January 12, 201411 yr Galore Magazine January 2014 Tune Darling: Jessi M'Bengue talks culture & cocktails We caught up with model and musician Jesi M’Bengue aka Jesi Monroefor some cocktail culture and model chit chat. GM: How do you flaunt your sparkle and unleash your spirit JMB: Music ! Listening to music , and or writing music GM: How would you describe your sound JMB: poetry spoken word with and r&b twist GM: Favorite musician of all time JMB: Sade! GM: Modeling Vs Music JMB: both allow me to be creative modeling has allowed me creative freedom and way to discover myself GM: How would you describe your style JMB: Rocker chic black biker jackets denim and all black everything GM: What Absolut Tune cocktail represents you as an artist JMB: THE MONROE
January 20, 201411 yr TAP Magazine The modelling industry is a fierce field. It’s filled with so much talent,beauty and grace but very few make it to the top. When you’re of African origin, chances of you gracing the mountain top are even more minimal. The industry is known for being super harsh on models with African origin. In fact, if I asked you to name African super models that you know about, I’m not sure you would count past the fingers on your one hand!Born in south of France, from an Ivorian-Senegalese father and an Algerian mother, meet Jessi M’bengue, a successful super model who has risen through the ranks and into the sacred circle of in-demand international super models. TheAfrican beauty in the 2013 megahit song: Blurred lines with Robin Thicke, T.I and Pharrell, grew up in France, moved to Canada to pursue her education and eventually started her modeling career in Toronto, ON.With a journey filled with obstacles, road blocks, up and downs; Jessi managed to change her life with hard-work, creativity and an intuition that never wavers. One thing Jessi has learned from her parents is to fight for what you believe is fair and to never give up. She’s a woman on a mission, she’s dedicated to her craft and she’s living the life of her dreams. Those who know her most remark that “the first thing you notice when you first meet Jessi is how energetic and honest her personality is, she walks around with a “joie de vivre” and a vivid sense of humour”. Now based in New York and LA, Jessi recently sat down and shared with TAP her story; the road she’s taken to become the model and person she is today. Enjoy TAP: Let’s not beat around the bush! How did you get into modeling? How did you first get scouted?JM: After completing high school in France, I decided to move to Canada and pursue my education. It was far but I needed a change, so I moved to Toronto, ON in 2003. I chose Toronto because I wanted to learn English and what better way to learn than complete immersion into a foreign language. With the help of my parents, I paid a year up front for a studio apartment in Toronto which, 3 days later, went up to flames with all my stuff I brought from France. I was faced with 2 decisions; either go back to France and rebuild, or stay in Canada with no physical memories of my former life. I decided to stay and my life changed. As I was pursuing school, I met the most important person that shaped my professional life to this day Chantale Nadeau. She became my manager and my personal mentor. Being the half shaved, red headed tomboy that I was, Chantal saw something in me that I couldn’t have seen for myself. She believed in me, groomed me and helped me become the model and woman I am today. TAP: What do you like most about modeling?JM: The freedom to be creative, the freedom to be whoever the client needs me to be for that one day. It really is fun if you have a strong imagination like I do, and you can embody a different personality depending on the request, and I love that about modeling. TAP: Tell me one of the weirdest story from your modeling journey so far?JM: There are plenty (laughs). One day I got picked up by a taxi which was not a real taxi, turned out to be a random psycho gJM: There are none. Those clients see beautiful girls all the time, I think what makes the difference between one beautiful girl to another is the fact that you are YOURSELF and if you do OWN yourself. I mean you just have to be comfortable with your body, your story and with who YOU ARE. You don’t really have to kill yourself to fit into some standard. There are certain standards for modeling for sure, but a beautiful girl who is comfortable in her skin will find her way in whichever way it’s supposed to be for her. If you’re a little curvier and you kill yourself being super skinny just because you want to fit into certain clothes, I don’t think it’s the answer. You have to be comfortable with whom you are, comfortable with your story and your path and then you will shine and get what you’re supposed to get in modeling, if modeling is supposed to be part of your journey .It’s not everybody’s journey. Modeling is a lot of preparation meets opportunity, so you can be prepared meaning being in your best shape but opportunity is luck or destiny. So 50% relies on this, the other 50% relies on something else which is an outside force. Do the best that you can, be professional, stay motivated and passionate about your craft and if it’s meant for you, you’ll be successful. TAP: A few weeks ago, after New York Fashion Week, Fashion activist Bethann Hardison launched a campaign to end “racism” on the runway. In an open letter to the governing fashion bodies, she publicly called out a number of designers who featured zero or one model of color on the runway. Models like Naomi Campbell and Iman alongside Ms Hardison went on a TV talk to discuss how troubling the lack of runway diversity is. What are your thoughts on that as a woman/model of color?JM: It’s true it’s not easy as a woman of color. It’s there but I don’t necessarily want to continue feeding those talks. I’m an African woman, that’s who I am. I’m also an individual; I’m a person before I am a woman of color or model of color. Diversity doesn’t really exist but not just in modeling, in everything in general. Model is just one aspect. Those talks will never finish, because I don’t think as people of color or of ethnic background, we are well represented in anything; so rather than talk about it, I rather work hard so I can change something. Unfortunately, me by myself I can’t change much, so hopefully many of us will stop talking about it and instead thrive to make a change and make the difference. TAP: Your also a musician, a songwriter and poet. How is that working for you?JM: I’ve been writing poetry since I was 10 years old. Basically I realized early in life, that writing is the key for me to be able to go through my life and remain sane through the ups and downs. I document my life through my writings. It became songs recently when I mastered the universal language, which is English. It’s mostly a way of self-expression more than anything else. I’ve been told a few times, that I should share it to the public, I’m working on finding the perfect way to share it with others because so far it’s a meant to accompany me throughout my endeavors, like a prayer pocket. I’m working on a way of sharing it with the world, then, hopefully people will understand a little more of me. TAP: How often do you go back to Africa?JM: I used to go back once a year, starting age 10. Then I stopped going when I was about 17-18. But I go whenever I can now to visit my father who lives in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. TAP: Do you have any plans in the future to work or do a project there?JM: I have many plans and projects. But again I don’t talk about them, I just do them. So follow me. (Laughs) TAP: What are some of your guiding principles? Religion, superstitious?JM: I don’t have any guiding principles or religion. My father is Christian, my mum is Muslim. I was raised in the crossroads between both religions. If I do have a religion, it’s the religion of love. I try to respect myself and respect others as I evolve. I try to be understanding of myself and understanding of others. It’s not always easy. Constant change and constant evolution is the way to go. I try to find love and spread love in everything that I do. TAP: If you were stranded on a desert Island what would you bring?JM: A spiritual book. Anything about spirituality, it doesn’t have to be associated with religion, although I love reading the bible and the Quran. Anything that is associated to a loving and merciful energy. TAP: Tell us one thing about yourself people might find surprising.JM: I’m absolutely extreme. I can be very much out there, and I can be very much like a priest. I have an extreme personality. The goal in my life is to try to find a middle ground. TAP: Do you like to shop?JM: I don’t like to shop at all. I think that’s another surprising thing (laughs). I can spend months and months without shopping. I’m not a fan of crowds and shopping in general. If I do see something that catches my eye, I’ll buy it but I would never make a Saturday afternoon to just shop.
February 13, 201411 yr SWEAT THE CREW: MissFit Jessi M'Bengue Whether you love me or love me a lot you’ve got this MissFit to thank! Model/Singer/Poet Jessi M’Bengue is the one who convinced me to start modelling when we were both living in Toronto. Jessi also comes from a diverse background, she was was born in France to an Arabic mother and an African father. When we met to play tennis in Echo Park the usually eclectic Jessi was in clean classic form, wearing her French colours on her headband. Jessi’s style is always the perfect balance between elegance and edginess. Who do you SWEAT? Anybody with great energy… Positivity is attractive.What do you SWEAT?Life. I sweat everything about Life. Mine and Others.Where do you SWEAT?In casting rooms… LOL!When do you SWEAT?When I’m running outdoors, being passionate indoors, being embarrassed outwards, being shy inwards.How do you SWEAT?With delicate elegance…Why do you SWEAT?Because the good stuff in my life is built from that sweat…And I like good shit. So I sweat.
May 19, 201411 yr Volt Cafe #4 Magazine Name of the Editorial: Sun Screen! Photographed by Nikki Neervens
July 29, 20159 yr LUCY'S Magazine August 2015 Name of the Editorial: Colorization Photographed by Greg Lin Models: Katie & Jessi M'Bengue
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.