Kenyan-born content creator and chess champion Elsa Majimbo recently shared candid reflections on the constant compliments she receives about her appearance praise that she admits can feel both overwhelming and insincere.
Speaking in a TikTok video posted on May 19, 2025, Majimbo delved into the complex experience of being frequently told she is beautiful. While she openly acknowledges her confidence and self-assurance in her looks, she confessed that the praise is not always as flattering as it might seem.
“People always compliment me on how beautiful I am. But sometimes I think they are making fun of me,” she said. “I swear I am not fishing for compliments. I know I am beautiful, gorgeous.”
Despite owning her beauty unapologetically, Majimbo revealed that the compliments often feel excessive and, in some cases, unsettling. She recounted a particularly awkward incident that occurred while dining with a friend at a local café. According to her, nearly every person who passed by their table stopped to admire her looks.
“Everyone who was passing was like, ‘oh my God, you are super beautiful.’ And my friend was like, ‘I think you are pretty too, but I think your neighbourhood is a bit racist.’”
Majimbo, who currently resides in a predominantly white area, reflected on how the reactions she receives seem rooted not in genuine appreciation but in the exoticisation of her appearance. She pointed out that in a Black community, her hairstyle and looks wouldn’t attract the same kind of attention.
“You know, a Black girl having a bob haircut in a predominantly Black neighbourhood is nothing new. But in a white area, it’s different,” she said. “They will be like, ‘that is a unicorn, there she is, oh my God, you are so beautiful.’ It makes me uncomfortable sometimes.”
Her experience highlights the thin line between admiration and fetishisation how compliments, though well-intended, can sometimes reinforce uncomfortable social dynamics, especially when rooted in racial or cultural difference.
This isn’t the first time Majimbo has opened up about her personal evolution. In 2023, she addressed public comments about how fame and wealth had seemingly changed her personality. Many speculated that she had lost the humble persona that once made her so relatable.
However, she clarified that what people perceived as humility in the past was more about circumstance than character.
“I have seen a lot of comments saying how money has changed me so much. Of course, it has!… Are you joking? I was never humble, I was a victim of circumstances. Do you know the difference?” she remarked.
She explained that what people once mistook for humility was actually her navigating life without financial freedom. With her current success, she embraces a more lavish and confident lifestyle.
“What happened to the old Elsa… she got her money up. My net worth went through the roof. My style changed. I’m rich now, even the laughter is rich.”
Majimbo’s honesty and unapologetic self-assurance continue to shape her public persona. Whether reflecting on the strange dynamics of appearance-based praise or challenging traditional expectations of humility, she maintains her trademark boldness. Her reflections offer a fresh and thought-provoking take on beauty, success, and identity in a world quick to judge and slow to understand.
