Ivy Namu: I left my law studies and focused on content creation, for that is my passion

Ivy Namu, a content creator, burst into the spotlight four years ago amid rumours of a romantic relationship with media personality Willis Raburu. Before she became popular, Ivy says she cherished her private life as she could walk around and dress as she pleased. Today, she opens up about navigating stardom, reshaping her brand, and her decision to abandon a promising law career
 

1. As a public figure, what forms of cyberbullying have you ever experienced?
Social media is not a very friendly space. In 2022 I was trolled for an outfit I had worn to the Wakanda film premiere. I had delivered my second child Yara just five months before that and I was so excited to go watch the movie and be out for a couple of hours. I dressed up like a good mum and felt good about myself. You know the lack of body positivity you get after giving birth…you feel chubby and all that. I made a reel and posted it on my TikTok. I then slept only to wake up and find myself trending on TikTok when I woke up. People were saying I was the worst dressed person for that occasion. I remember wondering what was wrong with my outfit because I felt fine in it. 

I just switched off my comments and blocked some toxic people. It didn't get to me so much but I restricted any further reactions. There was also a challenge with my relationship at the time and at some point I felt like I needed to just quit the internet and be quiet. It took a while to fight back the negativity from people who didn't know me. I decided to focus on the positive side of things.

2.How did your life change when you started dating famous TV presenter Willis Raburu?
To be honest, I was afraid to date Willis because his divorce was in the public domain. Again, I feel like God got back at me because I knew what I was getting myself into. I was prepared since the people who mattered to me knew my truth and I didn't need to defend myself, so I fell in love and the rest is history.
I would say I have learnt the value of privacy. When you are not in public, you take for granted the fact that you can walk anywhere and do anything and nobody cares. I had to learn to be keen about everything I say on social media, what I post and even how I react because it is no longer about just me and my family anymore. Now, when I go somewhere and nobody takes a picture of me, that is a good day for me.

My privacy was compromised and even now I have had to consciously reduce the number of pictures I post with my children, even though I am very proud of them and I like posting pictures of them. I am always afraid that tweeps may attack. But that space has also allowed me to experience a lot of love and support from people I don't even know.

3..As a mother, you seem incredibly focused on maintaining your health and well-being. Can you share with us your approach to health and how it influences your role as a parent?
Moving from feeding for two to being conscious about what I eat has been my main goal. I also exercise a lot. I have decided to become intentional about it because birthing and raising children is not an easy task. My second pregnancy is what puffed me up and I got to about 80 kilogrammes, from about 55kgs. I got to a point where people could not recognise me. Now, I keep introducing myself to people after pregnancy since I have lost so much weight. I am about 60kg and I aim to be healthy, although I am not so obsessed with cutting weight.

About motherhood, I am taking it day by day and I love it. Watching my children start school gives me confidence. The secret about this journey is to be kind on yourself. My children have taught me a lot as a mother. I have two children under two years and balancing between my career aspirations and time spent with them has been hard. I had to deal with a lot of mum guilt and I had to spend time with both.

4. You have mentioned singing, tell us about your music journey and why you quit your law studies…
I am the first musician in our family. I used to sing in primary and high school. Most of my classmates thought I would become a musician immediately but I decided to take law as a career to make my parents happy. I studied law at Catholic University of Eastern Africa so that I could be away from home. I did the course for three and a half years and I quit. I had scored a B plain in high school despite always being in trouble.

The course got overwhelming and I was always sad. At the time, I didn't know much about anxiety, but I was not okay. I decided to take a break at first for one year and then when I went back I felt like the course wasn't in my heart anymore. The main reason I was feeling that was because I didn't feel like I was doing what I wanted. After I quit, I went to music school and that is also where I started doing social media management and digital strategy. That is how I ended up at Royal Media Services.

The law studies have helped me navigate both the entertainment industry and the digital space. I am able to read my contracts and negotiate for better perks which the law affords me. I have been recording music and I will be releasing an album later this year. I sing contemporary RnB music about kindness and being good to people. I have also written love songs, and songs about the environment. I know I can sing well and I can't wait to share my talent with the world.

5.  Describe your dream wedding.
Our wedding will happen but we might not post photos anywhere. It will be a very intimate affair with people I love and also, it will be an experience. My husband and I are an experience. We will have the best moments during our wedding. We will dance and entertain our guests. Close friends and family who stood by us when we were harshly discussed online will be given first priority. My engagement happened during my son's first birthday in July 2022. I had planned for the event only to be surprised. My best part was Nviiri singing and when I saw him, I knew Willis was going to propose because Mae Wendi is our song.