Today we’d like to introduce you to Nadja Sayej. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Nadja Sayej is a culture journalist with over 15 years of experience. She has written for The New York Times, The Guardian, Barron’s Magazine and has an ongoing pop culture and fashion column with Forbes. Her writing and interviews have also appeared in legendary culture and fashion outlets like Harper’s Bazaar, W Magazine, Interview Magazine and Vanity Fair London, where she reported from film festivals, from Venice to New York.
She has been around the world and back, having lived in Berlin and Paris for almost a decade. She’s also a former art critic. In the 2010s, she ran a web TV show called ArtStars*, which ran for eight years. This led her to the entertainment industry, where she focused on the art of the celebrity Q&A and still interviews celebrities for entertainment publications like Shondaland, Vulture, The Hollywood Reporter and The Observer, among others.
Nadja has interviewed over 1,000 world-renowned film directors, artists, designers and actors including David Lynch, Marina Abramovic, Susan Sarandon, Robert De Niro, Isabella Rossellini, John Waters, Patti Smith, Salma Hayek, Sarah Jessica Parker and Jean Paul Gaultier.
She made headlines for conducting the first-ever jpeg interview with Douglas Coupland and has covered A-list parties, from Heidi Klum’s Halloween Party to the New York Film Festival. Nadja has published five books, including The Celebrity Interview Book, which includes her 21 best Q&As, and Biennale Bitch, a Gonzo comedy-travel book about covering biennales across the globe. Her most recent book is Red Carpet Ho, which highlights stories as a red carpet photographer (2022 is the 100th anniversary of the red carpet).
She is also a celebrity photographer who shoots the stars up close and personal, and they’ve appeared everywhere from Vanity Fair London to The Daily Mail, Backgrid and V Magazine. Her celebrity photos were published in a photo book called Paparazzi Bitch, her sixth book, and her first photo book. It is released for the 100 year anniversary of the first-ever film premiere on the red carpet (it was for Robin Hood at Grauman’s Egyptian Theater in Hollywood in 1922). Here, she shares her tips, tricks, and thoughts around the creative industry.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
You definitely have to focus on what’s pulling you forward, rather than what’s holding you back. If anywhere, California has a strong sense of optimism and spirituality that’s unlike anywhere else in the country. So many important thought leaders are in LA, it’s truly underrated (does anyone read books anymore?). All you have to do is tune in and listen. It’s simple but a lot of people forget to believe in themselves. That’s a major key to success. How can you do this? By surrounding yourself with a lot of people who are already well on their way on the path of success – believing in their own dreams and following them.
In turn, you should give back and mentor other artists, too. Don’t focus on the challenges. Focus on what’s working for you, focus on your gratitude and focus on your goals that will drive you forward in harmony. As Winston Churchill said: “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a culture journalist who has interviewed over 1000 celebrities – from Heidi Klum to Jerry Seinfeld and Paris Hilton, and beyond. It’s truly one of my favorite things to do, speaking to an artist about their craft. Beyond talking about their projects, I always ask the stars: “What advice do you have for young artists today?” to see what kind of wisdom they have to give back to aspiring creators, too. That’s where they really shine. David Lynch told me to start meditating, while Paris Hilton said to step up and be a girl boss. Pose star Dominique Jackson said to always be kind, while Salma Hayek said you always have to believe in yourself. I’ll never forget these interviews.
I’m a woman behind the camera lens who asks celebrities questions. We don’t hear or see the female gaze in Hollywood as much as we should. I’m known for writing and publishing 6 books, including Red Carpet Ho, which features 25 stories of what it’s like being a woman red carpet photographer. I recently published Paparazzi Bitch, a photo book that features over 100 celebrity photographs I shot over the past 10 years from Berlin to New York and Venice. It’s a celebration of the female gaze in celebrity photography, and it’s just in time for Women’s Day on March 8.
https://www.blurb.com/b/
It features over 100 photos of celebrities like Lady Gaga, Catherine Deneuve, Spike Lee, Karl Lagerfeld, Tilda Swinton, and more, up close and personal—or at least, captured candidly. They were all moments where I had to fight to get the shot. I either wasn’t on the guest list, was denied at the door, was kicked out, or not invited to. As I like to say: “I’m not a paparazzi, but I’ve had to use paparazzi techniques to get good shots.” That means that photos taken on the streets are often better than the ones I’ve taken on the red carpet. Sometimes, red carpet photography can be predictable and boring. A good photograph is often of a spontaneous moment.
Any big plans?
I’m releasing my next photo book called The Art World, featuring over 100 portraits of artists (Marina Abramovic, Jeff Koons, and more). I’m hosting book launches for Paparazzi Bitch around Oscars season, and beyond. My next photo book Party Zeitgeist: Berlin, 2010-2018 features the roots of my photo work, party photography. I have a new web TV series in the works with Schön! magazine. And of course, I’ll keep interviewing celebrities. I’ll also keep showing up at red carpet galas dressed like a sequin, fun fur cartoon character. Stay tuned for more!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nadjasayej.
com/ - Instagram: https://instagram.
com/nadjasayej - Twitter: https://twitter.com/
nadjasayej
Image Credits
Photos of daylight shot and books in daylight – Jefferson Glitzer Photos of me in sequin dress – Madison McGaw / BFA Photos of me in dark background wearing sunglasses – Douglas Pinho Still from my NBC interview courtesy of NBC6 Miami, Six in the Mix
