Kazakhstan-born Kristina Menissov began her modeling career in Los Angeles four years ago. Working with several famous designers such as Robert Cavalli, Michael Ngo, Michael Costello, and Jovani Dresses, she’s graced Los Angeles Fashion Week, Miami Swim Week, starred in TYGA’S “IBIZA” music video, modeled for Chris Applebaum’s YouTube Channel, and appeared on Model’s Talk. Adding to her talents, she’s an Italian-trained Opera Singer with a blossoming singing career. On the back of her recent signing with the famed music producer Andrew Lane, we had the opportunity to speak to her about her career and what we can look forward to.
Thank you for agreeing to catch up with Occhi Magazine. Born in Kazakhstan, you began your modeling career in Los Angeles in 2017. Please tell us how you got into modeling and made the move to LA?
Hello Occhi. It’s a pleasure to talk to you.
I was born in Kazakhstan but my dad is from Ethiopia so I’ve always had a lot of attention from being different growing up in an Asian country. I think that’s why it was so easy for me to get into modeling when I moved to Los Angeles. In Kazakhstan, I never thought you could actually make money being a model. I had done a couple of shoots and fashion shows here and there but the revenue was so little that the majority of people wouldn’t even consider it as a real career, so I was skeptical taking the first steps here in Los Angeles, even though I had a great social media following with fans that have always been supportive and very encouraging which kept me going. I am very grateful to be where I am now.
I consider myself as a citizen of the world since I lived in Italy before moving here, and always visited my dad who lives in Germany being an Ethiopian now, and I feel like there are good and not so good people everywhere. We should just learn to be grateful for what we have, where we are, and remember that we can be all the same but different at the same time and everything is possible everywhere you are.
You’ve participated in numerous fashion events and worked with several famous designers. Has there been a particular experience that has shaped your approach to modeling and appreciation of the industry?
There was no single groundbreaking event for me, but with experience, I noticed a weird trend. The higher level of designer or event you work for the better they treat their models. You would think it’s supposed to be vice versa.
Who has been most influential on your modeling career to date, and why?
My agency Aston Models, I’ve been working with them since the beginning of my career here in Los Angeles. And as I said, my followers many of whom I’ve never met, write me such beautiful messages with love that I want to keep going and show that you can move all the way here from another side of the world and make the American dream happen.
You’re also an Italian Trained Opera Singer. Please tell us more about how you got into singing and how you manage to continue both interests with your busy schedule?
When I was 5 years old, we were passing by a music school when it happens they held an open call. So my mom and my aunt both being in their 20s decide to send me without any preparation just because, why not?
So I go in and they ask me if I can play the piano, or sing or play any other instrument. So I choose singing and decide to perform a very adult song for my age called “Smoke of The Cigarettes With A Menthol” (it’s a Russian pop song from the 90s) Everybody was shocked in the beginning and then started laughing, but I think because of my bravery and creativity they accepted me.
I took a break from music when I moved to Los Angeles, but since last year I am back working on my music but in the pop genre. Last summer I released my first single called “Taking Over LA” on all digital platforms.
Congratulations on your first single, “Taking Over LA”. You’re about to release another single with Italian DJ Marzia Dorlando entitled “Breakout’. Please tell us more about the project, and working with Marzia Dorlando?
Marzia is great and very easy to work with, she made this amazing beat and offered to have me record vocals for it, my answer was yes without even knowing details.
At the studio, both of us are very positive and hard-working at the same time. So I think we will be doing more projects together.
We will be releasing it on April 22nd, 2021 at midnight. So stay tuned you guys. And follow us on Spotify and Apple Music so you can hear it first!
With help of an amazing music producer and publisher Andrew Lane
And we definitely want to start working on a music video this summer, because I think both of us with Marzia complement one another very well. She is a blond Italian and I am ethnically ambiguous which will create a great visual for fans.
To what extent has the COVID pandemic impacted this and other projects?
At this moment I can say that we are all semi-adjusted to the COVID-19 realities. But it definitely impacted the release of “Taking Over LA”.
I was supposed to release it on March 28th of 2020 with a red carpet event but the Pandemic had just started and we all thought that’s it would be just a few weeks, so I kept pushing the release until a later date.
But it is hard for me to sit on content when it’s 100% ready. So I finally decided to release it in the summer.
Where can readers find out more about you?
- https://instagram.com/kristinamenissov
- https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMefstHxd/
- https://music.apple.com/us/artist/kristina-menissov/1521796682
- https://open.spotify.com/artist/4sgocALaTj2yIbdD2KiCHe?si=g9sAiAh1SduFqvM6ffWoTg
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