Durban - A lot of things happened in 2015. Some were great, others we hated. We bring you the things we love, hate and feel meh about.
Taylor Swift
I am a Swiftie. I really enjoy her music. She’s popular, her songs are catchy and when I listen to them I can relate to the words.
Unlike those of other artists, Taylor’s songs speak from her heart and are often based on her personal experiences, romances and heartbreaks. They are full of emotion, not just sex, alcohol or drugs, and they make sense, unlike Beyonce’s 7/11.
I can’t help but admire Taylor’s rise to fame. She has five platinum albums and seven Grammys so far. She was also ranked number 64 on the Forbes list of the world’s 100 most powerful women.
Critics who once thought she was a goody two-shoes were greatly surprised when she ditched the princesses and white horses and decided to “come out” as a feminist, which garnered respect. It showed everyone that she wasn’t just another pop star, but she could actually stand for something important to everyone.
Rising to the top is obviously not an easy journey, so it was expected that she would annoy a few people. Again, she showed that she was able to handle her beef and came out on top. This year Taylor became unafraid of being disliked, and became all the more appealing for it.
Alyssia Birjalal
#FeesMustFall
What an inspiration the Class of 2015 was. An absolute inspiration. I was one of the people who believed that South Africans born after 1994 were indifferent about the issues that plagued this country. I thought they were all about living a nice life, trending on Twitter and basically not contributing anything to society. How wrong was I?
I gladly ate humble pie when the very same Born Frees showed their mettle – when they said enough was enough and took to the streets to demand the free education that we had been promised at the beginning of our democracy. Even though fees haven’t fallen, their efforts have once again brought to the forefront the seriousness of education in South Africa and how expensive it really is. Kudos!
Buhle Mbonambi
Zendaya Coleman
In a world where we are all obsessed with celebrities, and where celebrities will do just about anything to remain relevant, Zendaya is like a breath of fresh air. Unlike other stars her age, Zendaya isn’t getting any plastic surgery done or dating someone twice her age.
Instead the starlet travelled to South Africa to work with the UN Aids initiative, which saw her encourage sexually active teens to get tested regularly. She handled controversy in a mature manner at the beginning of the year when racist comments were made about her. She has graced a number of fashion magazines, attended the MET Gala and been named trendsetter of the year by Global Grind.
I love how she seems to be enjoying her teen years with her friends. She’s a child star who is using her influence for good, and that is something you’ve got to appreciate because it’s scarce. I absolutely love the woman she is becoming.
Liam Joyce
The Rugby World Cup
I am not a rugby person. It’s a violent game and one thing is for sure, I would never want to fight over a ball so much that I’d end up with a bust lip, a blue eye and a broken jaw, or all three.
This year, however, I took a liking to the Rugby World Cup. Everyone had rugby fever, so I had a serious case of FOMO. I made sure I followed every South African game and cheered along with the rest of the nation. Heck, I even learned more or less how the game works. So when they lost to New Zealand in the semi-finals I was highly disappointed.
I hated the fact that we came so close and choked. It’s not the first time or the first sport I’ve seen it happen in. But I really had high hopes this time. I was told that New Zealand would be a difficult team for us to beat – but I really did believe this year we would win. I hate getting my hopes up. It still upsets me to this day.
Alyssia Birjalal
Donald Trump
I generally don’t like hating anything. Like shame and embarrassment, hate is a useless emotion and shows that you actually care about something which you would like people to think you don’t care about.
Donald Trump – who somehow has made some Americans believe that he would make a great president – is the worst and I cannot stand him. I’ve never been a fan, and this year it has become worse.
How is this man – a bigot who spews bile almost every time he is given a platform – even thought of as a potential leader of the US, the most powerful nation in the world? (Even though Russia secretly runs the world.)
I just really hope it’s all a nightmare and we will all wake up next year and find it was just a joke. Because if it’s not… *sigh*
Buhle Mbonambi
Food served on anything but plates
If I have to have my food served to me on a spade or a cutting board, or anything other than a plate, chances are I am going to walk out of that restaurant.
The trend this year of serving food on mini garden spades and big chopping boards is one that should never have started.
I generally don’t mind being served a toasted sandwich on a board with the appropriate covering, but putting my curry slap bang in the middle of a spade is a complete no no.
I hate that. Can we go back to the days when your food was served on plates?
That’s the civil thing to do. It’s the normal thing, too.
Liam Joyce
Star Wars
I don’t understand all this madness going on about Star Wars. I was told that I’m missing out on the biggest film this year, and that it’s more than just a movie. Really?
If it has a set, props, actors and is screened at the cinema or on TV, then I am pretty sure that it’s just a movie.
Besides, it makes no sense to me. I don’t care which planet is being destroyed by aliens or who is going to save it. But for the cult-like followers of this multimillion-dollar franchise, those who do enjoy it: good for you.
Alyssia Birjalal
DJ Zinhle vs Bonang Matheba and AKA
It’s arguably the biggest celebrity scandal of the year, but is honestly just one big old snooze fest to me.
What consenting adults do in their private time is really none of our business, especially since I’ve never seen any of them signing a morality contract.
I always say that we shouldn’t be looking to famous people for inspiration, or for them to be the moral fibre of society. We have our parents for that, and they need to guide us to make sure that we are model citizens. At the end of the day, this scandal probably made the celebs more money, and we are left on the sidelines having tried to decide which one is better than the other.
Buhle Mbonambi
Kylie Jenner
For the longest time I have been a huge fan of Kylie. Hell, I even made sure we put her on the cover of SM this year. You can’t deny that she has star power and is one of the most influential teens ever.
Even with the debate around her lips and whether she has had other cosmetic surgery, I chose to believe her when she said she hadn’t had work done. But then she admitted to having a lip job and other cosmetic procedures, and that’s when I started feeling very meh about her.
She then started dating Tyga when she was 17, not even the legal age in California yet. Tyga is 26. What is he doing with a child? Did she grow up before her time because of her life in front of the cameras? No one has the answer to that but there is no excuse or justification for going under the knife at such a young age. Shame on her parents.
I hope she can redeem herself and focus her energy on doing things that 18-year-olds do, like going to the movies with friends, not holidaying in Mexico with older men.
Liam Joyce
Sunday Tribune