America’s Next Top Model cycle 16

The Challenges of Fame and Career

By Belinda Trotter-James

OMG! Not Monique!  She is the 7^th girl to lose the chance at becoming America’s Next Top Model.  Monique has been trying to succeed at this business since she was 12 years old.  In our exclusive interview find out why she did not succeed in her early years, what made her try out for top model and is she a spoiled brat?  Yikes!  Read on for all the juicy details…

Monique had the looks, brains and experience to take the top prize.  What happened?  What was her life like before Top Model?  “I was all over the place,” begins Monique. “I have been modeling since 12 then I stopped and started again at age 14.  I was a natural in front of the camera.  I gave up many times and started again in Chicago.  I was just doing my own thing, building my portfolio, walking in fashion shows, meeting people and having fun.  I’m from a small town so I moved to California for a year and moved back to my small town because of my boyfriend.”

In the last episode Monique was challenged along with the other girls to see if they can handle some of the things that come along with fame.  An event was set up so that the fans could meet the top model contestants.  Monique was not a fan of the fans.  The camera caught her numerous times rolling her eyes and wishing it was time to leave.  What was that all about?   “In general they showed me as a spoiled brat, bitchy but I’m more dynamic than that,” starts Monique.  “I’m a musician, an artist... I do say bitchy things but it’s all in fun.  I just wanted to win. I was feeling over it.  I was stressed out.  I was frustrated when people at the event started saying nasty things.  One guy asked if I was in adult films or porn.  A woman said,  ‘19? You look a lot older.’  I kept it together but I wish I wasn’t there.”

Wow, those fans were nasty.  It could have been a joke by Tyra to see how the girls would react to the situation; however, it was not joke.  Those people were really brutal to the fragile egos of the contestants.

Speaking of egos the girls always seem to find something wrong with fellow contestant, Alexandria.  “I did feel all stressed out and Alexandria was always trying to give her two cents saying, ‘I did this before… I did that before… let me show you…’ She would not stop talking… relax, but she was cool and I will continue to speak to her after the competition.  Living in a house with so many girls just made us all stressed out,’ explains Monique.

The shoots look easy but there was something keeping Monique from winning or getting a #1 shot. “I’m really good looking and hot but I did not have a high fashion look.  It was hard to work with both Jays because they would say I look way too much like a pin up.  Oh well, I really did have fun,” remembers Monique.

This was the first time in Top Model history where the staff could not find a person to do a good weave.  Unbeweavable!  “I did like my makeover but they did a bad job on my extensions as well.  I did not say anything like Molly.  The stylist said she never did this type of weave before,” says Monique.

The advice Monique leaves for the next batch on aspiring models is to be confident.  “It all comes down to having confidence,” says Monique.  “Ten percent is knowing what to do, 10% is looking the part, 10% is height and the rest is personality.  It can be intimidating talking to a camera but you must be confident in yourself,” she explains.  “I knew I would make it on the show.”  Wow!  Now that’s confidence.  Great advice.

The next move for Monique will be to continue her quest for a modeling career.  “I’m moving to LA in April and my boyfriend is moving to Colorado,” reveals Monique.  Holy Cow!  You’re leaving your boyfriend?!  She replies, “I’m 20 years old.  I would never let him stop me from doing what I love.  I mean, we’ll see how it works out but if it doesn’t maybe we will meet again later in life.  I’m not interested in meeting guys right now.  I’m focused on getting my career going.

Monique is definitely a force that will not give up until she gets exactly what she wants… A Modeling Career!