Life as a Model

 The life of a model… Since 2006, I have coined myself as America’s Next Top Model, because the dream of winning the hit reality show was first on my mind and for the last four years I have tried out for over four seasons.

If you have ever seen me then you know, I’m 5’7, about 115 pounds, and my legs are almost 80 percent of my body. Well my name is Martia’ Holloway, and I’m going to take you on a journey where few I have made it.

If you have ever seen ANTM, then you know exactly how it feels to be a model, and just exactly how hard it is to be on top. Well modeling is nothing really like that at all, it’s more intense and you receive a lot more criticism on the way you look and the way you walk.

In 2004, I went to a model call for a agency in Virginia and they told me that in order to model I must lose 20 more pounds and at that time I was already 110 pounds, so I gave up.

Then in 2005, I did my first hair show, for Isoy Hair Couture, and the show was produced by; Diva Dolls Incorporated, our theme was a tribute to New Orleans. I stepped on the runway palms sweaty and body shaking, then my music queue came on; “show me what got lil mama, show me what you got lil lady, hands up now wave.” And I took off strutting down the runway, looking side to side at everyone in the building; I placed my right hand on my hips then my left hand on my hip. By that moment I was at the end of the runway and struck the meanest pose ever, turned off and strutted back down the runway.

From that moment on you couldn’t tell me nothing, that was until, the summer of 2006 when I tried out for season nine of America’s Next Top model, I had slept outside the venue where tryouts were being held. That morning at about 8a.m I woke up brush my teeth with toothpaste and a water bottle, and got dressed in the car. I stood in line for almost six hours, when my number was finally called. “Hello number 29, step up and please allow our assistant to measure you,” said a representative from UPN.

I was so excited; my heart was racing so fast I could hear it through my chest. “Number 29, is 5’6 ¾, we’re sorry, but you must be at least 5’7.” I didn’t know for sure if I had heard him right, because the room suddenly got quiet and I froze in place, but that didn’t stop the tears and agony I felt hearing those words. That stopped me for a few months, I became very depressed, but I continued to do hair shows and to rip the runway for Isoy Hair Couture.

However after that moment I continued to try out for ANTM, and my last stop was the tryout for 5’6 and under, however since I haven’t gotten a call so, I didn’t make it. But do I give up or keep strutting until someone says, “hey you, you have what it takes to be on top, show me what you got.”