Continuing our introductions to our amazing Class of 2017 Spokesmodels, our 3rd spotlight… Leilani Carr from Longleaf School of the Arts! Leilani was the first girl to start following our program last summer, pretty much from the moment we announced that there would be another coming up. This gave us a great opportunity to start following her back & getting to know who she is. What we saw was a fun, quirky & adorable young lady that was not afraid to be herself & show it. While she is an actress – she shares her raw self openly & to us that is pretty extraordinary. Her interview then merely sealed the deal!
The first things that people notice about Leilani are her absolutely fabulous hair & her energy… which seems amazingly unstoppable. When asked what makes HER fabulous, she admitted that most people would answer her voice, talent &/or what she does on stage… and WOW does she certainly have that going for her! Among her many experiences, she has trained with NC Theatre Conservatory for over 6 years, interned with Theatre Raleigh’s Hot Summer Nights Series, performed with Dreamgirls, danced in Carousel and has even achieved her goal of being on the Raleigh Memorial Stage with the professional show, GREASE! Next up, she’ll be in this summer’s Mary Poppins!! However, all that being shared… for her… “I think what makes me fabulous is my compassion for others. I love sharing my love of musical theatre with little kids and nothing brings me more joy than when a little kid is inspired by me. I take that responsibility seriously and conduct myself in a way that will be positive to those that watch me. I also love working with at-risk kids and teens helping them find what is fabulous about them.” Pretty special, huh?!
When asked 3 words to describe herself, Leilani gave us Iridescent, Compassionate & Multi-Talented. We had to go look up Iridescent to see how she’d be using that as a personal descriptor & we have absolutely LOVED it ever since! “Showing luminous colors that seem to change when seen from different angles” is absolutely fitting to this super multi-talented driven & shining gal!!! Our super hero theme this year was perfect for this “Geek Chique” young lady, so when it came time to choose her super hero name, it was without thought that we gave her Iridesca. …
When asked about her experience with our program so far, here’s what Leilani had to say…
- What appeals to her about Jen’s work/style… “I love that you think outside the box, yet your pictures still look like the real girl.“
- Favorite part of our group session… “… I enjoyed nails and lunch before the shoot because I like hanging with the other girls. I loved the glass box because it had many different looks within the one room and the skyline was to die for.“
- Favorite part of working with Jen & team… “You get to be yourself. Jen makes you feel comfortable right from the start. I loved her Glam Hero theme this year all the girls felt so strong and confident in their look.“
- Why her peers should come to Jen for their portraits… “Everyone should have at least one session that is all about them. First, you start with a consultation where Jen helps you plan your shoot. On shoot day, you are pampered with hair and make-up and then the fun begins. You feel beautiful and confident. Every girl should have this experience.“
- What she was looking forward to in her 1:1 session (stay tuned for those VERY soon!)… “I am really excited about getting to do a shoot that encompasses who I am. I get to feel comfortable about being me and showing all sides of me. I think I am most excited about the casual look with all my vinyl and my bear, Alexander.“
Fun & Fab Scoop on Leilani’s FAV things:
- Favorite Quotes… “Enjoy life… This not a dress rehearsal” – Anonymous & “Stay hungry, stay foolish” – Steve Jobs
- Color… Orange
- Music… Showtunes & Alternative Funk
- Songs… “Being Alive” from Company the Musical, “You Ain’t Alone” by Alabama Shakes & “Fidelity” by Regina Spektor
- TV Shows… Sherlock, Dr Who & How I Met Your Mother
- Movies… Star Wars (all of them), Harry Potter (again, all of them) & Avengers
- Sports… Quidditch
- Designer… Betsey Johnson
- Store… The Record Krate or In the Groove Records
- Food… Ice Cream, Cheez it
- Thing to Do with Friends… Binge watch Netflix
- Location… NYC
- Vacation… South Beach celebrating my sweet 16
Leilani spends her days at school & nights at NC Theatre Conservatory, weekends performing or doing community service & summers on stage. As you can imagine, there aren’t many days ‘off’ in her world but she loves to be working, growing & accomplishing! While she is currently a student at Longleaf School of the Arts, which she loves in many ways… she is awaiting word on potentially attending a new flex high school. This school would give her opportunity to take online courses & attend minimal on-site classes, allowing the time needed to manage her busy schedule. All of this leads up to her future aspirations of a BFA in Musical Theatre and, of course… BROADWAY!!
Leilani blows us away with all that she has accomplished & all that she has ahead of her. She has an amazing support team that we’ve come quite fond of as well… Jen & her mom ‘may’ have issues with talking a bit much (every time) they chat 😉 . Enjoy her group images here & stay tuned for her already completed individual session images coming in the week ahead!…
If you see Leilani at school, theatre or around town at any number of her other activities… don’t miss the opportunity to take a moment to chat with her! You will surely be energized & ready to reach for the stars! Feel free to reach out to her or myself if interested in getting your own Fab Grad (Senior) Portrait Session booked! She even has 10% discount off your commission fee to share… BONUS!! 😀
Special Thanks & Credits…
Hair & Make-up: Denise Hutter / Images by Denise
Locations: The Glass Box & Downtown Raleigh
Outfit: Dress – Forever21, Necklace – Kohl’s, Shoes – Poshmark
Additional Thanks: Nola Grace Brown & Gabi Perkins
