Stephanie Hazle

BMW: In 2009 you were second runner-up in the Miss Jamaica World. You are a good singer from what we gather. Do you believe this attribute helped you win Miss Jamaica Talent and second runner up for Miss Jamaica World?

Stephanie: Thank you very much. To answer your question... Yeah I'm sure being a singer gave me an edge in winning Miss Jamaica Talent, although I must say there were some pretty talented contestants then. I've been singing classical music from a very young age and I've done various musicals here in Jamaica. I would definitely say that exposure allowed me to be a lot more comfortable on stage on the final night. I LOVE entertaining a crowd.

BMW: What was the immediate feeling on being the first to be announced in the top three?

Stephanie: Well to be honest, I was a little startled that I was called first. Immediately I thought , "Ok, so I'm not Miss Jamaica World"... lol. Then I thought, "Third's not too bad at all. I definitely can't complain". I felt very accomplished.

BMW: What other strong assets could you tell us helped you get to the top three?... or rather the secret.

Stephanie: Hmm... Other strong assets would be confidence which I think comes with having faith in God and believing in yourself; I also have a way with words, I think...lol, and I'm an optimist - I think all those qualities combined outshined which made me a crowd favourite that night. Someone once told me that my presence is my strongest asset. I think the secret really is to just be yourself. When you try to be someone different, then you become way too conscious... you start to fumble, your nerves get the best of you and the whole thing turns into a disaster. Just focus on being the best you can be while remaining natural.

Funnily enough though, my mum is very supportive, she knows I'm not stupid and she will tell me if I've gone to far with a shoot/job. As long as she approves I couldn't give two monkeys about anyone else's opinion.

BMW: Which people do you admire and actually look up to?

Stephanie: I look up to a number of people. First, my mother because I think she's the epitome of a strong, determined, hard-working mother and one day I hope to be half the mom she's been to me and my younger siblings. I also admire all Jamaicans who've made their names known to the rest of the world and are now seen as legends in their own right. People like Usain Bolt and Bob Marley who both started from humble beginnings inspire me. I would love to hold that kind of status some day.

BMW: Tell us about the hardships in the modeling industry in Jamaica.

Stephanie: Well, as much as it is fast becoming an area of interest for many Jamaicans, modeling still doesn't receive the same support that maybe sports or music does in Jamaica. So, it's hard to survive as just a model. Only a handful who've gone abroad have been able to do so. Most models here are under-payed and under-exposed and the fees associated with being apart of an agency can be ridiculously high. I'm not with an agency and as an amateur model I do mainly small-scale projects, and I am aware of the various ways models can be exploited in this industry.