We had the good fortune of connecting with Di-Jana Keyes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Di-Jana, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I decided to pursue art & creativity through the power of mind, body, & soul. Art has a large spectrum of many outlets through physical, mental, & verbal communication. The power to act is embracing the capability for one person to channel many emotions into an adverse detail of characters. The power to make music expresses self-esteem & relatable concepts. Lastly, the art of fashion helps express one’s power to illuminate fearlessness, ownership, & confidence towards the world . All of these powers helped me developed into the aspiring actress, Hip Hop songwriter, published runway model, & creative director I have hope to become.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I believe that what sets me apart from the rest is my opportunistic approach towards my personal interests. I didn’t realize I was interested on becoming a creative director for photoshoots until modeling for runway & training myself to become an independent artist opened my eyes to not categorize myself to be on the same path as other people. I decided I would create my own path. I began to realize there is more purpose to my life & it pays to be the boss. I enjoy running my own productions because being overly educated & highly intuitive can challenge a person physically & mentally. The journey was not easy . Modeling can breakdown the mind into many insecurities. Composing music can frustrate me once writers block attacks my creativity. But I never gave up or held back . I always applied myself to do better & think wiser. I’ve learned along the way that business is business. Do not wear your heart on your sleeve. The reason I do so well in my talents is because I put forth a hundred percent of my commitment towards who I am & what I can bring. I’ve learned that I don’t need to be every where at once . In modeling there are so many opportunities that you can’t be at every scene . I’ve began to tell myself that I must do what works for me . It’s a about working smart not hard. Lastly, I’ve learned never tell your left hand about the right . I’m not saying gatekeeping is the way to go; but protect yourself, your investments, & remain private because the celebration is the hype man everybody needs to see. I want the world to know that I am here to show off who I am & what I’m about . I’m creating a story that will develop into a legacy of how I let my mind, body, & soul carry me into the greatest lifestyle a person deserves. The art of runway. The art of fashion, The power of music, photography, & acting has given me strength to help new aspiring models not crash & fall into the industries cult of insecurities. I plan to become a well known pioneer in Los Angeles to help others realize you can be all that you want to be by applying your talents & creating connections to achieving all of your goals.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Being from LA we have many spots to choose from . I feel like it matches with personality & lifestyle as well . LA is literally the definition of “Culture. For the people by the people.” Recently my interest would be rooftop brunches or dinners in Downtown LA, visiting local museums, driving to local farmer markets, or taking a hike somewhere in between the Pasadena & Malibu trails.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I believe that I don’t have a specific special thanks to anyone that has helped me on my journey. At the end of the day I’m always humble & fortunate to anyone that seeks my capabilities & talents that is being offered . I’ve had many shows where no one in the audience is there for me. But a complete stranger from the audience has helped lift my spirits by recording my catwalk or complimenting my attributes. So of course, I’m all about my higher power guiding me towards the right path .

Website: www.dijanakeyes.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.rose.gold007?igsh=MWQ1ZGUxMzBkMA==

Image Credits
Photographers I.G. @westside_camera @rvb.photo @digitaldashproductions

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