Akwaeke Emezi’s 2018 is off to a glamorous start. Yesterday she and her sister Yagazi Emezi were profiled in vogue.com. Vogue Magazine listed the sisters in an article celebrating families doing visionary work in various industries. The Emezi sisters are featured alongside Hollywood star Olivia Wilde and her sister Barbara Burchfield, in addition to Ilhan Omar and her family. Omar is the first Somali-American Muslim elected to a state legislature in the US. The article also appears in print on the February issue of Vogue Magazine.

Emezi shared the news on Instagram (@azamezi), delighted beyond belief. Here is an excerpt of the accompanying caption:

 “like, guiz. my first book isn’t even out + i’ve been photographed by annie leibovitz! do you know how this has discombobulated all my life goals?!? i’m stressed! i’m self-tensioned! my shoulders are raised! from ekenna avenue to the pages of vogue—naija no dey carry last!”

This feature is pure publicity gold for Emezi, as it comes a month before the official release of her highly anticipated novel Freshwater. Emezi reveals in the Instagram caption that this once-in-a-life-time opportunity came about as a result of an editor who loved her debut novel so much that she got her the feature. The novel is not officially publish, and it’s already opening doors for her.

Emezi is a dream in her floral-print Gucci dress thanks to the magic of Annie Leibovitz’s camera. Leibovitz is one of the world’s most respected and coveted photographers. Being photographed by Leibovitz is as high-profile as its gets. Emezi had nothing but good things to say about working with Leibovitz.

“Annie was incredibly sweet + supportive around our work,” she writes on Instagram.

If you’re wondering, the spectacular room full of books is Brooklyn’s Human Relations bookstore.

Congrats to Emezi!

By the way, the official date for Freshwater‘s release is February 13. But hardcover copies are already available on amazon. Click HERE.

 

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Images via Akwaeke Emezi’s Instagram page (@azamezi)