GlobalGrind had the pleasure of sitting down with Estelle this past weekend at the Teen Diaries “Pretty Girls Sweat” event in NYC.
Teen Diaries, a site that covers hip-pop, fashion, and teen culture, hosted a yoga workshop led by certified yoga instructor and dietician, Leslie Fajfa, alongside Grammy award winner, Estelle. When asked about the long-term goals of Teen Diaries, founder, CEO, and former Wilhelmina model, Aeshia Devore Branch, explained that it has been her dream to inspire young women to live active, healthy, lifestyles.
“Pretty Girls Sweat” is held annually to show how healthy lifestyle practices can be fun, approachable and a relaxing way to deal with stress.
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Functional bottled water brand, WAT-AAH, sponsored the event and kept everyone hydrated. Nike provided free yoga mats for the girls.
When asked about her healthy lifestyle practices, Estelle says she loves working out because it gives her quiet time to think. Her solid, petite frame looked great in a silk, turquoise-speckled bandana and dark blue workout gear. About body image, she was very positive and light-hearted, enthusiastically explaining how her butt was her favorite asset. She says, “I come from a family of well-endowed booty women.”
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Check out our exclusive interview with Estelle below.
On getting involved with Teen Diaries:
Estelle: I’m really good friends with the organizers and I like the initiative and the idea of encouraging women to get in a pattern early in life to take care of themselves. We get older and we forget that we have to carve a little time out to feel good in your body, in your head, and in your spirit. And I think it’s important to give these young ladies that early. You know, work out. I learned that working out gives me a space to get clear. It’s not just about the body. It gives me space to process things and get clear in my mind about decisions and things I want to do.
On her workout routine:
I do cardio but I’m not a runner. I’m definitely a walker…incline. (Giggles heartily) A lot of yoga, a lot of ab work, a lot of leg work. It’s been a study for me. I was very active as a kid, then I kind of just stopped because I got really skinny and I didn’t think I had to do it and then I hit 29 and it was like oh…well alright, let’s go back to the gym! (Laughs) You know, I couldn’t fit any clothes anymore and it was like, what in the world! What is this butt! All these legs! I was happy with the butt, I just didn’t like all the leg.
On what she’s been up to recently:
My new album. In between touring we recorded our own new album. A bunch of records. Putting out a 3-part EP this year called Love and Happiness, suites 1, 2, and 3. Love jams, or how Estelle got her groove back. (Laughs) It’s gonna be good. It’s all kind of a prequel to the album coming out called Love and Happiness. It’s the chronicles of my life, things I’ve been through. The last record, All of Me, was like a breakup album. Everyone was like, thank you. It was a big record. I kind of wanted to bring it back to, um, what’s the word… level it out a bit? It’s all doom and gloom. And just talk about the fun side about being back in the world, looking at men again, like oh god, I can’t go back in this big danger hole, this is crazy, and just talk about the real stuff women go through.
