‘Slay Queens’ unmasks the price of SA’s luxury lifestyle

FROM designer clothes and jet-setting trips, to partying in the VIP sections of the hottest clubs, Slay Queens provides viewers with an intimate look into a lifestyle defined by luxury, scandal and social media notoriety.

- KARISHMA DIPA

The brand-new local documentary, which premiered on Showmax on October 31, shines a light on the lives of women who navigate wealth, influence and desire - often in ways that challenge societal norms.

In the first two episodes, anthropologist Lebohang Masango, the author of The Soft Life: Love, Choice and Modern Dating, provides context for the rise of this multi-billion-rand industry.

She explains that the slay queen culture emerged from online spaces where people could freely express themselves. These platforms connected individuals across the globe and allowed a subculture to flourish, one now notorious for its sexually charged, transactional relationships between young women and older, affluent men.

While Masango’s insights were compelling, the real fascination lies in the voices of the self-proclaimed slay queens themselves.

Cyan Boujee, the DJ and influencer who's never shied away from headlines, sets the tone early: “I’m not here to be anyone’ inspiration,’ she declares in the opening episode.

The 24-year-old shares intimate details of her life online, from mourning the death of her sugar daddy to flaunting the luxuries her lifestyle affords. In the series, she recounts starting each day with a glass of champagne and reveals her self-described obsession with her face - an obsession that has taken her around the world.