All There Is To It - In Conversation With Pojo Joseph
Photography by Ben Krueger (@b.kru)
Interview Isis Nicole (@theisisnicole)
Isis Nicole: What new things did you learn about yourself in quarantine?
Pojo: I love that question. I think [I’m] always consistently relearning how passionate I am about Models That Eat. I’m learning over and over again that this is the work that I want to do and focus my time and energy into because it’s important to me to tell these stories.
Also I’ve learned that I’m my best self when I’m trusting the process and not over planning. I think we all learned that to some extent with the pandemic. Overall, just realizing that it’s so important to roll with the punches and not get let down by the little things or even just reallocating energy into things that make you feel good and things that are temperamental. Like alright I’m not feeling so good today, I woke up a little bit down, what do I need to start my day so I can see my greater purpose. And not in an obligatory way, which is kind of where millennials heads go. And then we get super overwhelmed by the world at large. So I think learning to—I guess it’s just in some form, to slow down and think about what I actually need for myself so I can actually serve that greater purpose, was big for me. I would say that was the important thing. Learning that no, we’re not going to have everything premeditated and yes, we’re still human.
IN: In what ways has your relationship with modeling changed since growing your own platform?
P: A lot of people come into this industry with an idea of what they’re chasing and what they want. Any model that is successful—fully in their element and aligned with their job—will tell you, you have to let it unfold and learn as you go. I think since I’ve started at such a young age, 13-years-old is a weird number to come out of my mouth, I process how absurd that is—I’m turning 22-years-old next month, and I look back at that part of who I was, and that time in my life, and I was very optimistic blindly, but extremely positive in trusting whatever comes my way.
I think now where I’m at, my relationship with social media is way more prevalent and important when it comes to the work I do. I interact with brands now as a personality rather than talent, if that makes sense. And I love that. It’s given me my voice back, the way I intend to it do for others. I think overall, now I’m at a place where I was similarly to when I started modeling in general. I feel like I’m back to [believing] I have to trust the process. I don’t look at the industry the same way, I don’t get excited about every casting on Earth. I’m not fueled by that the way I used to be and I think learning to trust that if I’m supposed to continue to model and book jobs, it’s one, unlearning that need to be booked and busy in a space where I’ve already deemed it something problematic. I’ve already processed that but I’m still out growing so many preconceived notions and ideas of what this job means to me that it’s helping learn to be myself again. And that’s why I’m so proud to work with the brands that I do now because I know for a fact, every job I take is taken for myself. It’s not taken because my agent called me and said it would be a great opportunity and I felt uncomfortable but I still went with it. I think just unlearning dependency has been really important.
It’s weird to put into words because it’s so personal. But it’s true. And I’m so lucky to have the support people around me that I do and an amazing network of creatives. All of you guys, my friends and family.
IN: What comes to mind when you think of in between and how do you navigate those moments?
P: As of right now, where I am in my life is a constant state of adjustment (laughs). Whether that’s my work or my lifestyle decisions or where I’m living. I think I’m always in between ideas for sure, and that’s just the creative process in general for me—a constant searching in a sense. [There’s] also a constant realization around what I want to do because my work is very reactive whether that’s to what’s going in media or the people I meet. I can meet a model one day and I’m like holy shit I’m obsessed with them [but] they’re leaving town tomorrow, I need to get them in the studio! It’s kind of hectic in that sense but I think I’m always in between creating and that in between time is where I would say anyone who creates—when I look at anyone who creates I think that phase between the idea and execution is definitely where you can either completely quit on yourself or challenge yourself to rise to the occasion and push yourself out of that comfort zone. I think that’s my in between at all times. It’s a redefining of I want at all times. I think a lot of content creators and artists can relate to that. A lot of models, too. You’re just always checking what is right and I think the in between for a lot of people now is realizing what lifestyle and what jobs are sustainable to them whether that be for their wellbeing or their future. What they actually want for themselves.
Follow @pojo on Instagram
Originally published in IN #10, FW 2021/22