Yesterday I had the pleasure of chatting with Salome, the latest model to be eliminated from Make Me A Supermodel.
Salome was an unlikely contestant on a reality television show, considering her strict Mennonite background. Despite struggling at times with the cultural cues referenced for inspiration during the challenges, Salome dominated the photo shoots this season, winning five out of 11 challenges during her time on the show.
Salome and I chatted about how an “almost Amish” girl decides to become a model, her favorite of her winning photo shoots, and who she’s rooting for to be this season’s Supermodel.
Listen to my full interview with Salome:
On how a Mennonite girl comes to be on a show like Make Me A Supermodel:
I left home when I was 18 years old, two years ago. And I never planned to model. I left home because the Mennonites weren’t right for me. So after about two years of people telling me I should model, I should model, I should model. I got a shoot with a photographer and got a magazine cover. And I realized it was really easy for good money, for me. And then one of my friends told me about Make Me A Supermodel and she told me when the audition was and she was like you really should go with me, I’m going. So, I went, and I got it. It was nothing I ever planned on. Reality TV, I don’t even really watch.
On being a confusing character and her struggles with pop culture:
I know I am confusing to a lot of people. Even my closest friends look at me and are like, you don’t know that?! We’re going to have to educate you. Because, I just, I know so much stuff that most people don’t know. I was raised taking care of myself, growing all my own food, reading the Bible, memorizing the Bible. I read a lot, I read all kinds of books. But anything to do with pop culture and music and things everybody else grew up with, I don’t know.
On her favorite photos of her time on Make Me A Supermodel:
My pictures, that I can’t wait to have in my book are the nude shoot and the last shoot, the swimsuit shoot, on the beach. Amazing.
On the constant criticism of her body:
The thing is about my body, I’m okay with my body. I just know for modeling I need to change. For high fashion especially. It was shocking to me, I’m 6 foot and I weighed 135 on the show and I’m considered huge. Huge! And I’m like, really? If people knew that and realized we had 3 days to change our measurements. Not our weight, our measurements. They would look at it totally different. Every three days you are measured and your expected to have lost inches. Inches!
On what other Mennonites and her parents have said about the show:
Yeah, I’ve gotten quite a few, which is shocking to me, on blogs on Bravo, Mennonites have written on there and I’m like you’re not even supposed to watch TV, how do you know that I am on this show?! My mom said to me, “I care about you, so I care about what you’re doing. And I want you to be happy. I don’t agree with what you are doing, but I love you anyway.” So I’m not choosing the right thing, but they love me no matter what.
On who she hopes will win Make Me A Supermodel:
I have to root for Mountaha. She’s a beautiful girl and if Mountaha doesn’t win, Sandhurst better. He better. I love them both. I think they’re both great models, good attitudes. So yeah, I want either one of those two to win.
–Abbey Simmons, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image Courtesy of Bravo)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
