Kiera Smith | The Conversation Ep. 51

In a powerful and deeply personal episode of The Conversation with Roxanne Grace, Los Angeles based fashion model Kiera Smith sits down to share her raw, unfiltered testimony. Moving past the glamour of the modeling industry, Kiera opens up about the deeper realities of her journey, discussing the intersection of faith, identity, and overcoming personal obstacles. Hosted by Roxanne Grace, the episode offers listeners an encouraging and authentic look at how Kiera found true purpose and strength outside of external validation, making it a must-listen for anyone seeking inspiration and a reminder of where true identity comes from.
 
Hosted by Roxanne Grace, The Conversation is an interview show discussing music, faith and issues of the day with influencers, artists, entertainers and more. 
 
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Transcript

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Thanks for tuning in today. If you've forgotten who you are because of circumstances, or maybe you're feeling confused about your identity, then this is the episode for you. We definitely live in a world that constantly tells us who we should be based upon our performance, based upon our looks, and even our social media numbers. The Bible says in Psalm chapter 139, verse 13, it says, For you created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb. Think about that imagery. God didn't mass produce you on an assembly line. He didn't rush through making you. The creator of the universe took his time to knit you together. Every personality trait that you have, every passion, every single detail of your DNA was intentionally chosen by him, by God. You are an intentional handcraft masterpiece. Before anyone else had an opinion about you, God already had a purpose for you. I'm Roxanne, and this is the conversation. Today we're having a conversation with Los Angeles-based high-fashioned model Kira Smith. Kira began modeling at just 13 years old. She's worked with big names, she's been in UK and Paris Vogue. She's modeled for Abercrombie and Fitch, Tommy Hill figure, polo Ralph Lorne, and that's just to name a few. And we're going to ask some pretty tough questions today. We really want to know is the modeling world as glamorous as it seems from the outside? And knowing what she knows now, would she ever let her own daughter start modeling at such a young age? Well, today Kira's gonna pull back the curtain and share some of her own personal raw experiences. But most importantly, we're gonna be diving into a topic that affects every single one of us, and that is the topic of identity. Something we need to talk about, especially in a world that's constantly telling us who to be. So without further ado, let's bring in Kira Smith. What's up, Kira? How are you? I'm doing good, thanks. Oh my goodness. I'm so excited about our interview today, our conversation today. Uh so we always begin our conversations with kind of some personality type questions. So we're gonna we're gonna begin with some fun icebreaker personality type questions. So don't think too much uh about your responses. Just as they come to your head, just share them, and it's gonna help us get to know you a whole lot better. So, first question for the uh icebreaker personality questions: coffee or tea? Uh uh tea. Oh, okay. Red licorice or black licorice? Uh, neither. Oh hey, she's not into the licorice at all. Okay, we get it. Uh, would you rather be a genius that everyone thinks is a dummy or be a dummy that everyone thinks is a genius? A genius that everyone thinks is a dummy. That's a good answer. Uh, we know you've traveled a lot. What's the most interesting place you've ever visited and why? That's a really hard one. And um it's like I feel like I would say like where I live now, because I just love it here so much. Oh, that's amazing. Okay, and uh is it okay to share maybe not the city you live in, but the general area? Yeah, uh San Inez Valley. Yeah, it is so beautiful over there. Okay, here's another question. What's one fashion trend you hope never comes back? I mean, the Crocs. So I think it's still a thing, but it's a thing. Oh man. So it kind of, yeah. You know what? I think that's a fashion trend that a lot of people were hoping wouldn't stick around, but I'm seeing them everywhere, so yeah, everywhere, and not just, you know, people don't just wear crocs anymore. Now you decorate crocs. So it's on a whole other level. Okay, what's one fashion trend, new or old, that you think is genius? Um, I love all the 90s style. I really do like the whole like even like the Lisa Frank and like the cutie, cutesy little glittery like 90 style or the chokers and everything. I just think it was precious. Hey, I'm totally with you on that one, Kira. I feel like I still dress like that. And you do too. So yeah, definitely we agree on that one. Okay, here's uh a little bit deeper of a a question for you. So we know that uh you have a relationship with Jesus and you hear the Lord speak in so many different ways. But if you could hear the audible voice of God today, what question would you ask him? Why makes me so emotional? Um but it's I the only thing that's coming up for me right now is just tell him how thankful I am for him. Um, instead of asking anything to just be more of like, I'm just so thankful. I'm so thankful for all you've done in my life and all you do for me. That is absolutely beautiful. We love that answer. And uh, we can't wait to get into some of the stuff, uh, some of the reasons you are so thankful. And we're gonna talk about your story. Actually, let's just switch gears and jump right into it. All right. We know that you were a model for many years. You entered the modeling industry at just 14 years old. What drew you to the industry in the beginning? I mean, did you want to model? Was it like an idea your parents had? How did you begin with that? Um, so it's kind of a long story. I'll I'll wrap up quicker. Um, the a friend of mine in high school um wanted to go to this modeling contest, and my mom was kind of like the carpool mom where she drove everybody to everything. Um, so she took her and I was just there, um, just as on the side, you know, I was just there. And the um modeling contest, they wanted me, it was one of those ones where you had to pay to enter. Um, and my mom was like, Oh, my daughter's not interested. And they were like, Well, we would like her to enter. And um she was like, Can't hurt. And then she saw the costs, and we're like, Yeah, no. So uh trying to make it long story short, they they basically put me in that contest for free. Um, and then I won the contest. And then they flew my mom and I to Seattle for a bigger contest. And then there, this is a really cool part of the story. Is my mom and I were like, hey, just if anything, it was a free vacation for us. Um, but she she we went to the bathroom and prayed before the contest was over. And we're like, Lord, if this is your will for Kira, throw open the doors as wide as you can open them. And if it is not your will, close the doors that it's so obvious that this is just not your will for her. And through they're calling out numbers of people who agencies wanted to sign. Um, and then they're they start talking about oh, this has never happened here before, but every agency here wants to sign this person. Um, we really just are all kind of in shock because we don't people usually get three or four callbacks, and we have, I think it was like 32 or something callbacks. And I'm like just not even really paying attention at this point because it was going on for hours, and then they called up my number and my mom starts crying, and I'm like, what? And she's like, That's you. I was like, No, it's not. I'm not going up there. I was so scared, I was so terrified to go on stage because I was 13 at this point. Um just I didn't, but so I had to meet with all of those agencies, and um, even after we left, we were still having phone calls and everything with all the agencies, just trying to find who to how to start, like which one to start with, and ended up picking a lady named Paige Parks who um is a really great mother agent, very motherly woman, and just helped me launch my career. Oh, Ian. So I know that uh you began with pretty notable brands by the time you were 14 years old. Uh we definitely want to talk about that in just a moment. But you know, now that you're an adult, you're a mother, if your daughter, when she's 13, 14 years old, came up to you and said, Hey, I want to get into modeling, or maybe if a friend had a daughter around that age that wanted to get into modeling, what would you say? What would you say to your daughter? What would you say to a friend? Would you say it's a great idea or is it not a good idea? Um, you know, I I think of this all the time because my daughter's four and she's already asking when she could model. Wow. And I'm like, no. So it's it's something like just because of my experience, I would say no. I say, you know, enjoy being a kid, be a kid. Um the industry does have like a lot of darkness to it. Yeah um, so I feel like two sides of like two ways about it, like because I know what to experience, I know kind of like how to guide her, keep her safe, but it's like at the end of the day, she's gonna have her own experience in life like I had mine. So I'm hoping that she doesn't want to grow up into the industry and just maybe have fun with it here and there. Wow. I mean, it's some people if it's their passion, um, and if it's the Lord's will, I think it could be a really beautiful thing and it'd be a bright light in a dark industry. But the kids should really enjoy being kids. Yeah, no, absolutely. Absolutely. And it's true, like when you're in that industry, you see all the sides the dark, the bright, everything. You know, we know, or I know that you uh began modeling, I mean, with with big names like Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hill figure, uh just name a couple. We know that you've been in Vogue UK in Paris. I mean, was all this, I mean, you're 14 at this time or around that age, was it a dream come true? What was it like? Um, you know, so for me, especially that young, I really like the magazines I was modeling for and the like the castings I was going on, I was like, oh yeah, my sister loves this magazine. Or, you know, like, oh, that's so cool. I I've seen this in the grocery stores before. But I grew up in Alaska, so I was a very sheltered, like barely teen at that point. I was so young that I didn't even realize how big the big names were until they brought bigger bookings, and I started, you know, getting a job that paid a lot more. And I was like, oh wow, this is awesome. But it's like kind of all I knew. So I definitely took it for granted. Um, you know, it took me getting older in the industry to really be so grateful for everything because it was something I really kind of fell into and was blessed with good bookings. Um we're taking a break from the conversation for an oceanhouse music.com distribution 30 second spotlights. Today's spotlight is on a song titled History Repeats by True Love. Here's a little taste. Absolutely. You know, you mentioned a couple minutes ago that there's definitely a dark side to this world, and people, when they think about it, they just they just think of like the glamour and the beauty of modeling, but not the full reality behind it. You know, what are some of those things that most people don't know about that world? Maybe something that's a little bit on the darker side. Um I mean, I think for me, like, because I'm kind of digging back into it too a little for myself. I think for me it's like the what comes up the most for me is when you're that young, 14, 15, 16 years old, they expect you to be an adult. They treat you like that. And I remember there were like there's just times where the agencies would um have the models go have dinner with these old men. And it was like you are, you know, you have to network, you have to go do this, Kira. And um, there's just so many parts to the industry where it's like super shady. It's not just for modeling, but like you want the agency to look good. So they send all of these young girls out for dinners or to the nightclubs to parties. I think my first um runway show is 14 years old. They gave me this leather little bikini to do a fashion show in. And I'm all like, I think, you know, becoming a mom changes everything because I probably I didn't think anything of it until you know, now that I have kids, where I'm like, no way I would let I'm not gonna let my daughter do something like that at that young. Um, but it was in a nightclub in Miami. Right. And so I just think of just being pushed into this adult world um and trying to feel through my my young kid feelings, but I'm also just trying to navigate like I'm being told who to be, um, lose a centimeter by Friday. Or so I think the hardest thing for the industry, and there's a lot of other dark dark sides to it. Um, you know, people getting taken advantage of. There's just it's really sad. But I think for me it's that I in my personal experience that I really didn't find myself or like I kind of lost myself in becoming who someone everyone wanted me to be. Wow. And I was, you know, modeling for everything, not just like shoots, but like, oh, I gotta be this person today for this casting or whatever. And it and it took into like my mid-20s to really want to try to find myself. Um, and also for that, you know, you're I feel like it's very important of like who you're surrounded by, like what your circle is, is who you become. And I didn't have any godly people in my life at all. Um and so, you know, luckily my mom, she's a Christian minister, and she always was texting, emailing stuff, but I was feeling like so physically, um, my connection with God just so like I was so far away from him. And just in this environment that just felt like not where I wanted to be, if that makes sense. Absolutely. But I didn't, I couldn't even, I didn't even realize like what I wanted. I just knew like this doesn't feel right. Right. You know, just hearing you talk about all this, so many questions are running through my mind. The first question I have for you, you know, you talked about, you know, them saying that you have to learn lose a certain amount of weight by the evening or something wild. You know, how did constantly being evaluated for your appearance affect the way that you saw yourself as a young girl? Uh to be honest, like I'm still healing from it. Um, because it's not like I wish I can say I always try to say things like, Oh, I don't care what people think. And I know that I really like mostly don't, but I will still catch myself to this day. Like when I'm if I belly laugh, I'll like cover my mouth. Like I'll still catch myself, do certain things because of comments that were told to me growing up of like, um, don't ever laugh like that, don't ever like don't look at the camera straight on, your nose is too big, like just certain things that just stick with you. And um and honestly, until I became a mom recently, like the I was very insecure and very um just not even just about looks, but about like approval of everyone's approval. And so for me it was easy to go run a couple of miles, lose the weight that they wanted me to lose, so I was approved. Um, but there was like things I couldn't change or I couldn't do. And so it was like I think that's the other hard thing of being raised in my industry, is just I was trying to find perfection and make myself perfect. And um and then I look back in a lot of those pictures too, and it's like I was like 40 pounds less than I am right now. And I'm like a size and you're still small. I'm like a size two four right now. So I like I look back at those pictures and I'm like, why would my agencies let me look that small? Like my arms were just bones, and but I was doing fashion weeks, and they were like, Oh my gosh, you're perfect, you're gorgeous, your measurements are perfect, but it was just bones. It's it was yeah. Wow, but that's very high fashion, yeah, right. Okay, so back in backtracking a little bit here, going back to some of the the darker stuff that you were sharing with us, you know. Here's a question, and maybe someone that's listening right now has this question. Maybe they want to get into modeling or or they have a daughter that wants to get into modeling. Is there a way to be in that industry? In you know, you can stay away from maybe some of the darker stuff that goes on. Is there a way to do it without being involved in that? Um, you know, my first thing, like as you're asking me, was yes. But I also feel like everyone I know that has gotten like um that had a good relationship with the Lord and they entered modeling, they kind of tried it out and just realized like that just wasn't the place. That wasn't the thing. But you know, I I was helping out quite a few girls in LA get started modeling, and they still do shoots here and there, they just didn't dive fully in. So I just think it really depends on your walk. Like the Lord already has plans for you. And I think it just really depends on what that is. You know, it's I think especially when we want to go after our own goals or ideas, we kind of make a mess in our lives. And so I think, you know, if it's something the Lord hasn't planned for you, then He's gonna have a safer out for you. And it and I'm that's the thing about my past too, is I was around so much darkness, but I never like he protected me from so much. And I wasn't even aware of how much until like, you know, even stuff that's coming out on the news lately, it's like, oh my gosh, I knew these people, I was around this stuff. Um, like I don't even want to say names, but like right, no, don't yeah, but it's like I see all this stuff happening, and then I'm like, and I was so protected because nothing happened to me. If if it is the Lord's will and the person wants to do it, I would say, you know, definitely just stay stay close to him. Wow, yeah, amen. That is fantastic advice. And so obviously, your definition of beauty has changed over the years. You know, how would you define beauty now? Like authentic. I think it's so beautiful when you see somebody just they're radiant because they're just being themselves and they're laughing, and and you can just see so clearly that they're just authentically themselves. They're not trying to be anything, anything that they're not. Amen. That's that's so true. A person that's confident in their own skin and who they are is so beautiful. We're talking about your modeling career, and naturally you're finding a certain amount of identity in that world, as paleful as it was, and you know, you had the highs, you had the lows. What's the difference between finding your identity in the world versus finding it in Jesus? Um, I believe our true identity is in Jesus. And you know, I the world is just so especially in the modeling industry, it's very superficial, it's very changing. So one day, you know, your hair colors exactly what they want, and then the next day it's like, oh cure, we want you to do your hair um dark brown. And I'm like, Oh, I don't want to have dark brown hair again. But you know, it's like always changing. And I think that's what I love the most about the Lord is it's not, it's He never you he doesn't have standards, he's always changing to let you in. Like you're just welcome there at all walks of life, no matter how high or low you are, no matter what you physically look like. Like he created all of us so uniquely and beautifully, and his love for us never wavers. And I just think that's so powerful. And so my identity in Christ to me is something like I feel like I'm still in the beginning stages of walking into my ministry and like I'm may I'm putting myself in all the uncomfortable places because I'm not the best socially. I get so nervous, but I'm like uh sign my myself up for a prayer group where I can lay hands and pray on it for people because I'm like, I I know that's what the Lord wants me to do. Wow. But I'm the one that's scared to do it, so I need to push myself to be doing this stuff. And um it's it's incredible, you know, because you mentioned that three and a half years ago was probably the darkest season of your life, and here you are three and a half years later. And it's true, you know, you you have such amazing inspirational content that you share on social media. Your love for Jesus, Jesus is just so contagious, and you just shine, you know, with his love and his presence. And God has just rebuilt so much in your life. You know, you're what you're an incredible mom, incredible mom. And uh you also are an entrepreneur. There's definitely a strong entrepreneurial side uh to you. How let's let's talk a little bit about that. So you you own your own business. How did you get from where you were three and a half years ago to where you are now? So yeah, like you said in the beginning of this, is only because of him that I'm here. Um but it's I'm so grateful. For somebody listening, this is the last question we're gonna ask you. For someone listening right now that has the fear of starting over, and I'm sure you can understand what that feels like. What would you say to them? Something simple. What would you say? His love for us is so much greater, his plans are greater, and if you can just totally surrender, and I know it's easier said than done, and I know it's especially during the painful times where you're like, I feel like I'm so surrendered, but like on a daily, like a daily intentional thing of not my will but your will, Lord. You direct my steps because I really don't know what direction I want to go or I need to go, but you you know, Lord, so just direct my steps and thank you. Kira, where can people find out more about you? Where can they find you on social media? Um Instagram. It's uh at the Kira Smith, T H E K I E R A S M I T H. Everything else I haven't really figured out yet, like the TikTok and stuff. But you're doing really good with Instagram. Yeah, let's keep it there. All right, go and find Kira on Instagram, like she said. And honestly, girl, you just totally rock. Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day. Well, it's all the time that we have with Kira Smith. If you're listening right now and you feel confused in your identity, allow me to pray for you. Let's pray. Lord Jesus, thank you so much for the truth of who you are and who we are in you. And for anyone listening who has been finding their worth in their performance or their past or what the world says about them, I pray right now that they feel the weight of those lies fall away in your name, Jesus. I pray that they would anchor their identity entirely in your grace. Thank you that in you we are chosen, we are forgiven, and made completely new. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. And if you want to step into that truth today and invite Jesus to be Lord of your life and to lead the way, then pray something like this from your heart. You can even repeat this prayer after me. Dear Lord Jesus, I come to you today. I recognize that I've let the world and my circumstances define who I am. Thank you for dying on the cross and rising again to give me a new life and a new identity. I invite you, Jesus, to be Lord of my life today. Lead the way. I surrender my past, my fears, and my insecurities to you. Help me to walk in this new truth every single day. In your name, Jesus, we pray. Amen and amen. If you just prayed that with me, we want to hear from you. Email us at dreamtheconversation at gmail.com and thank you again for tuning in today. Maybe you're listening over radio on K Wave at 1110, or maybe you're listening over podcasts. And we also want to remind you uh to subscribe to our podcast. You can find the conversation with Roxanne Grace pretty much anywhere you stream great podcasts, including iHeartRadio, Pandora, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and again, anywhere that you stream your podcast. Until next week, stay blessed in him.