Ever heard the phrase “Everything happens for a reason”? Of course you have, because that’s what people love to usher out of their mouths whenever something goes either wrong or right. In the case of Ciji Michelle (born Ciji Michelle Carr), that couldn’t be any truer. She might be a model who’s credits include work on BET.com, and Black Men’s Magazine, but her initial start in modeling was as a talent scout until a potential model she scouted didn’t show up and she took her place instead.

The New Jersey native by way of New York comes into the business proving that beautiful women are also fully capable of being smart as well by pursuing her Degree in Business Marketing as an honor student. Her measurements of 36-27-42 have enabled her to work events with G-Unit and Hip-Hop dignitaries such as Russell Simmons and Reverend Run. So far the 24-year-old who was named after a character from the show Knots Landing has everything going in her favor, so now lets what else fate has in store for her.

SixShot.com: Where are you originally from?

Ciji Michelle: I’m from New Jersey. I’m actually from South Jersey. Well I’m from New York, and I moved to South Jersey when I was about 6 or 7-years-old.

SixShot.com: What made you get into modeling? Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames. P>

Ciji Michelle: It was an accident. There were a couple of local magazines that I work for now, and one in particular was started by one of my old co-workers and a couple of her friends. I worked for them as model scout, and I would do hair for the models also. So one day a model that I scouted which was close to my complexion did a no-call/no-show, and it was on me to find another model and I couldn’t. [Laughs] So they just asked me to replace her, and at first I said no but after a couple of minutes I did it, and I’ve been doing it ever since.  

SixShot.com: How has the experience for you been so far?

Ciji Michelle: It’s been a good experience for me because it’s something that happened by accident. I have my real job that I do on a daily basis, and it’s something I went to school for. So I’m able to enjoy it more than certain people do, because for them, this is their life. 

SixShot.com: You’re one of the curvier models in the business. Does that give you an advantage or disadvantage at times?

Ciji Michelle: I’m curvy, but at the same time I feel a lot of models have bigger butts. [Laughs] I’m thick for my size, but there are a lot of girls out there that are thick beyond belief. [Laughs] You would never know that women can be that thick and have such a small waste, but for me I fit into a certain category which is kind of like the in between category. I’m still thick, and I’m always going to be thick, and I’m always going to be curvaceous but it takes a lot for me to stay on track.   

SixShot.com: Do you work out on a regular basis?

Ciji Michelle: Well I like cookies and ice cream just like everybody else, and I always have people telling me to watch what I eat, and I know I have to stay on top of that in order to get jobs. But I don’t want to be one of the models that look completely different in person than I do in my pictures. Photo Shop can make you look like a whole different person. 

SixShot.com: Most models use this as a stepping-stone toward something else. Is that also your plan?

Ciji Michelle: Well I want to use it to continue to have fun. I was offered a movie where I was able to play a police officer, and I never would’ve gotten that role if it weren’t for the modeling. Like I said, I never grew up saying I wanted to be a model or an actress, but these things just come to me. I’m really a computer geek, and a lot of people don’t know that. My goal is to eventually have my own cartoon one day. But as for modeling, I’m just going to see where it takes me, because people always have negative things to say about you. And that’s when you’re like, “I didn’t sign up for this part!” [Laughing]    

SixShot.com: [Laughs] How did you like the acting?

Ciji Michelle: I don’t take anything away from these people because acting is a talent and it’s an art. It wasn’t a natural gift for me. I gave too much at some points and too little at other points. They really had to work with me. It’s funny because I figured just because I was playing a police officer, I had to be extra-aggressive, but they were telling me to take it down a notch. [Laughing] 

SixShot.com: You’re also in school for Business Marketing. Was that something that always interested you?

Ciji Michelle: Well I went to school for business marketing and my father already has his own business, and a lot of his knowledge came from experience. So I figured if I got the experience from working with him, then I’d be unstoppable.

SixShot.com: What do you think makes you stand out from other models?

Ciji Michelle: There are so many beautiful models who are out right now, but as far as being different from them a lot of people dig me because of my name. A lot of people compliment on my complexion, and a lot of them are curious about my name. They come up to me, and they’re like, “What the hell does that mean?!” [Laughs] 

SixShot.com: [Laughs] What does your name mean?

Ciji Michelle: Ciji is my full first name and Michelle is my middle name. My mom was a fanatic of the show Knots Landing, and there was a character on there named Ciji, but she got killed off. [Laughing]

SixShot.com: [Laughs] What’s one of the biggest jobs you’ve booked so far?

Ciji Michelle: Well I’ve done Black Men Runway shows, BET.com, and a lot of Miami-based magazines. I’ve done a lot of Hip-Hop websites, and they’ve shown me so much love.

SixShot.com: What do you prefer more, runway or print?

Ciji Michelle: I’d rather print… [Laughs] I’m not the tallest, so I like print a lot better. 

SixShot.com: What do you like to do during your off time?

Ciji Michelle: Either I’m at the gym, or I come home and turn the music on and I dance for hours and hours. Dancing is my distraction from everything.

SixShot.com: Are you single or taken?

Ciji Michelle: No I’m not on the market, I’m not single.

SixShot.com: Is it hard balancing a relationship along with everything else?

Ciji Michelle: It can be, but we deal with it. Sometimes it can be hard to accept what people have to say about the female in your life, but I balance everything out. I’m able to fit modeling into my schedule.  

SixShot.com: Is he supportive of your career choice?

Ciji Michelle: He’s a wonderful man and he’s very supportive. He gets aggravated sometimes, [Laughing] when he looks at the comments but he’s defiently supportive. 

For more pics of Ciji Michelle, Check out Sixshot's Photo Gallery  or visit http://www.myspace.com/cijicarr