AMANDA STRAND TALKS MODELING

Interviewed by Culture Coast Talks editor Daniel John. Interview transcripts might have been edited for length and clarity.

Around a year after your YouTube debut, you're approaching 100,000 followers there. What attracted you to becoming a YouTuber?

In high school, I studied the hair and makeup stylist-program, and it all started with a school project in the subject of entrepreneurship where we had to choose between designing an idea for a beauty salon and starting up a makeup-blog, or a makeup YouTube-channel. I thought YouTube might be fun so I recorded my first video there called 'My Everyday Makeup'. After a few videos the course ended, but since things were going so well and I was enjoying it, I decided to continue with YouTube.

You worked as a model even before YouTube fame. You were quite young when you first started out?

In Kungsbacka where I live, there's a shopping center. I was about 13 or 14 when I was there one day with a friend, and a woman came up and asked if we wanted to try being models for a day. They were looking for models for their customer magazine Kungsmässanmagasinet. I applied for it and they later contacted me and said that they wanted to feature me in the next issue. I got in and even ended up on the cover and the woman who worked there recommended I reach out to a modeling agency, Modellink, that was in Gothenburg, and I eventually signed a contract with them.

What was the first real job?

My first real job was for Seger, a brand that sells things like hats, I appeared in their catalog in a few different photos.

Was being a model something you had always wanted to be?

Ever since I watched Top Model as a kid, I wanted to be a model. But I didn’t think I’d reach the right height since my mom is only 165 cm tall, luckily I must’ve inherited my dad’s genes since I am 175 cm now.

You speak quite openly and honestly about a lot of things in your Youtube videos. Do you think about what messages you want to share with people?

I like being open and honest in my videos. I think it's important to be myself. But I have also chosen to keep the most private things to myself. I also don’t talk about anything I don’t personally stand behind. I think it’s important to maintain a good and respectful tone in my videos. When you have many young followers I think you have a responsibility and I want to be a good role model. How we treat each other really matters.

The modeling industry can be quite demanding when it comes to your measurements and body standards?

Yes it’s true that certain jobs require certain measurements, but this has, actually, changed a bit in recent years and many clients now want slightly larger sizes. I wouldn’t say I exercise a lot or think much about what I eat. I have got a real sweet tooth! I am probably just naturally slim and not particularly health-focused.

You did step away from the fashion world for over a year?

There were two reasons I paused modeling. First, I’m a real homebody and didn’t enjoy being away from loved ones for too long, also the job did require a fair bit of training and I just wasn’t motivated enough at the time.

What happened a year later that made you return, because you are with a modeling agency again, now. Right?

As an influencer I get photographed a lot and I really enjoy it. That sparked the idea to start modeling again, because I’d actually missed it. I reached out to my old agency, and now I’m back with them on my terms and with my current measurements. It's the same agency as before. I’ve been contacted by a few other agencies, but since I like my original one, it felt natural to return there.

What work would be fun now?

It would be fun to do big collaborations and campaigns with well-known brands like H&M. Or Gina Tricot. And of course it would be a dream to work with the big makeup companies.

I’m curious about how it was entering the profession at such a young age. Agencies often do a "follow up" to see how young models develop. Was there a specific category you fit into?

Since I was pretty young when I first joined the agency and had not finished growing. I was also part of a “follow up” which you mention for quite a while. It wasn’t until I was about 16 that I’d stopped growing, before that I did a few smaller jobs and several test shoots. Since I have some curves I'm not really suited for runway modeling, as those girls are usually much taller and slimmer. The agency thought I fit better as a model in the "commercial" model category.

Have you worked abroad?

During the summer break of 2016 I worked as a model in Milan, Italy, for about eight weeks. A lot of the time is spent going to castings but I did land several jobs as well.

It must be completely different working in Milan compared to in Sweden?

What I noticed in Milan was that the competition was a lot tougher. The measurement standards were also stricter than in Sweden. But it was also fun, when you walked around Milan you could immediately spot other models heading to or from castings. Every model wore tight black clothes, backpacks and comfy shoes! I got in a lot of steps each day and I even made a few lifelong friends.

What advice would you give to people, not least young girls, who dream of following a trajectory similar to yours?

I recommend reaching out to a few recognized and serious agencies, book a meeting and bring your parents or someone close to you so they can hear how the agencies works and what they're thinking about your future. Most agencies will list their contact info on their websites. Since you'll face a lot of new situations it's important to have your parents there both to support you and help you make good decisions.

Will you still have good time for YouTube, now that you are modeling again?

My goal is to combine YouTube and modeling. I believe and hope I’ll be able to do both at the same time.

Your most popular videos seems to be "Photo versus Reality"?

I got inspired by a Swedish YouTuber who did a similar 'Photo vs. Reality'-series. I thought the idea was fun and wanted to try it myself. My first photo vs. reality video became incredibly popular and has over 1.2 million views now. So naturally I have made a few more videos in the same series. I don’t currently have a new one planned, but I will definitely release another in the fall.

Are there any other creative outlets that you would like to try?

Since I'm trained as a makeup artist, I hope that my YouTube–work and as a model will give me the knowledge and experience to grow even more in that field. It'd be amazing and a real dream come true to launch my own makeup brand. And also I would love to work as a makeup artist in the TV and film industry one day.