The beauty of tattoos presents itself in many metaphorical styles. Some get inked as a form of teen rebellion, for others, tattoos symbolise memorable milestones. And for the majority? It’s really not that deep or poetic; painting the skin is about self-expression or perhaps just exquisite body art.

For me it’s skin deep and offers a window into my soul. Using my body as canvas has provided me with art therapy.

It gives me solace when I meet Shamiso Mosaka and we bond over the artform being cathartic, especially for mental healing and tranquillity. As we speak, I’m captivated by the word “art” tatted on her temple. It forms part of her vast tattoo collection — over 40 designs (but who’s counting).

However, it’s the red dragon tattoo on her profile that’s fire. “I have a habit of self-harming, so when I’m sad I’d rather get a tattoo. That adrenaline. And when I look at my face, I feel lighter. For me, tattoos are a healthy way to deal with pain instead of dabbling in more dangerous things,” she says.

The 24-year-old TV presenter and daughter of veteran broadcaster Azania got her first tattoo at 17. Surprisingly, it was with her famous mother. On Azania’s birthday, Shamiso twisted her arm with an artful ultimatum — buy me a new phone or let’s get matching tattoos.

She admits to being astounded when Azania picked the latter. “She got finessed,” Shamiso quips.

So, they painted “heard by God” (the Hebrew meaning of Azania) on their rib cages. But Azania gave Shamiso a stern warning: she was forbidden from getting another tattoo until she was at least 19.

And she obliged. But as she got older, tattoos became part of her healing process and her determination to stop self-harming.

“I struggle with depression and anxiety… I want people to know that they are not alone, and they are not a burden. But it’s not going to go away, especially if it’s not circumstantial,” she says.

“I can’t say my depression is circumstantial; I can’t list anything bad enough in my life to [cause me to] self-harm. It’s more chemical, but either way, every day you need to fight for yourself and no one else can save you.

“I used to look to someone I was dating or my mom to save me. But I had to get help for myself, make conscious decisions like throwing away razors and calling my mom if I had suicidal thoughts.”

Next, I learn that Shamiso is partially deaf in her right ear. At around 12, a freak accident while playing on a slide at a waterpark resulted in her rupturing a layer of her eardrum.

When the topic of being labelled a nepo baby is tabled, Shamiso doesn’t run away from it. She doesn’t deny the privileges that come with being a celebrity offspring and remembers benefitting from Azania’s fame as early as primary school.

This echoes what a senior writer at Vulture, Nate Jones, wrote in his article on the topic in December: “The nepo baby’s path to stardom begins when they’re a literal baby.”

But make no mistake about it, Shamiso is unapologetic about carving her own path in TV. “I can’t deny it. In primary school, I was very popular because people knew my mom was a celebrity. But in my career, my mom hasn’t done a single thing and it’s not that she wouldn’t if I asked her,” she makes her case.

“Nepo babies are a thing, so I’m not going to deny that, when brands are looking at me, they are maybe going, ‘She’s dope, plus Azania’s daughter.’ It didn’t make me, but I’m not going to deny that it added.”

Shamiso believes that Azania is the most beautiful woman in the world. “Beside [actress] Gail Mabalane, I love her too,” she adds.

One of the best pieces of advice she’s received from Azania is to always dress according to her body. But she confesses that growing up, being a mirror image of Azania, she tried hard to change her reflection. And so her rebellious era was launched.

“When I was younger, my mom never encouraged me to be in this industry. My mom has been lucky to have 21 years in broadcasting and still be dope. But not everyone has that opportunity. So, she didn’t want that uncertainty for me,” she says.

“If people don’t agree with my views on certain subjects, they start comparing me to her. Like, ‘It’s sad, because Azania has a career without scandal. She’s so gracious, beautiful, and regal.’ I’m never going to change and the one opinion I care about is my mom’s, she doesn’t expect me to change. She’s always so encouraging of me being self-expressive and vulnerable with my emotions.”

Shamiso next brings up the topic of romance. She tells me that she will never date famous again. She then rephrases her statement and says she would rather not have a very public romance again.

When I probe, she declines to name names and tells me to Google it. The search results reveal that she was linked to rapper J Molley circa 2018. “I don’t care if you [are] cute. I don’t care if you [are] rich. I don’t care if you [are] popping…,” she laughs. “Even if I were dating one of these cats, I wouldn’t want it public again, because when you break up that association takes long to break.”

First entering the industry as a presenter on V Entertainment, Shamiso made her mark during the pandemic and became a regular fixture on MTV Base as a VJ.

She plans to continue climbing the TV ladder and disrupting the internet.

“I’m very big on being organic and true to myself. I’m not going to lick someone’s a*se because they are important. I want to carve my own path. Be the girl who is rough around the edges and not a typical It-girl.

"I want to create a path for other girls who like tattoos and baggy jeans, and not be pretty all the time,” she says. Her next takeover? Radio.