Congolese comedian Stéphanie Bluetooth, hailing from Brazzaville, has clinched the 9th edition of the RFI Talents du Rire 2023 award presented by Mamane and RFI. The recipient, chosen by a panel of industry professionals, will receive a prize aimed at advancing her career.
Joy fills the air in Brazzaville, particularly in the Monkoundo neighborhood, where Stéphanie and her mother received the exciting news. Known as the “Talents du Rire 2023” awardee, Stéphanie Bluetooth began her comedic journey at a young age, entertaining her classmates, who coined the nickname that has since become her pseudonym. “They called me ‘Laughter Transfer,’ and later simply ‘Bluetooth.’ I transfer joy; I bring joy,” she recounts.
At 22 years old, Stéphanie is an accomplished comedian, comfortable in her skin and proud of her Awoulaba status, meaning “well-endowed” in the Baoulé language. Stéphanie has turned jests about her appearance into a source of strength and a theme in her sketches. She demonstrates that one can be curvaceous and possess a sharp wit. “Like the majority of people with excess weight, there was a time in my life when I was a victim of harassment because of my weight,” the comedian shares.
This experience fuels her commitment to address the discrimination faced by women, especially in the arts, where women are often taken less seriously. “This is also one of the battles on which I focus,” she adds.
With this accolade, Stéphanie Bluetooth plans to continue her career and perhaps soon present a “Bluetooth show” in Brazzaville, her hometown.