It’s a Monday morning and Jayde sounds excited and full of energy when I call her. “What a lovely way to start my week speaking to you,” she says. She’s already won me over with this simple statement.
It might seem like television presenter and model Kim Jayde popped onto our screens overnight, and to a degree she did, but the beauty believes that she is no overnight success, and rightfully so.
Jayde has become a recognisable face a presenter for MTV Base and Africa and as a Revlon ambassador. Born Kimberley Jayde Robinson, the beauty is one of six children and was born in Harare, Zimbabwe and then moved to Bulawayo, where she was raised for the earlier parts of her life.
Describing her childhood, Jayde said she had a huge sense of responsibility towards her siblings. “I am the second born and, for some reason, I have always felt the need to take care of my younger siblings and make sure they are okay and I think I got that from my parents,” she said.
Although she currently thrives in front of the camera, Jayde said she was a shy girl growing up. “I was very quiet growing up, in fact, I didn’t have any friends at school, I found to difficult to make friends and I was just awkward and shy, unlike now. Boarding school helped change that for me and I started breaking out of my shell”.
Related: Interesting things to know about Beautiful Kim Jayde
Jayde completed high school in 2008, after which she relocated to South Africa to pursue her tertiary education where she attained an Honours Degree in Social Work at the University of Stellenbosch in the Western Cape. “I moved to South Africa by myself, this was in 2009 and most Zimbabweans who were coming to SA to study were going to English universities like the University of Cape Town and there I was going to Stellenbosch which is nothing like UCT. I did not know any Afrikaans and I had to learn it real quick if I was going to pass,” she said.
In her second year at university, she took a chance at modelling, after her cousin who had been in the modelling industry persuaded her to join her agency. She continued modelling while studying.
It was in 2016 when her life changed. “I often relate my story to that of Justin Bieber’s because he was found on YouTube and I was found on Instagram by MTV Base’s talent manager at the time. I got called in to do some screening and the very next day I got a callback and I was presenting NewsISH with Mojak Lehoko. It’s incredible how everything happened for me,” she said.
Related: MTV Base presenter Kim Jayde hanging out with American celebs: Pictures
Although she had no previous presenting working before, Jayde said that modelling and the MTV Base team certainly helped her get into the groove of her new job. “My entire career changed and I needed to wrap my head around that which was a challenge but the guys at Viacom were so amazing, they helped with everything and having a background in modelling also helped a lot,” said Jayde.
Some of the rising stars highlight interviews include supermodel Naomi Campbell. She recently flew to New York City to cover the MTV Video Music Awards. “It was a life changing trip for me, the red carpet was spectacular and to rub shoulders with so many other stars was amazing. Also being the only presenter sent to cover such an event was a huge confidence booster”.
Jayde also got to mingle with fellow Revlon ambassador Ciara while in the Big Apple. On her future plans, Jayde said, “I still want to be on tv for a while but not for forever which is why I am so lucky to be creating and scripting my own show on MTV Base, The DM. I want to keep exploring the behind the scenes aspect of the industry.”
Source: IOL NEWS
