5 Minutes with
Melody Mikél
Each week, we're spending 5 minutes with some of our closest collaborators from the UO Community to learn a little bit more about them and what makes them tick.
This week, we're talking to creative Melody Mikél about her modeling career, growing up in the midwest and how she plans to expand into acting.
Hi Melody! Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am Melody (Mel) Mikél and I am from Denver, Colorado. I work as talent mainly in the fashion/modeling industry for the last four years which takes me a lot of places but Colorado is definitely home to me.
How did you first get into modeling?
I was in a phase in my life where for the first time I was spending a lot of time by myself. I grew up in a home where my family is really close, so this time in solitude I got to get to know myself and what I liked. That is when I fell in love with expressing my artistic side through photos; by posting them on my Instagram I got some affirming responses. That's how I became connected with the first photographer (Sammy Keller) and brand (Orendalou) that believed in me. I was working one job during the week and then modeling every weekend. My career has continued to grow from there to where I am now very grateful to be modeling full-time.
What are the next steps you have planned for your career?
In the next phase of my career I aspire to continue modeling but also to get into acting more. I tell my family I have “Issa Rae dreams” as I write, too, and would love to have one of my works come to fruition while also being on screen helping bring it to life. I have always had a love for media and realized in college how influential pop culture can really be. For a while there I was going to put down my talent dreams. As we can see I didn’t do that because I had to be true to what I knew early on - that this is what I want to do. I want to be a part of touching people and having an influence on lives in a positive way through the art of media.
What advice do you have for other aspiring models?
If you are serious about it, master YOUR craft. I put “your” in all caps because there is nothing better you can be in this world than authentically yourself. If you’re doing what you love and feel affirmed in your purpose, don’t give up. This journey is a hard one. Stay safe and don’t be afraid to ask questions or request things in writing. I still feel I'm only scratching at the surface and it has taken a lot of hard work, tears, and faith to get here. As cliché as this sounds, do you and keep going.
Any advice for people who just don’t know where to start when it comes to modeling, esp. if they’re not living in NYC/LA?
In the US I know our fashion hubs are known as NYC and LA, but I feel like I am proof that it is possible to start your career without physically being in either of those places. A majority of my work I have had to travel for and many of those places I have flown to were not in NY or LA. Opportunity is everywhere. Building your portfolio from where you are and utilizing social media is also very helpful in this long distance scenario. The first two years of my career I was independent and relied on my social media for booking jobs before I sought an agency for additional support. If you are seeking an agency, many have an application process on their website that you can complete from home. I even went as far as to mail photos of work I had already done to every agency I knew. I laugh at that now because none responded, but I put a lot of heart into those packages.
What’s been the most gratifying moment for you in your career?
Realizing I have purpose where I am and in what I am doing. This is a hard job, trust me. I have cried many tears behind my dreams. Every time it has been worth it, though. I am very grateful that I have been able to see my hard work pay off in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I have also met some very beautiful people, inside and out, that make me feel really honored that we've been able to create together. I guess you could say the gratifying parts have been watching my work mean something.
Photography by @sammykeller
What about when you’ve been the most proud of yourself?
I have felt my most proud when I have heard how I have inspired someone else. It is such a gift to know that you've shined light on someone in a way that maybe they haven’t felt before. These moments are what push me to keep doing what I'm doing. Like when people all around the world have been kind enough to tell me seeing me on a billboard made them love themselves a little more, because it felt good to see someone that looks like them there, or even just having my family be proud of me has been really big and affirming for me.
One goal you have for the next 6 months?
SURVIVE! Hahaha, but seriously it has been a rough year and there have been many pre-existing issues that are now being discussed again and I am hopeful that serious change is on the horizon. My goal would have to be continuing to do my part (we all have different ones) in seeing those things through.
What’s one thing you learned this year?
The importance of healing, serenity, and being kind to myself throughout the process. That has all felt like one thing to me because it has brought me some peace. Having any ounce of that in this complex world I am very grateful for.
To see more from Melody, follow her on Instagram: @melmikel