After beating out Lenox, Adam and Will in the final four, Keith Carlos emerged victorious on America’s Next Top Model‘s Cycle 21. Now, he’s giving us all the deets on how he feels about winning, who he’d love to work with and what’s next for him.
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SheKnows: Congratulations! Obviously the first question is: How are you doing?
Keith Carlos: I am blessed and very excited to be interviewing with you!
SK: You’ve known you were the winner for quite a while, right? How long has it been since you wrapped?
KC: It’s been about seven months!
SK: Who was allowed to know you won and who had to wait until the results show? Was it hard to keep it a secret?
KC: No one was allowed to know, so I had to tap into my acting skills and change a lot of subjects during conversations!
SK: How has life already changed?
KC: Opportunities are coming from left and right. My social media following has gotten stronger in numbers. I’m also getting noticed in public a lot and taking a lot of selfies. And this is only the beginning!
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SK: What’s next? What have you got planned for the next couple months?
KC: I plan on landing a TV role, walking in all the fashion weeks, getting published in national magazines and landing major campaigns/commercials.
SK: Is there anything that isn’t on your schedule yet, but that you’re hoping for? Any particular designers you’d like to walk for?
KC: I’d love to work for Alexander Wang, Gucci, Prada, Christian Dior, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Alexander McQueen, Alex Perry, Adam Lippes, Tom Ford and Armani.
SK: Any magazines you’d like to cover?
KC: I would love to land GQ, Vogue, Men’s Health, Esquire or Details.
SK: Any place you’re hoping your new fame will take you?
KC: Hoping it takes me to the bank!
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SK: What do you think made this cycle more special than previous cycles? (Aside from the fact that you were on, obviously!).
KC: The unique blend of characters, personalities and backgrounds. And the fact that the final three were all male.
SK: Have you talked to any previous winners? Did they offer any advice?
KC: No I haven’t, and it would’ve been nice and maybe a little less stressful knowing a little more about what I was getting myself into. But, then again, maybe not having that opportunity was a good thing. I was able to go into the competition on my own wits and my own wits seemed to work in my favor.
SK: Tyra is so gorgeous and fierce. Now that you’ve stood in front of her week after week and you’ve won ANTM… is it any less intimidating to be in her presence?
KC: No, it’s still very intimidating! She’s such a powerful woman and role model, and I have this strong respect for her.
SK: Let’s talk a little about your time in the competition? Who was your biggest competition throughout the season? Why?
KC: Will, because he photographs very well and is very personable. Also, he was the only other male to get best photo multiple times.
SK: Who surprised you the most by their skills or actions in the house?
KC: Adam. He started off as a bit of a wild guy who didn’t seem to take modeling seriously, but he ended up being a finalist.
SK: Isthere anyone you can’t wait to spend more time with?
KC: Kari, I want to know a little bit more about her and how she acts post-show. I would like to explore her personality a little more and maybe strengthen our friendship.
SK: Is there anyone you hope you never have to work with again?
KC: Had I been asked this during the season, my answer might’ve been a little different. But now that I’ve had some time away from everyone, I can’t say that I wouldn’t enjoy working with them again.
SK: Of all the competitions/challenges, did you have a favorite? Which was the hardest? Why?
KC: My favorite would be the first photo shoot for the opening credits. I got to watch Tyra in her element as she modeled and shot her scenes for the intro. It’s also how I earned my nickname, “ManaKonda.” Besides that, I feel that’s where I really set the bar for the remainder of the competition; I wasn’t going to make it easy for anyone to bypass me.
SK: Think fast: Your home is on fire; you’re able to save any pets/loved ones and now you have time to grab a handful of clothes. What three items would you rescue from your closet? What bad purchase would you happily let burn to ashes?
KC: My Giuseppes, my Guess leather jacket and my Guess jeans. As far as letting something happily burn… nothing, I don’t think I make bad purchases.
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