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Aljoy Anesu Chikowo

Tonderai Zvimba, Showbiz Reporter
SA’s Got Talent semi-finalist Aljoy Anesu Chikowo better known as, Chik Aljoy, a Zimbabwean ventriloquist based in South Africa, aims to become the face of African comedy.

Originally from Bulawayo, Chik Aljoy arrived in South Africa in 2011 when he was 15 to complete his studies and through watching YouTube videos online Aljoy taught himself ventriloquism and he combined it with comedy. Ventriloquism, or ventriloquy, is an act of stagecraft in which a person (a ventriloquist) changes his or her voice so that it appears that the voice is coming from elsewhere, usually a puppeteered dummy.

The 22-year-old stand-up comedian and his puppet Jackie The Monkey rose to fame through his participation in the South African talent show SA’s Got

Talent in 2016 and he managed to reach the semi-finals and since then he has not looked back.

Chronicle Showbiz caught up with the talented comedian to have an appreciation of his career.

Below is an interview with reporter Tonderai Zvimba (TZ).

TZ: How has been your career since your participation in SA’s Got Talent?

Aljoy: After SA’s Got Talent it has been nothing but an amazing stage of learning, growing the craft and making the name visible to the industry and mostly to the crowds.

TZ: What was your reaction for being nominated for the Next Level Award at the Savannah Comic Choice Awards?

Aljoy: Actually, I was not expecting to be nominated this year.  I have been expecting to be nominated at these awards for the past two years and nothing came, so in the process of growing I stopped focusing on the awards and nominations and started investing more in my craft and brand as a result, my comedy season has been nothing but grace upon grace from headlining 80 percent of the shows that I have been booked in for as well as headlining three shows in three cities in Botswana. So when I heard I was nominated for the Next Level Award part of me couldn’t believe it and the other part was like that’s grace and maturity of knowing where to invest your efforts.

TZ: What is that one goal you want to achieve in your career?

Aljoy: I want to be that one fully packaged comedian that Africa boasts about.

TZ: Any favourite Zimbabwean comedian?

Aljoy: For security reasons let’s say they are all my favourites. (laughs).

TZ: If you were not a comedian what would you be?

Aljoy: If I was not a comedian I would be a professional dancer and actor.

TZ: Any words of wisdom for aspiring comedians?

Aljoy: Free your imagination and do you.