Nikeysha may not have spent a lot of time on America’s Next Top Model, but she certainly made an impression. The aspiring model landed in the bottom two twice in a row and this week proved to be her last in the competition. Tyra and the rest of the judges felt that her pictures weren’t strong, she didn’t take critcism well, and she was too thin. Today, Nikeysha spoke to BuddyTV in an exclusive interview, responding to the judges and sounding off on her fellow competitors, like Hannah and Isis. It seems Nikeysha is still being Nikeysha – always saying what she thinks, whether people like it or not!
Below, you will find the complete transcript and mp3 of the interview.
Hey everybody, this is Gina from BuddyTV and today I’m talking to Nikeysha from America’s Next Top Model. Now that you look back on it, why do you think you landed in the bottom two the first two weeks?
Well, the first week I landed in the bottom two because I talk too much, and the second week I landed in the bottom two because . . . I talk too much. [laughs] And because I was a little too thin, I guess.
Does it bother you that the judges based part of their decision on the fact that you talk too much and that you’re an outspoken person?
I think the fact that I talk so much got me into the — aside from the fact that they think we have the ability to model and I guess the looks and everything, I think the fact that I did talk so much did help me get into the competition. I guess I was trying to keep that and it ended up being my downfall. But however, at the same time, just because something gets you in you have to know how to use it. You have to know when to talk and when not to.
How do you respond to the judges’ criticism that you are too thin? What did you want to say to them if you could say something?
The only thing I could say is this industry is very confusing, because I’ve been to agencies and they’ve told me, “Look, you need to lose ten pounds.” I have to lose the weight to model, and then it’s like, “You’re too thin to model.” So I’m like, “Okay, what do I do?” I’m trying to find a balance, a weight where I can do this. All I want to do is model. They want me to put on the weight tomorrow, I’ll go and do it, I have no problems putting on some weight. No issue here, that’s all good with me. [laughs] I just wish they would have been like, “Look, you need to gain some weight,” and then left me on the show and then I could put on some weight while I’m there and give me a chance. I just wish I could have gotten a chance.
On last night’s episode a lot of the girls confronted Hannah, saying that she was prejudiced.? Where did you stand in the middle of that whole fight??
To be honest, me and Hannah really didn’t have any problems, but some of the things I heard she’d done, they did come off a little — A thing they didn’t show is she wiped her face with, Joslyn was writing on a napkin and she wiped her face with Joslyn’s napkin. Stuff like that is a little — and the thing is, she only has these things with all the black girls. It’s like, “Okay, why are you doing these things only to the black girls and not the white girls?” And she’d stay stuff like she only gets along with certain people in school, and if she was in school she wouldn’t be hanging out with certain of us, she’s forced to hang out with us. It’s like, “Who are the people you would be hanging out with? All the white girls in the house?” Which is fine, but it just comes off a little racist. So to me, I just wanted to know. I wasn’t trying to accuse her of anything, I said, “Hannah, I’m not accusing you, I just want to know your stance on the whole situation, I just want to know how you really feel towards us and what’s going on.”
Well certainly everybody on Top Model this season has strong feelings about Isis being in the competition. What are your feelings about her?
My stuff with Isis is, look, she believes she’s a woman, she made me believe she’s a woman. I haven’t met anyone before who said that they feel like they’re born the wrong gender, they’re born in the wrong body. I’ve watched it on TV, and I really didn’t know what I think — as everybody said, they’re from a small town, not everybody agrees with those things. But when I met Isis and I was talking to her, I believed her. She looked like a girl to me and I wouldn’t have known if she didn’t say anything to me, and she made me believe her. So I just felt like, “You know what? You feel you’re a woman, then I guess you’re a woman.” Who’s to say you’re not a woman? Just like I feel a model, who’s to say I’m not a model? So I can’t judge her. If she feels she’s a woman, she’s a woman then. You go ahead, you go in this competition, you be fierce. She’s just another competitor to me.
Which models do you think we should be looking out for this season? Who do you think is going to perform very well?
Well, my girl Sheena. The things that they’re saying about her being too — I think Sheena’s going to bring it. Sheena’s my girl, I think she’s going to bring it. And Joslyn and Lauren Brie have been doing well, so hopefully they’re going to continue doing well. And Isis, Isis takes some great photos and she really knows her light and her body and all that. They try to play it like she shouldn’t be in this competition because of who she is and because she was born in the wrong body, but she seems to know her body more than the rest of us. So I guess she’s more of a woman than some of the girls in this competition. [laughs] But you know, as the weeks go on, some people start to downfall and some people start to get better, so I don’t even know. But I think there’s a lot of talent in this competition, I think this cycle they picked a good group of girls and a lot of them will be bringing it.
What about you Nikeysha, will you keep modeling from here?
Definitely. I’m going to keep trying and pushing, and hopefully you’ll see me somewhere, hopefully you turn on your TV and the commercial and you’re like, “That’s Nikeysha, I know that voice.” Because I know my voice will never leave you guys, I’m tired of hearing my voice. [laughs] But yeah, I definitely want to continue modeling. I’m going to see what happens. I want to be everywhere, I don’t want this to be the end for me. But God has a plan for us all, if it doesn’t work out I’ll definitely go to school. Even if I’m modeling I still want to go to school, education is important. I’m going to try, all I can do is try.
Well good luck Nikeysha, and thank you so much for your time, I really appreciate it.
No problem, I appreciate talking to you as well.
– Gina Scarpa, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of CW)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
