This week, the girls packed their bags for go-sees, a glamorous rooftop photo shoot -- not to mention a $5,000 shopping spree -- in New York City. All the girls except Maryam, that is, who (d?j? vu the Bahamas episode!) hadn't sorted out her passport details.

Stuck in Toronto, Maryam called in a favour from a photographer friend in a bid to stay in the competition. Her gumption paid off and the judges spared her, citing the 18-year-old’s striking body of work.

No go-see at all proved better than a "meh" first impression, it turned out. After failing to wow New York designers, Nikita and Heather found themselves in the bottom two, and ultimately, shy and sweet Heather Delaney of Halifax wound up re-stuffing her suitcase -- this time for the trip home.

 

Do you think you deserved to go home?

I don’t know. It was hard because I don’t really feel like there was a good reason for it. I was doing well, and then I was in the bottom, and then it was like ‘OK, goodbye.’ [laughs]

Why did you want to audition in the first place?

I really wanted to audition because I just felt like being completely immersed in the industry would be great, like you’re surrounded by all these people who are so successful like Jay [Manuel], they really know what they’re doing. So I thought that would be great, like a good start to get into modelling a little more.

How was filming the show for you? Was it the positive experience that you expected?

It was. It was something -- I certainly wouldn’t trade it for anything. I had no idea how it was going to go. There was a lot more behind the scenes stuff than I thought there would be, but no, it was an amazing opportunity. I got to try out so many cool photo shoots, so I’m definitely happy I did it.

Watching the show, the judges often made a point of mentioning your personality at panel. How do you feel about that? Do you feel that having a quiet personality hurt your chances in the competition?

I think it did, but maybe more so because it is a reality show. I don’t know. When I watch it I think ‘Oh, I should have pushed myself to be more personable and show them more of myself,’ but then I go, ‘Well, I don’t want to change myself for this, and that’s who I am.' I am quiet. But I think I could -- even have picked some better outfits for judging. [laughs] Yeah, when I watch them I’m like ‘Wow, what was I thinking?’ The first outfit was horrible.

How do you feel you were portrayed in the end result?

I didn’t think it was too bad. I knew with my voice and the blond hair, of course, I was going to come off as the ditzy blond. But it wasn’t too bad, so I’m happy with it.

In the episode, Maryam wasn’t able to make it to New York for the go-sees, but she made it through to the next round. Did you think it was fair?

I didn’t really think it was fair just because in the real world of modelling, if you don’t have a passport, you’re going to lose the job. So I thought this was the same thing. The fact she went out and did her own photo shoot and everything I guess kind of was good for her.

What was the reaction on set like at judging? How did the girls feel about it?

I think we were really surprised because I know in New York we had talked a lot about it and we felt that she would be going home, so we were all like ‘Oh. Wow.’ We thought at least she would be in the bottom two, I guess, the judges would have wanted to scare her a little.

Apart from the challenges, how was the trip to New York?

It was so much fun. The shopping, and I’d never been to New York before, and I’d always wanted to go, so that was huge. It just reminds you that there’s this whole world out there. Whether you want to model, or whatever else you want to do, they’re waiting! The photo shoot was really cool because we could see the whole city. To be standing in New York and looking out to see the whole scene was amazing. And we went to Tao nightclub for dinner. All the celebrities go there.

Did you see any?

No. We were looking, but everyone dresses so well and looks so amazing, they all look like celebrities anyway.

What was the hardest part of filming the show?

I think just getting enough sleep all the time. You go to bed at two, you get up at five, and then do it again the next night. […] Like two nights we got eight hours and it was like ‘wow.’ You really learn how to get by on not much sleep.

Who do you think is going to go next?

I don’t know. It’ll really depend on how they do on their walks. I might say Nikita, just because I’m thinking of all their walks that I’ve seen. We’ll see.

Who do you think will win Canada’s Next Top Model?

Oh, that’s a hard one. At first I wouldn’t have said Meaghan, but now she’s doing so well. And Linsay’s coming around too. So I might say Linsay.

The whole thing with Meaghan and you, throughout the season they’ve set it up that if there wasn’t a rivalry between you, then at least you were each other’s biggest competition. How true was that actually?

It’s funny. We didn’t see that we looked alike at all, but the whole crew would -- like the sound crew sometimes would mix us up. So, ‘OK, I guess we look similar.’ And I don’t know -- I really felt like everyone was encouraging her to do better than me in the judging room, and I was like ‘Hey, that’s not fair!’ [laughs] So yeah, it was definitely there but I wouldn’t have seen it so much if they hadn’t brought it up like they did. Every. Judging.

At the end of the episode you mentioned that while you were in New York you decided that modelling wasn’t for you anymore. What made you change your mind?

I’m not really sure. Maybe the whole experience, the big city is a little bit scary. However, I’m on the fence with that still. I don’t know if I was just reacting to being eliminated and I didn’t think it was very fair. So I don’t know, I may still model a bit because I do love it. I’m not exactly sure where I stand with that.

What’s next for you then?

I’m going to university in September. I’m taking general arts for a year and figure out what I want to do, because I still don’t know. I might do a little modelling, a little acting, just have fun with it. Nothing too serious.

 

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