I started cosplaying in 2007, but didn’t really start making my own stuff until 2011. I love cosplay because it is a great way to meet fans of my favorite series, and make friends. Additionally, I’ve always been an artistic person, so the crafting and art that goes into making cosplays and making scenic character photos is an enjoyable pastime for me.
Which character have you enjoyed cosplaying most so far?
This is always a tough one to answer, since I’ve done so many characters, and love them all for different reasons. But some of my top faves are Sailor Jupiter, Space Faerie, Tess, and Yoko.
Do you follow a beauty regime to look so beautiful?
Not particularly, I actually used to struggle with acne a lot, even well into adulthood. Switching to some Korean brand of skin care products versus the U.S. drug store brands I was using seems to have helped. I’m also quite fond of hydrating masks!
What is your favorite food or drink?
French fries probably are my favorite food, though not an entirely nutritious meal, haha. But on the flip side, I love me a good, healthy smoothie.
If you could have a super power, what will it be?
I always thought it would be cool to have “ghost powers” like Danny Phantom does. But idk, that’s a lot of power and responsibility haha. So maybe just the power to find all lost things, that would be sort of neat. I’m always losing things, so I think often about where they must have ended up. It’s like they disappear into thin air!
Are you more of a lingerie or bikini babe?
I love summer, swimming, and the beach, so it’s bikinis for me! Plus they’re generally more comfortable. Well, sometimes. XD
What turns you off on a date?
Whenever anyone seems to dismiss my hobbies and passions, or think they’re weird, it probably won’t work out. I like to say conventions and cosplay are “my full time hobby”, so if they want a “sexy cosplay GF” but think cosplay is something that only happens at comic con, they’re in for a big awakening…
*points to dozens of bins of fabric*
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions Momo. One question before we end, how do you define “sexy”?
I think sexy simply lies in confidence. Not just in one’s looks, but in everything else too. Of course, it is crucial to balance that confidence with humility, but ultimately, I think a lot of my admiration comes from seeing people just comfortably be themselves.
How is your fashion style like and where do you love to shop from?
I don’t have a specific settled fashion style, but I feel most comfortable with oversized or not too adjusted clothes, so neither has a favorite shop. With Covid hitting this past year, I have shopped online a lot, and a lot of my clothes come from small Instagram businesses.
Was art always a huge part of your life while growing up?
Definitely, I don’t know where I would be right now if it wasn’t for art. I have always loved drawing since I was a child, and still do nowadays. More than a hobby, it has now turned into a lifestyle and it would be a dream if I could make this passion into a living.
Where do you get your artistic inspiration from?
Life overall, we are living surrounded by art so if you look closely, anything can turn into a reference or inspiration. Our eyes are the cameras.
Which is the best compliment you have received?
“You have improved a lot!”
This type of compliments always makes me so excited and happy, as it reflects that my effort and hard work is being seen or noticed. It’s always good to know that you are making progress.
What 3 things do you love doing in the city you live in?
I have just moved back to Spain for holidays, in a small town that barely has anything, not too interesting but as it is the place where I grew up, I do have a special affection for it.
If you could have a superpower, what will it be?
People would think of many different superpowers that could make their lives easier, but my first thought was as simple and basic as flying, whenever I have lucid dreams, I imagine myself flying, and it is so calm and feels alive.
What turns you off on a date?
Bad morals, if there is something I absolutely hate, is people with bad morals, who are close minded and ignorant. This could be reflected in just one sentence and word. Things like this would make me leave the date instantly without any explanation.
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions Cristina. One question before we end, how do you define “sexy”?
This might be a weird answer, I don’t feel extremely attracted to muscles, veins, abdominals etc or anything physical at all. I pay more attention to intelligence and someone’s sensitivity to treat and understand people .
Hey! I am a Filipina / Vietnamese currently based in Singapore! I am a cosplayer, host, streamer, model and artist. I love anime, manga and games.
How is your fashion style like and where do you take inspiration from?
My fashion style is very comfy. At home, I love wearing oversized shirts and short shorts. People are often misled that I love fashion since I do a lot of fashion shoots. Unfortunately, I am actually a fashion disaster. I just wanna wear pyjamas everywhere I go~ I usually bring indoor clothes when I visit some friends. I also love wearing socks and slippers hahahaha.
I can dress up every now and then if I actually wanted too, Korean and Japanese aesthetics are my go to but I am still the type that puts comfort above everything else…well maybe except cosplay. 😉
Do you follow a regular beauty or exercise regime?
I am the type that invests on skincare more than make up. A good base does so much wonders.
I am horrible at exercise and outdoor activities though. I have the face of an 18 year old but the physical strength of a 65 year old lady.
I often spend my days indoors and all my hobbies are indoors, I’d even go as far to say that I do not like going outside; the only exceptions are work and meeting my loved ones.
Is there any food or drink you absolutely don’t take?
I love the smell and taste of coffee, unfortunately, it makes me feel really really bad so I do avoid it.
What hobbies or interests do you have?
Oh where do I start… Besides cosplaying, I love watching anime, reading manga, drawing illustrations, playing games, dancing, singing and sleepinggg. I love sleeping!
I also started doing clay art recently. I think I am a creative peson at heart, I might take a break every now and then but I would still go back to something creative to express myself.
If you could choose to remove one misconception forever, what will it be?
It would be really nice if people stop judging cosplayers based on some stereotypes and assumptions. I want people to see the positive things in cosplay.
Cosplay brings me so much happiness! Dressing up as some of my most loved characters always feel amazing!
Which flavor best describes you?
Choco Mint! Some people love or hate this flavor~
It is what it is! I like the contrast of taste and I feel like it represents my ever changing personality.
What turns you off on a date?
Hmmmm when I used to go on dates it was always either a yes or no. Nothing in between. I am a very decisive person when it comes to human relationships.
If I had to pick a turn off, it would be as simple as if you’re not a gentleman, then byeeeee~
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions Elie. One question before we end, how do you define “sexy”?
Being sexy is the ability to capture people’s attention through style, poise and attitude.
In a world where people rarely understand each other in any other aspect, it is so wonderful to have a medium that transcends most of the things that divide us as people. For myself, coming to the US with minimal English skills made it very hard to communicate and form bonds, leading to misguided acting out that made me seem like a trouble-making class-clown, but art is such an effective medium to have for expressing yourself, from your shallowest thought to the subconscious songs of your very heart. Art has given me a voice and I intend to never take it for granted.
Bodypainting is specifically very important to me because I love the human body and feel everyone should be more aware and in love with their own bodies; I get the necessity for clothes but it has come to the point where people value the clothes they drape on themselves more than they care about the individual within the material things. We came to this world naked because that is all that is absolutely vital to us, our naked bodies.
The human body is the most perfect original art provided to us and I hate seeing anybody ashamed of their gift; it brings me joy to remind people how beautiful their body has always been despite the clouds of conformity we all have to wade through on a daily basis.
How My Interest In Body Painting Started
I was always trying to hold onto everything I learned in painting class back in High School, then one day my eyes were introduced to Skin Wars on Netflix and I was baffled to see all the places paint could go, both literally and figuratively. It was a competition between body painters and I fell in love with the limitless art pieces they could create to tell any story prompted by the judges.
But simply wanting to make the move from a regular canvas to God’s on canvas was not enough, I was lucky enough to have my friend Megan at the time, who was comfortable enough with her body for the both of us, taking away my fear of messing up my first time putting brush to body. The Venom painting on my Instagram gallery was the very first actual attempt at bodypainting.
Does Having A Background In Photography Help?
My background as a photographer has come in handy for my bodypainting in two key ways: First and foremost, it helps cut out the middleman when capturing certain visions that I have carefully curated. Certain messages and emotions can’t afford to be altered in the portrayal process.
Second, photography has made it second nature to envision models in any desired setting, thereby allowing me to inversely picture how best to portray a scene on a model.
Does Body Painting Require A Lot Of Artistic Ability?
Consider how difficult it already is to paint on canvas, now add depths (3D body) that you have to now counteract with your own depth from shading and blending. It’s definitely harder but that just opens up the door to a whole new world of perspective depth, which is what really makes body painting stand out.
Challenges When Painting On A Body Compared To A Canvass
Other than the battle of depths that I mentioned earlier, models are a bit more animated than regular canvases; I usually have to go over areas multiple times to retouch cracked or smudged paint, but honestly that’s just a small price to pay for the potential masterpiece I see in my head every time.
Typical Process Of A Body Painting Session
Oh it’s a whole mess. My process involves choosing some random picture I think looks vivid, then I change my mind about 20 times, research any other artists who might have done the same idea so I can put a new twist on it, then I stare at the picture for a long while to see if it fits on a body in a clever way.
So far I’ve mainly relied on my classic paint brushes and skin-safe acrylics, but I am currently developing my skills with an airbrusher so I’ll be incorporating that into my projects when I’m comfortable enough for it not to disrupt my painting process, which on average, takes about 2-3 hours (First time it took me five hours, felt eyes glaring down on me as I painted past the four hour mark, you live and learn.).
Christian Chick – Male photographer and bodypainter, born in Cameroon, based in Los Angeles. Other passion other than art and media, sports, specifically soccer. Ex-mechanical engineering major. degree in Japanese, 6ft tall, Sagittarius.
I am a freelance model in the Philippines for almost 9 years now albeit I consider myself as an artist because I love everything art represents, like music or fashion…I aspire to be a successful entrepreneur someday too.
How did you get started into modeling and why do you enjoy it?
Collecting a lot of magazines when I was younger gave me an insight about modeling. I was intrigued so I searched agencies in my country to look for auditions and castings. Like a golden opportunity, I saw one and I went there with my sister. Fortunately, I was chosen to be a part of a fashion show and I even had my first print ad project.
After that I had fashion shows, commercials and print ads. I’ve been to a few TV shows in the early years of my career too, like Dyesebel, Pedro Penduko, Kambal sa Uma, and Volta. I even guested for a game show called Minute To Win It a year ago.
I enjoy doing my craft because I’ve met a lot of amazing people. I also met my best friends in this industry. Even the challenges and shortcomings made it more perplexing.
Do you follow a regular workout or beauty regime to look so good?
I do yoga and I meditate. When you have a peaceful mind, the body follows.
What inspires your fashion style and where do you love to shop from?
I’m not the type to follow trends. My fashion sense is very eclectic. It changes depends on my mood. I recommend checking out Orseund Iris, Oh Polly, Joah Brown and Fashionnova.
What have you always wanted to do or learn but have yet to find the time for it?
Probably dancing. It’s something I used to do a lot when I was still in middle school. I was even a cheerleader and I competed in gymnastics competitions too.
Do you believe in any superstition?
Neutral. Sometimes I find it funny, sometimes I blame myself for not believing.
Would you rather be able to play every musical instrument or master every type of sport?
I’d love to master any kind of sport. I love being prolific.
What turns you off on a date?
There’s a lot I could tell actually but I’ll list down a few things… First of, poor hygiene. I like a man who knows how to take care of his body. If they can’t take care of their own body, how can I assume that they can also be a responsible person?
Or when they’re not paying attention to me on our date, like they’re distracted with their phone or other stuff. I respect their own space but I can feel if they lack an overall investment. I don’t want a guy to date me out of boredom or just to get in my pants. I’d love to be with someone who has substance.
Lastly, if I see them being uncivil towards a waiter, staff, driver or a guard, it’ll also be a deal breaker for me.
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions Shanne. One question before we end, how do you define “sexy”?
’Sexy’ is a mentality for me. People see it negatively or they’d think you’re conceited when you’re being confident with your own body. I beg to differ. It’s a mere social construct. It’s not just about our body types. I can even find a person sexy with his motivation, his confidence, and his great sense of humor.
How else would I define it? Enticing. Captivating. I never found a guy that’s sexy enough to make me wanna drool over him. Like I can’t stop thinking about how hot he is or would beg him to make me his. If I ever found a guy that would give me that kind of butterflies, I’m doomed.
Hey! I am Anita Naoko and I am half Swedish and half Japanese. I grew up in Sweden but moved to Tanzania when I was 17 and lived there for a couple of years before moving to Japan where I currently live now. I am a mother to a two year old boy and I love to travel and just create things with my hands. Anything from baking a sourdough bread to sewing or painting!
What inspires your fashion style?
Oh, so many things! Nowadays the most important thing is that it’s comfortable and practical. Since becoming a mother I don’t ever wanna feel restricted by my clothes, I gotta be able to get down and dirty with my son or be able to pick him up when he asks for it.
At the same time it’s still important for me to feel like myself and dress up though, so it’s all about finding that balance. Apart from the must of the clothes being practical, Tokyo, where I live, is definitely an inspiration. There are so many people with unique styles and cools shops to browse through so it’s almost hard not to get inspired.
How did the idea of starting Shopsilkes come about?
I have always loved to create things but it has always been something I just do for myself. When the corona situation worsened over here, I got a lot of time to both think but also to spend at home. I wanted to create something that could maybe one day be a stepping stone to turn my passions into businesses.
I love fashion, I love vintage, I love luxury and I love to create things. Silkes is a combination of all that. In a time when we all should be more cautious with our fashion purchases and the impact it has on the environment, I decided that instead of creating something brand new, I will source authentic vintage high end scarves and repurpose them into hair accessories. This is a way for people to get something new and luxurious to wear but at a lower cost both for their wallets and the planet.
What other hobbies and interests do you have?
A big passion of mine is art. I love to paint and recently I created an Instagram called @BagTheBeast just for my art. I paint on vintage Louis Vuitton bags and who knows, maybe this can become another business of mine in the future?
Do you have a sweet tooth?
So boring but I don’t really eat too much sweets. Maybe some chocolate during that time of the month but otherwise I am more of a savory person.
If you could have a superpower, what will it be?
Hard one. It would either be something selfish like stopping time so I could enjoy my little boy for longer or I would choose something like reversing the climate crisis or something like that. Haha I realize that both these answers are boring, but I am pretty happy with who I am right now without any superpowers.
What 3 fun things do you love to do in the city you live in?
I’m a sucker for a good coffee so first thing I always do when I get into town is hit up one of the cafes! If not coffee, I also love to go for some bubble tea.
Tokyo has some of the most interesting shops in the world so I usually narrow down to one of all the shopping districts depending on what Im looking for or feel like seeing and then I can spend hours there just browsing.
I am also always on the lookout for a new good restaurant. Japan has the best food and the number of restaurants here is endless. I never head in to Tokyo without having a good meal!
What do you not get about guys?
Honestly, I kinda feel like I have them all figured out haha. Am I allowed to say that?
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions Anita. One question before we end, how do you define “sexy”?
Confidence! Nothing is sexier than a confident person, but don’t get it wrong with arrogance, because that would probably be the least sexy thing.
Dear SimplySxy, thank you very much for your interest. I will answer these questions as a model, I guess this is why you have my name. My page is www.instagram.com/annapsyartist.
How did your interest in photography begin?
My first photoshoot probably was when I started pole-dancing. I won a place in a competition and was asked to pose for photos due to my flexible back. Afterwards I was asked more and more to model. I did hundreds of tfp photoshoots. I always wanted to have some idea in all my photoshooting and always liked to think more about styling and making various decorations.
At some moment I was tired of similar photoshoots and wanted to go bigger. I contacted a photographer whom I was a fan of and ordered an art photoshoot with her. It was quite expensive for me at that time, but it was very very worth it. After that shoot I was more and more into art and conceptual photography. I was posing for world known artists during their workshops and also was invited for private collaborations. Quality attracts quality and it accumulates. This is why today I can be proud of the result my modeling career has brought me.
What is important to taking a good photo?
It is important is to be prepared. Spontaneous shoots can be great, you can have luck, but the best is to be prepared.
Preparation means:
– Think about your concept, styling, location, photographer, model
– Think about light/natural light and how it will work positively on your results
– Plan the team and logistics, communication!
– Have options and flexibility if something goes not according the plan
And for me of course, it’s important if the photographer knows what he/she is doing. Experience is preferable.
Which is a memorable photo or videoshoot you have done before?
I think it’s the shoot I had in Iceland.
Together with my team Art Photo Projects I organized a tour to Iceland in 2020. It was meant to be big and amazing, but due to covid-19 most of the participants couldn’t come. However we (team) still took a risk and directly after Iceland borders were opened, we flew to Iceland and did magical photoshoots with over 30 outfits!! It was so crazy, we dropped dead every day after the intensive schedule, but it was definitely worth it.
If you could collaborate with anyone past or present, who will it be?
I would love to collaborate with tour-agencies and make it possible for more people to travel and have magical photoshoots and workshops. I know there are already such tours with wedding photography ideas, or with some leading photographer, but I really want to make it “art” and open for everyone. I also would love to collaborate with more designers and magazines. I am having a few conversations now,
Is there any city or country you like to travel to visit when given the chance?
Right now I dream to visit Baikal Lake in Russia, New Zealand and Japan.
Have you been in an embarrassing situation that is funny now when you look back?
Yes, for sure. One day during a photoshoot in a lavender I had a see-through dress. It was very beautiful but I forgot my lingerie and needed to be without. It was very embarrassing for me to be so unprepared, but afterwards it was easy for the photographer to retouch…
What turns you off on a date?
If a person I am dating is not interested in my story, but only in sex.
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions Anna. One question before we end, how do you define “sexy”?
Quality that reveals sexual interest and easily attracts attention.
My name is Valerie, and I’m a model and artist living in LA. I grew up in NYC and Vegas before moving to LA for college, so I’ve been living in big cities my whole life. Being around so many different cultures and creatives, I was really inspired to start creating art myself.
What inspired you to be a model?
I love creating and connecting with an audience. I started off with painting, mostly in working with fluid mediums and bright colors, as well as some nature photography. Modeling just seemed like another creative outlet to express myself.
Is posing on camera a lot harder than it looks?
Posing on camera may come naturally to some people, but for me it took some adjusting. I used to be really camera shy and tried emulating poses I’ve seen other girls doing, but I’ve found my favorite photos that come out of a shoot are usually the ones where I’m just smiling or laughing because that’s how my natural personality is off camera.
Which is a memorable or unforgettable photoshoot experience have you had?
The most memorable shoot I’ve done was at Venice Beach because it was completely packed with people. Walking around in those crazy outfits, pretty much every person I waked passed was staring, and many decided to even take their own pictures of me. I got to meet so many new and different people, and everyone I spoke to was super nice and supportive!
Do you follow a strict beauty and exercise regime?
I don’t really have a beauty regimen, I just try to go bare-faced as much as possible to avoid clogging my pores and breaking out. I also follow a mostly vegan diet, with the exception of fish on occasion to get my Omega-3’s, Iron , and B12.
As for exercise, I weight-lift every other day, giving my body a day in between to rest and recover. On my off days I either do some light exercise like yoga for an hour, or I do just 15 minutes of HIIT training.
On a scale of 1-10, how much of a fashionista are you?
As a model, I do need to keep a closet of fashionable outfits that will photograph well and create a memorable photo. However, when I’m not modeling I like to wear a lot of things I find from thrift shops that might be currently out of style but have character. I also really prefer being comfortable over fashionable in my free time, but I do love wearing bright colors!
Have you been in an embarrassing situation that is funny now when you look back?
I peed my pants from laughing too hard on shrooms LOL.
What is a lame or funny attempt a guy has tried to know you?
The funniest thing a guy has ever done to woo me was show up at my doorstep decked out in a glitter suit, blasting “Must Be With You” by the Pussycat Dolls from his car stereo. Definitely will never forget that.
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions Valerie. One question before we end, how do you define “sexy”?
I define sexy as owning who you are and not being afraid to share that with others.
I have always been artsy and creative since at a young age and I’m all for the arts in all forms – whether it be in creative/design, performing arts, literature, and in science too as there’s art in every aspect of life. Like any other young ‘un i just drew on papers with pencils, markers, crayons and my family noticed and encouraged me to do more of them. I started taking it seriously when my mom suggested I take a diploma in illustration when the time has arrived for me to choose my career path in college.
Photo: Azizi Musa (https://www.instagram.com/azizimusa_)
Challenges Of Being An Illustrator
Illustration comes in many forms, styles and directions in terms of technicality and medium so it was never difficult. Anything can be an illustration piece when you just start letting your creativity flow and translate that to any canvas! The challenges I personally face on a day to day basis is honestly just staying true to my style and sticking to it mostly as I can get very detailed oriented in my pieces, and I am very particular on making sure the focus is apparent to every aspect of an artwork that can take up quite some time to complete.
But that also is finding the style that suits you most (which took me a while to obtain, master and execute) and also being confident about it and using it as a medium to sell yourself as an artist. But overall, anyone can be an illustrator just like how anyone can be an artist.
3 Of My Favorite Art Pieces!
1.(Drowned In Envy, Digital, 2019)
This piece is the first to really kick off my vision of the style I have long envisioned but I had no idea nor clue on how to execute, it’s actually based off a reference from an online zine called Dark Beauty and that’s when I know the direction I’m headed for all my future illustration pieces. This meant a lot to me as it’s a piece that got sold the most when I debuted at Comic Fiesta 2019 as a vendor, and I had people appreciating my art in real life. Not going to lie, after I had it rendered I was a little scared at how dark it looked in the end especially on the sharp expression. But it was different, and it holds a special place in my heart.
2. (Lost in Lust, Digital, 2019)
This was actually done with by ‘recycling’ one of my old concept design artworks from my final year project during college. I completely stripped the character where I made her look more ethereal and have her shown her body more. It was one of the quickest to render and I’m impressed at the overall tone, emotion and simplicity in the end.
3. (Broken Beyond Repair, Pencils, 2020)
One of my most recent traditional pieces I’ve drawn in my sketchbook where I mindlessly just draw without much of a direction. All I did was cleaned up the lines, planned a little bit more on what else to strategically add, and that’s about it. It’s somewhat an unfinished piece, too. It’s probably a habit for most artists to have many incomplete works. I might just complete it and add more dead flowers in the future.
Misconceptions About Illustrators & Artists
Usually I don’t hear much on my behalf but I would hear things like artists can’t do other things like graphic design and also that we aren’t worth much for one skill set. But that’s why versatility is extremely important and me as an artist, I would want to learn as much as I can to expand my repertoire and be more than just one title.
To be able to master art is one thing but what drives it to fatality is letting that be the only attribute for you to make a name for yourself. An artist can do and be so much more and that’s the beauty of it.
One of my personal favourite traditional sketches.
Tips One Should Know Before Being An Illustrator
Never give up on discovering yourself as a person and the things you do as an artist/illustrator/designer/creative. And it’s okay to rediscover yourself again and again. Art is in humanity itself and to be human is extremely vital to translate that into our canvases.
Always push yourself out of your comfort zone and that’s how people will notice you and take your creative direction into their liking. We go into phases and being comfortable will only deter us from reaching into our fullest potentials. Always paint, draw or design with a purpose – whether as practice or to experiment with different styles/techniques.
Always stay as active as you can be, never stop researching and never be afraid of criticism. We might be completely different in our own ways but we still have so much more to learn and it’s always a great feeling to be able to put the new found knowledge into good use. Never stop learning. It is never too late nor never too much to continue expanding your skills.
Keep going, keep pushing, but never be too hard on yourself. Art is extremely subjective. You’ll never know how much you’ll inspire others until you keep on going and realise how far you’ve come- as an artist, as a student, and as a human being.
Digital Reference study/practice of Actor Cole Sprouse. The actor himself noticed and it’s my first artwork to garner 500++ likes (https://www.instagram.com/p/BT2SS2olhR5/)
The Inspiration Behind My Existing Style
I would say my art aesthetic is raw, intense, vulnerable, and more on the dirty, sexy side in terms of my current direction. I love drawing faces and details matter to me. I love to translate the person that I am to my artworks.
I love the anti-pretty movement in my style where I love dark beauty, conceptual designs and where people usually go “whoa, that’s dark,” but people can still be gravitated to it – and those are the things that brought joy to my heart as there is beauty and reasoning even in unorthodox things, dead botanica, and unfinished, unforgotten debris.
I get inspiration from mangas, animes, other talented artists online, and photography. I love incorporating poetry and writing into it too so that there’s a story to tell.
Digital Reference study/practice of singer/songwriter SZA.
My Future Plans To Expand As An Illustrator
I plan to participate in more art conventions and to visualise and execute my artworks in products like sketchbooks and/or notebooks, tote bags and other stationeries. I have already done stickers and prints so far and I would love to see my vision coming true of compiling my original artworks, poetry and writing into a visual book someday.
Hey there! My name is Adele, and I am currently a creative designer while freelancing as an illustrator by profession. I’ve been drawing since I was a kind, and professionally for companies and clients since 2012 whilst still completing my diploma in my college, The One Academy. Aside from Illustration, I also do concept art, visual development and also storyboarding. Even graphic design. I love music, photography, literature such as poetry and non-fictional stories, and other things like makeup, fashion + food styling and baking as well. I love all things unorthodox and I strive for uniqueness and meaning in everything I do, yet I would want to remain kind, humble and empathetic as much as possible no matter where I am today.
If it wasn’t for the global pandemic, I will be participating in more art conventions such as Comic Art Fiesta and return once more to Comic Fiesta for the second time. By then, I hope to do more artworks and release an artbook for the first time, while also continuously updating my art profiles/websites.
It has been a year since our first interview with Riley Sawyer, and while a lot has happened since then, especially in the last couple of months, we catch up with this talented music artist to see how she has been!
I have been really good. I can’t believe how much has happened in only one year. I have expanded myself into different fields including the music industry.
Photo: Jack Bolland -Toronto Sun
You have your first single coming out, can you tell us more about it?
I’m so excited to have my first debut single coming out with such talented artists on the track. Rendezvous features JRDN, Young Stitch and my dog Baby aka Tiny Baby. It is a seductive song, all about teasing (pulling in then pushing away). I wanted to do a song people can play in the bedroom or even when they are feeling themselves to get in the mood.
How much work went into it and what was the process like?
The process taught me a lot, how having the right team around you can make magic happen. I am so lucky to have had two amazing artists featured on my first single as they definitely made the process a great experience as they both taught me a lot, getting their parts done right away with a short deadline.
Where do you get your music inspiration from?
Being around artists a lot inspired me to make my own music, as I am always modeling in music videos/ promoting other artists music so I thought, why not make my own. One of my best friends who is an artist, “Ricki Rich” gave me the confidence to get out there and do it after being with her during one of her studio sessions.
What was it like transitioning to music and do you still do any acting?
The transition was smooth, as being in front of the camera acting and modeling, you must have confidence and believe in yourself. When making music, I feel it is very important to feel that way as well. Having that down already and having a team there for me to answer any of my questions made it a great experience that I am so grateful for.
How did the idea of starting your own talent agency come about?
After managing myself for so long and getting my achievements on my own, I realized more than anything, if I could help direct other models starting out and guide them in the right direction, it would mean the world to me.
As it’s an industry that you must have a good team around you because it can be tough to be in on your own at times. So being there for models who are as eager to be in the industry as I am, I decided to manage and help any way that I can to give back because that’s what I needed two years ago.
What can potential or aspiring talents expect and hope to catch your eye?
Talent that stands out to me are ones that have the drive and want it bad, as well as staying true to themselves, (not trying to change for anyone). They must have a positive attitude and be able to handle responsibility, as being in this industry, it requires strong individuals who can handle what is thrown at them while giving direction to the next generation.
With so many projects and managing your own business, do you have any free time for yourself?
I do set time aside for myself as self love is extremely important in order to be successful in your job.
Are there any exciting projects or plans you have lined up for the rest of 2020?
I have so much I can’t wait for everyone to see. For 2020 expect, greatness, strength, wisdom and always Hot and Trending!
