Tanaye White is one of the top six finalists for the Sports Illustrated’s 2020 Model Search.
She says that winning the competition would be a lifetime dream for her.
The stunning model joined other hopefuls Kathy Jacobs, Clarissa Bowers, Jamea Lynee, Christie Valdiserrin and Brielle Anyea for a Turks and Caicos for an idyllic photoshoot to help determine who will become their Model Search winner.
White spoke to Fox News about why she decided to join the competition.
“I first tried out two years ago in 2018. I made it into their [top] 16. But really, I tried out to begin with because I’ve always dreamed of being a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model,” White told the news outlet.
“That’s something I’ve never said out loud to anyone before. It was just a low-key dream of mine. I then saw the open call for SI. I said to myself, “You know what? I think this is a sign. Let me fly to Miami and try it. If it doesn’t work out, then at least I can say I tried.
“So I did. And out of all the girls, I think I was the one with the least modeling experience. But somehow I made it. I was devastated when I didn’t make it into the top six. I really wanted to give it one more try because I was so close and confident about making it. I tried it out again this past year. I can’t believe that I now made it to the top six. I feel honored that I was selected twice.
White also gushed about her picturesque shoot in the Caribbean, “I just couldn’t believe it,” she told Fox. “Even to this day, I’m still trying to make sense of what has happened to me. It was the most exhilarating experience I’ve ever had. I was very nervous because it was my first major photo shoot. And it made me more nervous because I was shooting for Sports Illustrated and world-renowned photographer Yu Tsai.”
The magazine offered up six diverse candidates for the search this year. Three of the finalist are Black women.
“It is the most diverse. I think we’ve covered every range known to man. For me personally, I feel so honored to be a part of this year in particular because we have that range. I would love to represent brown-skinned women,” she shared. And I really wanted to make a point in wearing my natural hair. We don’t see enough celebration around natural hair… I feel like I’m making history by representing other women who look like me.”
