When There's Love, IN Conversation with Pojo
Photographed by Evan Tan
Photography: Evan Tan
Interview: Isis Nicole
Soon coming to a billboard near you is Phoebe Joseph, simply known to friends as Pojo. Born and raised in Mapso, New Jersey, the 19-year-old founder of YouTube channel Models that Eat—an aboveboard vlogging channel that explores body image and fashion—shares how she got her start as a model and what it takes to bring her plans to life.
Isis Nicole: Let's get into it starting with your interests growing up.
Pojo: Looking back, I’d say I was a tomboy. I still feel a bit of that resonates with me. I grew up playing soccer since I was about five-years-old [which] my family is big on. I used to play football with all the boys after school in elementary, and my family snuck a little music in there, too, so I also played piano!
IN: What's a busy day in your life like today?
P: A busy day for me would probably start bright and early. I work as a bakery assistant part-time, which requires me to wake up at 5:30 a.m. Very worth it in my opinion because I am surrounded by delicious vegan food all day long! Afterwards, I usually find a way to get my butt to the gym or to see my trainer. After that, I either sit at home, eating Bark Thins and editing a YouTube video, or I actually engage in social interaction and go to the city with my friends. We always find a fun event or restaurant to go to.
IN: I think I've seen a baby picture of you being held by Dwayne The Rock Johnson on Instagram. What's the year and story behind that?
P: Yes! Gotta love a good ol’ father-daughter picture. Contrary to popular belief, The Rock is not my dad … as far as I know. My mom used to be a photo editor at TV Guide in the early 2000s, back when The Rock was wrestling. I was actually supposed to be on the cover of the magazine with him! It was going to be “The Rock for President” type picture where he kisses a baby from a crowd of his fans. I was supposed to be that lucky baby, but apparently his PR team said it looked like it could be misconstrued as me being his child. Dwayne, if you’re reading this, and need someone to play your offspring in a movie, I’m most likely available.
IN: I've met a number of peers from Generation Y who were introduced to modeling through watching America's Next Top Model as teens. I'm curious as Generation Z, did you watch ANTM growing up?
P: I’ve got to be honest, never got into it! Don’t get me wrong, Tyra Banks is the queen of entrepreneurship, but the show was never for me. I think it’s because I could never relate to that side of modeling. The drive that some people have to succeed in this industry … I can’t really relate to, and maybe that’s because I got scouted at a young age. Modeling is competitive, of course, but at the same time, no one has any control over what jobs they book or brands that like them. Shows like that can paint a bit of a glamorized reality, but kudos to everyone on ANTM. I live for the memes that it has created!
IN: Continuing to show my age, I also come from an era where teenagers, generally speaking, weren't held accountable online. I don't even think my peers at the time (2003-2008) were consciously building a brand. What's your relationship with the internet, and how do you view or use it today?
P: The internet and I are in an extremely committed relationship, but it’s rocky!These days, it’s really a primary hub of career opportunities. I know that I owe quite a lot of my success to Instagram (ah, Instagram) the double-edged sword. I try to navigate the internet with mindfulness. I took a huge leap this year and deactivated my Twitter. (Gen Z is quaking.) I find that platform to be super toxic for me, and as much as it could be a productive news outlet, it’s just way too saturated for my liking. So is Instagram, but it’s curated. At times, I find my energy going into all of the wrong things. Making sure the internet is helping you rather than hurting you is key.
IN: Since you started your career in your youth, I imagine with that comes a sense of responsibility. Do you ever find yourself in cycles of learning and unlearning publicly?
P: Starting to work at such a young age, especially in modeling, definitely takes a toll on your influences growing up. I went to high school, but I was also working full 9 to 5 days with teams of adults since I was 13-years-old! I feel like I got lucky with the direction my career went because it never enabled too much irreversible damage. I genuinely had a wonderful time growing up in fashion, and it allowed me to find myself in a lot of ways that being in school never enabled. At this point, the only thing I regret is letting in people that weren’t friends with me for the right reasons.
IN: Have you ever lived in a culture where it was okay to make a mistake, learn from it, and most importantly be forgiven?
P: In our society right now, nope. No way. I can’t even lie, I have trouble forgiving others when they do me dirty. But, that’s something that our generation needs to work on. If we seek so much change from our society and its institutionalized problems, then we have to allow people to apologize and grow. That means separating the apologetic people from the recurring offenders. If we immediately shut down and “expose” every person that has made a mistake in their life, then we will all be toast! None of us are perfect, and I think the balance has to come from a place of ethics and understanding.
IN: If any, can you give an example of something you might have had a change of heart about?
P: Wellness! To me, wellness embodies fitness, diet, and overall health. I’m 6’2, and my natural slenderness was always accepted as presentable growing up, so I never really worried about what I ate or working out. Recently, I’ve started to build a relationship with my body that treats fitness and food as friends, not as chores or necessity. I wish everyone could feel this way because it has allowed me to open a door to a healthier and more sustainable future for myself. Everyone deserves a positive relationship with their body, and I think that belief really fueled the creation of Models That Eat.
IN: What philosophy of yours has remained the same? My family always teases me about a moment when I was 14-years-old and declared, "Punk rock forever." But it's true.
P: 14-year-old you sounds like someone I needed in my life! I live by the concept of “treat everyone the same.” Regardless of if it’s your idol, or some kid in your math class, always treat people with the same respect. You never know what that means to others, and it will never backfire. Plus, being nice is cool.
IN: How did Models That Eat come about?
P: Models That Eat started as a food account a couple years ago. I’d post random pictures from my friends and I eating between castings. Slowly, I started to identify a lot of the conflict around diet and lifestyle in the fashion industry, which confused me. I never really digested (pun intended) the issues girls were having with food because it never applied to me. Then, I had an epiphany; I realized that models were struggling with the same body image problems that they trigger in other people’s lives. I never realized how a girl from middle-America could look at a magazine with no context, and in return cause a problematic relationship with her own body. Expanding my platform could bring together the models and the consumers to create a moment of deeper understanding of one another.
IN: What does it take to bring your channel to life?
P: I think the biggest key in my content is honesty. No judgement, no sugar-coating, just straight up honesty. It’s the only way what I do can truly make a difference. If I sit down with someone who is trying to convince the audience of something, all of that content is immediately out the window. I can’t possibly produce something that I don’t take pride in, or that doesn’t properly represent the person I am working with. When the truth comes out, it radiates beyond the platform.
IN: I enjoy getting to know the personalities of the models on your series. How have people responded to the conversations that Models That Eat brings?
P: The platform has really opened people up. I get quite a few messages from viewers involving their own body image issues or eating disorder recovery, and usually seeking resources. I try to be as resourceful as I can. I know how hard it is to come to terms with things like that personally, so to be trusted by people on the internet is something I don’t take lightly. I’m just glad to hear my videos help others!
IN: Will you bring on more mukbang videos? I love those!
P: Yes! I pinky promise I’m bringing them back. They are such a crucial part of the channel, it’s my own fault they went missing for a bit. It’s the most literal form of Models That Eat!
IN: Do you have any advice for picky eaters who want to be educated on where to start with exploring new food(s)?
P: Something I force myself to practice, ever since culinary school, is to grab something new at the grocery store every time I go in. It could be a type of seed I’ve never heard of, a fruit, a seasoning, whatever! Something that takes me out of my comfort zone. We live on this beautiful, diverse planet full of extraordinary foods that nature has provided us with. I say if you’re in a position of power with diet, leave your biases behind and experiment. Life is too short, so try everything once!
IN: What are some of the challenges you face as a vlogger?
P: I’m trying to find the perfect balance between being present in the moment and creating meaningful memories with my camera. One of my biggest fears is that I’m out with friends, filming, and my friends dread it. Luckily, the people I surround myself with have really always been on board with the platform I’m creating. I know when it’s time to put the camera down, and be alone with my friends. Everyone has realized that it’s not really about me. The bigger picture is for everyone to enjoy.
IN: What has been your most fulfilling accomplishment(s)?
P: Every "Dine n Dash" episode that I create brings me so much joy. Those are the videos that mean the most to me because I know how relieving it is for my friends to share their stories. I couldn’t ask for a more personal, authentic series to connect to an audience with. It makes my heart so happy, I feel truly blessed to do what I do when those episodes come out. They are definitely the most work, but the best things in life are.
IN: What keeps you motivated and refreshed?
P: Constantly being surrounded by badass outspoken people whether that be my friends people see in my videos, or my friends from high school that are all in college. I have found so much peace and acceptance in my friend group [and] I know not a lot of people are lucky enough to say that. I [also] always find time to practice gratitude. In that headspace I can be the most productive.
IN: What can we expect coming up from you this year?
P: Expect a lot of new creativity: videos, photos, food, everything! I'm also planning an elaborate fashion editorial series that may or may not be getting spoken into existence right now. Come eat with us!
IN: What comes to mind when you think of the word "increase"?
P: Growth immediately comes to mind! Expanding, evolving, shifting into the space that I am creating. There’s so much room for improvement with the future. It’s a beautiful thing! You really can’t look into the past the same way, but looking forward there’s always room to increase. That is the promising thing about this life, no matter what, tomorrow is unwritten! Shoutout Natasha Bedingfield!
IN: What would make you all happiest when everything is said and done?
P: My goals are always shifting with what I do, but if I could ask for anything, it would be to inform and help as many people as possible, even in my small way. If my videos assist others in their self love journey, I am a happy camper. I have a big goal right now that involves expanding my platform to a larger audience, but I will save those details for when they are tangible. For now, the people around me being happy makes me happy, so I’m going to do my best to maintain that.