made me want to be in a position was never going to just be the
On paper, she looks like an of power where I could command magazine. It was always going
impressive figure having written a certain respect and I could get to have different aspects,’ she
for: Street Cred Magazine, The my ideas on screen.’ assures me. The Flavour brand
Voice, newspapers Sister Sister Coupled with further experi- also hosts events like the annual
and New Nation, Positive People ence from working at RDF Media, live music and beauty pageant, to
Magazine, Pride Magazine plus Annika was able to work on a discover and crown Miss Flavour
she’s had a slot on community number of popular television shows and Flavour Goes Live – an event
radio in Birmingham (where including, Holiday Showdown, that showcases creative talent from
she was born and bred). And in House of Tiny Tearaways and 60 music artists to fashion designers;
person? Meeting Ms. Allen for the years of RnB (aired on MTV Base). while Breaking the Ice is a popular
first time, I take an instant liking monthly rnb and hip hop karaoke
to her. Dressed smartly in a pale Entrepreneurial spirit night. On both projects Annika’s
jacket and slacks with her Black- With Ash Attalla recognising her production skills come in handy
berry in hand she appears confi- drive and talent and often telling when organising, hosting and
dent and her infectious personality her: ‘You’ll be running the place shooting slick video content. This
has the familiarity of an old friend. soon,’ it was clear that Annika was year, expect to see Flavour at the
Speaking of her career plans, the destined to be the boss of her own Notting Hill Carnival.
26-year-old says: ‘I never wanted projects. Rolling forward to 2006, Annika says yes she may met
to be staffed somewhere, I wanted she teamed up with Leonard Foster celebrities, go to parties and get
to be able to do my own thing.’ to create Flavour, blending their free CDs and concert tickets, but
So it is no surprise to learn passion for music and entertain- is keen to point out that the media
that by the age of 16 Annika had ment with their entrepreneurial industry isn’t always as glamor-
already interviewed the likes of spirit. They each brought varying ous as it sounds, and if you work
Total, 112 and Tatyana Ali. It was talents to the table (Annika’s on a freelance basis, you never
luck and her ready-for-anything skills in editorial content and know where your next pay cheque
attitude that landed her an Leonard’s skills in publishing is coming from – or even if you’ll
exclusive interview with the latter. and art direction) to form a truly have more work from one week to
Bumping into a radio colleague harmonious working relationship. the next. ‘It’s not easy,’ she says.
in Birmingham’s city centre, she Though Flavour started out as a ‘There have been times when
discovered he was on his way to lifestyle magazine for men, it only I have thought of training as a
interview Tatyana. ‘I’ve always took a short while for the magazine teacher for more stability, but I
carried my dictaphone and camera to change direction and find its really love it and just can’t see
with me. I was given about 15 feet in its current form of being a myself doing anything else.’
minutes with her. I was obviously
nervous, but at the time I used to
buy all the music magazines so I
could think of questions off the top
“I’m going to be the UK Oprah, a media
of my head. She was really sweet,
which made it easier.’ Anything
mogul like Simon Cowell. They are
else? ‘Yes. A personal invitation to
my two idols. That’s the end goal”
the concert later that evening.’
Working in television platform for showcasing creative New York is one of Annika’s
For some of us, the experiences talent – and after only its first year favourite cities in the world and like
thus far would make us feel as if on the shelves, Flavour Magazine the Big Apple, she never sleeps.
we had already arrived. Not so for was nominated for an Urban Music Continuously on the computer
Annika. ‘I felt I needed more Award, by the general public. writing and researching, Annika is
experience in other areas of the Flavour has seen many of the determined to succeed, but still
media, so I went into television UK celebrity elite grace its cover, manages to find time to play her
production.’ Starting out as a but despite having interviewed a favourite sport netball and offer
runner for Richard and Judy she long line of celebrities, Boyz II Men, advice to others coming up in the
was not completely satisfied with Twista, Outkast, Ciara, Jamelia, media industry but wishes she had
the role and moved on to Ashley Walters and Musiq to name more time to spend with her fam-
TalkbackThames in 2004, where a few, our Annika is not star-stuck. ily in Birmingham. Despite being
the experience proved invaluable. ‘We all have different gifts. It’s one of the busiest people I know,
‘They were a really good company. just that some of our gifts have Annika stays tightly focused. ‘I’m
They let me work on a lot of the manifested themselves in different going to be the UK Oprah, a media
projects I wanted to work on and ways and not everyone can be mogul like Simon Cowell. They are
trained me up as a researcher. I famous by using them.’ Although my two idols; that’s the end goal.’
ds by Rachelle Hull learnt a lot about television while the level-headed beauty does have Her sights may be set high, but
or I was there, in terms of producing her favourites. ‘Stephen Marley it’s not so hard to imagine Annika
W and camera operation and how to – he was just really cool and down fulfilling her dream one day.
25
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40