Today we’d like to introduce you to Joi Featherstone.
Hi Joi, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started off with a childhood that was filled with many challenges that required me to mature faster than most kids my age. I immediately fell in love with all with creative arts because it was like another world away from the one I was in. I was able to express myself in ways I never knew and since then, I haven’t looked back. My friends make jokes and say I’m “a jack of all trades, the all of the above option” because I do almost everything.
To sum it up, I sing, song write, dance, act, write poetry, photography, hairstylist, and most recently modeling and fashion design, So yeah, I do a lot of things. I met this amazing photographer Magdalena Wosinska. She was interviewing me for a documentary and I was telling her about my talents and she became very impressed with them. Her interest in me peaked my interest in my modeling dream that was deferred. We became friends and one day, I asked her “How do I become a model?”. I will never forget the spark in her eyes when she helped me with my first photoshoot, it immediately lit my fire and I felt “this is where I belong”. The doubt I had in myself about anything vanished. I loved everything about it, the energy, the fast pace, the creativity, and the freedom I had when I was on set. I fell in love with modeling and after that Magdalena and I created my portfolio and blasted it out to agencies all across California and I ended up getting signed to Minelli Management not long after.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road to becoming a model was rocky. I wanted to model when I was younger and was told I’d probably never have a shot because I’m too short and had thick hair. Of course, my heart was broken. I was crushed and the sad part about it was I actually started to believe that I wasn’t good enough to become a model. So as that dream died, I dove into my other talents. Until I got a little older and regained confidence in myself and my abilities.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I like to think of myself as an artist because everything that I do, modeling, singing, dancing, and writing, is a form of art. I’m known for a lot of things. If you ask anyone I’m close to “What does Joi do?” their response would probably “What doesn’t she do!”. I am most proud of being apart of the Beats by Dre campaign called “you love me” it is a beautiful piece that represents not only how beautiful but how influential black culture truly is. I believe all of my passions are what set me apart from others because I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t do everything I loved. I used to feel incomplete when I wasn’t doing all of my passions. I am staying focused on all of my crafts. I plan on dropping an EP this year and also releasing my own fashion brand which will be cut and sewn by hand by me, so STAY ON THE LOOK OUT!!! Where I am in life, doing what I love at this age, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. I’m even more happy because I know that this is only my beginning.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
BIG shout out to my dad G Money. My dad has been my rock my entire life and I would not be where I am today if not for him. He pushes me and motivates me in his own way and although we may not agree on everything, we still come to a middle ground and I love him to death. My family plays a huge part, my mom, granny, younger siblings, and cousins all support me and motivate me to continue and strive for greatness, I can’t stop until I achieve every dream. I also have to thank my boyfriend for supporting the way he does, cheering me on with everything I do, and always giving me that constructive criticism that keeps me eager to be better than I was yesterday. Another shout out to Magdalena, thank you for being you. Her drive for her passions burns so immensely and it has lit mine. She has not only been a motivation she’s been a representation of the work ethic I strive to have.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icy.simone/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVZX1ffET7gFSe0QkmvOhPA?view_as=subscriber
Image Credits:
Magdalena Wosinska forgotallaboutmephotography Marlene Jajalla
