Meet Priscilla Shote, who made history by becoming the first ever commercial model under 5"7 to win the coveted Top Model of Colour (TMC) title. She came out of nowhere, and blew the minds of all the judges and most of the audiences; as proven when she was voted the winner by a majority, as the judges favourite.
A petite vibrant person, Priscilla or ‘Pricey’ as she is known to her friends, beat the norm; that is, to be at least 5.8 inches tall with lanky never ending legs, and won the competition due to her quiet beauty and humble personality. With chiseled cheekbones and an amazing bright smile, Pricey won over a lot of hearts that night. She said; ‘….on the night of the event, after they announced me the winner, I was so surprised. I had tears in my eyes the whole time. Posing for pictures was one of the hardest things I had to do that night, considering the fact that I am a model who is used to cameras and people. But I was just too happy, surprised and humbled!'
The grand finale of TMC (Season 7), took place on the 23rd February this year at the Royal Mint Court, Tower Hill, London, but Priscilla has since then, stepped down and handed over her title to another model. This happened in less than a couple of weeks after the event.
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| Pricey walking the runway at the TMC competition. |
The fashion world has since, been buzzing with speculation as to what the reason really is behind her decision to step down. Some say the competition was rigged, others say it was a mistake she won in the first place and felt guilty, so she stepped down. The reality however, is so far from all these speculations…and very simple to boot!
I had a quick chat today with Pricey, and she tells me that her reasons for stepping down are nothing dire other
than family commitments and the future prospects of travelling. So, going ahead and signing the contract, knowing fully well she would not be able to fully commit herself to it would in and of itself, be a shame. She says it was one of the hardest decisions she had ever made, to give up a role that she had worked hard towards.
I love Priscilla’s humble approach to things; She says of her decision, ‘Quite frankly, when I entered this competition, I wanted to push myself to see if I have what it takes to compete in such a highly acclaimed competition. I was never in it to win because I thought of all the other tall beautiful models that were also in the competition that I felt stood even better chances than me. But instead of deterring, it made me want to redefine the norm of what a model should ‘look’ like. So it came as a huge surprise to me when I was announced the winner. My step down was just a sacrifice I had to make…I didn't want to get tied down with work that will distract me from my responsibilities. Family played a huge role in it too…!’’
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| Posing for media after being announced the winner!! |
What next for this beautiful young woman? What does it mean for her, giving up all the opportunities attached to being a TMC winner?
‘‘ I know TMC would have given me a massive platform from which to launch my career", says Priscilla, "however, I know with God all things are possible. And I'll keep pushing myself as far as I can, especially after this experience. That night was a total surprise and a revelation to me that I am on the right track. I'll make sure with every opportunity I get, that I explore what all five judges saw in me to have made me deserve winning that title’’.
Well, I think she is beautiful and has achieved a great thing in beating the odds to become the winner for TMC season 7 and whatever anyone may think, the fact is that her decision to step down was solely hers and was made under no influence from anyone else. I admire her honesty. Her gentle ways and quiet smile remained intact all through our conversation and I can see integrity and determination behind the setbacks. It sure made me think; Priscilla Shote is definitely one to watch!!
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