Keke eyes the international stage
13-year-old Edenvale resident, Keneiloe Leeuw, has a passion for show business and now aims to take her talents to an international stage.
Keke, as she is fondly known, was the 2012 winner of the South African Talent Championships.
She was then invited to take part in the Actors Models and Talent for Christ’s (AMTC) Shine Convention 2013 in Orlando, Florida, USA.
Keke was the only South African to take part in the lifestyle runway model category and walked away from the event in July as the AMTC Shine Overall Finalist.
The bi-annual AMTC Shine Convention aims to expose top agents, managers and casting directors in the entertainment industry to new talent from around the world.
Since taking part in the convention, Keke has received call backs from a number of agents – including Henry Ravelo from Six Degrees Management, based in New York.
“There is a certain rush you get from doing what you love most,” said Keke.
She added that she enjoys the excitement of taking on different personalities to entertain the world.
“I am grateful for the opportunity that has exposed me to the best in the business and I have learnt a lot through various workshops and have formed a network with other young talents from around the world.”
She went on to say that she is proud to have represented South Africa.
Keke has had a passion for the entertainment industry since the age of four, when she went on stage for the first time during a school play at the Rotary Eisteddfod.
At the age of 10, Keke reached her highest achievement when she was named an Eisteddfod Prestige, the highest accomplishment that can be reached in the competition.
Keke is currently a grade 7 pupil at St Andrew’s School for Girls and she describes herself as more cultural than sporty and is the vice-captain for the school’s choir.
She also plays the piano, the marimbas and is a self-confessed drama fanatic.
While sports have taken a back seat in Keke’s career, she does participate in athletics and also plays netball.
Even with a long list of extra murals, Keke still manages to work hard at school and is one of the top academic achievers in her grade.
Although show business runs in the family with her father, Vusi Leeu as her mentor, Keke is set on paving her own path in the industry.
