By Stranga The Great
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
Readers of the urban modeling magazines and those who pay close attention to the music videos should be well aware of Johanie Taylor. She is one of the more-popular ladies in the industry and she has appeared in many music videos. Last year, Johanie appeared in Nicki Minaj’s “I Am Your Leader” with Rick Ross and Cam’ron.
The year of 2012 was very eventful for Johanie Taylor, as she also appeared in a music video with Raekwon for his “Catalina” video with Lyfe Jennings. But, music videos are not all Johanie Taylor has going on. As previously stated, she also appears in several magazines.
Johanie Taylor is a native of the Virgin Islands, but she now resides in the United States and it is here where she is pushing her career forward. As she is making her move towards the top of the game, Johanie Taylor talked to Hip Hop Vibe. During her Hottie of the Week feature, she spoke on her career and her back-up plans.
Read the entire interview below:
You have a very diverse ethnicity. Can you tell us a little bit about growing up in the Virgin Islands? Growing up in the Islands was a lot different than growing up in the states. It was very different when it comes to the culture and the environment.
Looking at your resume it seems you were groomed to be in arts and entertainment. How was life being the kid with such a busy schedule? My life was not like that of the typical kid. I didn’t get to experience some of the things that the other kids got to do. I didn’t really have time to do things like sleep overs. I basically went to school and when I wasn’t in school, I was performing, so I was constantly busy and always had to maintain no lower than a B average. It was tough, but I got so used to it, that it really wasn’t a big deal to me so it became natural.
You grew up with a lot of talents, so what was it about modeling that made you favor it and pursue it as a career? To me, modeling was the easiest to pursue when I moved up here. You don’t have too many options as far as talent agencies, so I started out as a promo girl. So, as far as the other talents the opportunities just haven’t presented themselves. I just don’t want to be labeled and I want people to see me as multi-talented and not just another pretty face.
After choosing to pursue modeling full time was it a tough decision leaving the Islands for the States and were your parents supportive of the move? Yeah man, it was tough leaving and I left home three days after I turned eighteen, since I graduated at age seventeen. I only had maybe one or two friends in Florida and I moved up here on my own and it wasn’t easy. As far as my family, my mom wasn’t too happy about it at first and she wasn’t that supportive, which is tough. It wasn’t like I was just next door, I wasn’t a car ride away, I was a full day’s plane ride away.
Can you tell us about your first real modeling experience? As an adult, my first experience was the Paul Mitchell hair show in Orlando. When I was younger I was in pageants so I think the first real experience was when I was maybe twelve or thirteen just learning how to get started.
You have been in some high profile music videos. Out of all the sets that you have worked on which one stands out to you the most? The set that stands out to me the most would probably be the Nicki Minaj “I Am Your Leader.” It was just such a dope set, it was so creative and unlike any set I had been on as far as video’s. You know videos, nowadays the budgets aren’t what they use to be, so with Nicki’s video you can tell they had a budget and put a lot of time and concepts and principles into it. It was so professional all the talent got treated right and they fed us and most of time the talent doesn’t get fed especially the models. It was just an incredible set to be on.
If you weren’t modeling what would you be doing as your career? If I wasn’t in modeling, I would love to pursue acting as a career. But if I had to choose to do something not affiliated with the arts at all I would probably be back home in the Virgin Islands. My mom has an insurance agency so I would be an Insurance Agent in the Virgin Islands.
Your currently in LA working on some projects, could you tell us about any upcoming projects that you have in the works? I’m in LA working on some shoots with some magazines but I really don’t like to talk about whats going on while it’s still in the process of working out. A lot of the times it doesn’t work out the way you want it to work out especially in this industry. I would much rather for the fans and everybody to just keep up with my progress and stay tuned because this is not it. I’m out here working hard and networking as much as possible and I assure that the people will begin to see and know a lot more about me.
Your what I like to call a natural beauty and with that being said what do you consider to be your most striking feature? Honestly, I would say my personality (laughs). I want the people to get to know me and I feel like a lot of beautiful women in the industry or beautiful women period the one thing they lack is personality. I feel like all the women just lean on their looks and I feel like I’m attractive and I’m confident by my looks but I think personality makes a very beautiful woman also. So the quality that I think makes me the most attractive is my personality.
What is your ultimate goal that you want to obtain through modeling? My ultimate goal is I want to dominate the urban industry and then I want to crossover. You know it’s not too many urban models who have the glorified types that can do both sides like do the Maxim photo-shoots and still be able to do The Black Men and Show Magazine and all that.
Honestly, I just want to be able to crossover because urban is so geared and emphasized on the huge booties and huge breasts, but there are beautiful women out there who are proportioned and you don’t have to go out there and get the butt shots. I just feel like we’re not sending a positive message out for teenagers and young girls out there, especially with their self esteem.
So that is really important to me as far as accomplishing something in the modeling industry. I want to be able to branch out from the urban industry and do the Maxims and do the print and some commercial and fitness modeling out here in LA and you know it’s looking good.
Where can we connect with you on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? Facebook is Facebook.com/johanie.taylor.3. Follow me on both Twitter and Instagram @JohanieT.
See additional photos of Johanie Taylor below:
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