Staff
Two weeks after being in the spotlight because of her uncanny similarities with Rihanna, Ala’a Skyy Baytops, 7, has landed her first major modeling contract with a natural hair care company, The Mane Choice. Rihanna opened this opportunity for her as she shared Baytops’ photo with her followers on Instagram, which later earned a jaw-dropping 7.4 million likes. She even captioned the image “Almost drop my phone. How?”
Many were amazed by her remarkable resemblance to the superstars—including Tyra Banks, who gave the initiative to search for Ala’a and promised Ala’a to help her reach success in her career. Thus, making it known, that the recently signed contract was just her first in the many more to come.
As The Mane Choice’s ambassadors, Ala’a was one of the attendees at a Beauty Con in Los Angeles where she enthusiastically posed for photos with fans while advertising the hair products. During the event, she donned a knotted bun hairstyle which was similar to Rihanna’s hair the week before when she was in Barbados.
CEO and founder of The Mane Choice, Courtney Adeleye, told Allure that despite being a youngster, the rising star has an amazing attitude and commendable work ethic. “She understands the benefits of using great products. It’s amazing!” she added.
Ala’a thanked the singer for helping her start her modeling career. Even her Instagram account garnered over 140,000 followers in an instant. Surely, the kid is over the moon.
On her Instagram account, she said, “One of the best things you could ever give someone is an opportunity! What you do with that opportunity depends on you.” It was said that her mom was the one holding the account. “Thank you [Rihanna], I won’t let you down,’ she said in another.
In a video upload, the young model/endorser is seen with The Mane Choice products as she is still in disbelief at her first-ever modeling opportunity. “One day you are using your favorite products because you love them and the next day you are using your favorite products and become their newest ambassador at the same time! Dreams really do come true if you believe you deserve them,” the caption says.
Certainly, Rihanna changed Ala’a life in a blink of an eye.
Longtime America’s Next Top Model host and 1990s supermodel Tyra Banks personally invited the kid to audition for a role in her upcoming project “Modelland”. They even have communication through FaceTime call where Banks shared a piece of advice to Ala’a, “The best piece of advice is to really study hard at school and know that modeling will always be there.”
“So, make sure you finish school and make sure that you listen to your mom and get all your schoolwork done,” Banks said. “Then once your schoolwork is done, then you can practice your model poses in the mirror. But not until the schoolwork is done.”
Furthermore, Ala’a’s mom told BET.com that her daughter has already done a photoshoot for Banks.
“She did a photo shoot today. I sent Tyra Banks a DM and we’ll be doing more photoshoots.”
