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Interview With Bradley Soileau, Dec. 26, 2011, by Safy-Hallan Farah
Thought Catalog: So you’re from Louisiana?
Bradley Soileau: Yeah I was born in Baton Rouge, and raised in New Orleans.
TC: How has being from Louisiana informed your character as a person? Do some of your tats pay homage to your southern roots?
BS: Being from Louisiana has nothing to do with me at all. People wouldn’t know if I didn’t say it, people in Louisiana didn’t even know I was from Louisiana. And the only tattoo I have that pays homage is an outline of LA and above it the letters DTF.
TC: Hah. Would you say you identify with Jacksonville, Florida more?
BS: Yeah, I definitely do. It’s more of a city, faster paced. Jacksonville was good and bad. I got in trouble, and made an ass of myself there, but I loved it, and I miss it.
TC: How long have you been in New York exactly?
BS: Two years and about six months.
TC: When were you discovered?
BS: About 6 months ago.
TC: What was your first modeling gig?
BS: My first gig was Vogue Japan, but one of my first test shoots became an editorial in a men’s magazine.
TC: Is there a lot of aesthetic laboring that goes into being a male model? Do you work out more now? Do you watch what you eat? Have you lost weight since six months ago?
BS: I work out a little more. I’ve lost weight for sure. That’s about it. I mean, you just have to be sample size which is pretty much standard modeling size. I lost about 10 or 15 pounds. I could be way off, though.
TC: I know you’re a friend of rapper/singer Robert Roy. How did you guys meet?
BS: I met him through a friend. He was just a down to earth dude, real cool so we vibed out. It’s cool to see him do his thing too. I love his music and always show everyone his sh-t. He’s a talented dude and I hope the best for him.
TC: Aww, that’s sweet. Do you ever miss Jacksonville, or are you pretty settled in NYC?
BS: I miss Florida a little, but NYC is the sh-t, plus, I came here and I’m achieving some kind of crazy goals and I couldn’t really see that happening anywhere else.
TC: How’s life been since Lana’s “Born to Die” came out? Notice any major changes?
BS: Yeah. I went from like 300 followers on twitter to about 1600. Kanye tweeted pictures of me. That sh-t is f-cking CRAZY. Plus the jobs are rolling in now.
TC: Do you think you could be modeling for Kanye’s brand soon?!
BS: Isn’t it just women’s clothes though? I think that would be the sh-t. He’s my favorite artist in the world.
TC: Well, if he branches out to men’s wear, he should hit you up. Have you gotten any movie offers?
BS: He definitely should. I’d love to work with Kanye. That’d be huge for me. I already have been getting offers for indie films. Not really interested at all.
TC: Rob says — “That’s the homie! I’ll be visiting NYC soon. I’ll hit you up.”
BS: Swag. That’s what’s up. It’ll be dope to see him. Hopefully he’s gonna perform ‘cause I really wanna see that.
TC: I saw what Perez said about Lana. It was cool of you to stick up for her in your recent tweets.
BS: Oh yeah. Who the f-ck is he? He´s worthless.
TC: No one reads his blog anymore.
BS: I mean, yeah. It’s just dumb. He’s only famous for talking sh-t. It just pissed me off. She’s an amazing person, and she kind of put me in the spotlight. I’m always gonna appreciate her.
TC: Do you want the spotlight?
BS: I don’t know. I don’t want to be noticed on the street, but it’s too late for that.
TC: You got noticed on the street?!
BS: Yeah, like 5 times now.
TC: Hey, that’s cool. Did you pose for photos?
BS: Nope. I dont want to do that sh-t. I’m not interested.
TC: Tell me about your childhood and teenage years. Did you always want to model? From what I know, you were discovered.
BS: My aspiration was to be an archeologist. Then I wanted to be a journalist. Then I got into hardcore, got a bunch of tattoos, and got into trouble. After that, I just wanted to be something. I moved to NYC to learn to produce hip hop, and then I learned to DJ. That’s my true goal — I wanna be a pop producer. I never once thought I’d be a model.
TC: Do you enjoy modeling?
BS: I love being a model. I think it’s a different type of creativity I never knew I could be involved in.
TC: Your blog is certifiably Not Safe For Work, you admit to not being a fan of the one track you’ve got up on Soundcloud, you openly say you’re broke. You’re radically honest. You even talk about how unhappy you are. It’s refreshing.
BS: I can´t lie, and there is no point. I don’t care what people think, and people appreciate honesty. It’s gotten me pretty far. It’s just how I wanna be. I lied too much in my past and it got me in a lot of trouble, so honesty is all I wanna do.
TC: What kind of trouble?
BS: Just trouble with friends, and sh-t like that. Lying gets you in shit. F-ck it, I’m vulnerable, and I don’t care. I like what I am and how I portray myself ‘cause I just portray the real life me.
TC: That’s awesome.
BS: Yeah, its dope. I really like where I am with myself.
TC: What are your goals for 2012?
BS: To become a well-paid, successful DJ. Maybe get into producing professionally. Get some good high paying ad campaigns.
TC: What artists (designers and musical acts) would you most like to work with?
BS: Burberry, Dior, Chanel, some big suit companies, any pop artist.
TC: It would be awesome if you could produce a Lana Del Rey song one day.
BS: I would love to do a Lana Del Rey song.
TC: Do you plan to retire from modeling when/if your music producing career takes off?
BS: I have no idea. I see like five years in modeling and hopefully the music builds up during my modeling career.
TC: I guess I’ll ask this for the fangirls — got a girlfriend?
BS: Let’s just say I´m not on the market.
TC: This is going to disappoint your legions of fangirls.
BS: I don’t care. Hahaha. They´ll still want me regardless.
TC: Are there any male models that inspire you?
BS: Nope. What’s inspirational about getting your picture taken? No one has more talent than the next; it’s just luck, and a look.
TC: Have you been asked to star in more music videos?
BS: Nope. And I won’t… maybe more Lana videos, if it’s a possibility. But no other videos unless it was mine, or a song I produced. /а может, и еще в одном? =)/
TC: Would you star in a Rob Roy video if he asked you?
BS: F-ck yes. He’s the homie. His music, and vision is amazing.
TC: Aww. So, do you think you’re objectified?
BS: Yes. Of course. I’m just used for the way I look. I’m a piece of meat, but it’s cool.
TC: Okay, so like you post a lot of raunchy stuff on your Tumblr, and some downright fetishistic stuff.
BS: Yes, I do.
TC: The weird thing about porn is that it’s tailored for straight guys, so like the guys in pornos usually look ugly.
BS: Of course it is, cause they spend more money on it.
TC: Who spends money on porn in 2011?
BS: Weirdos.
TC: The infamous Carles called you ‘some tattooed alt bro.’
BS: It is funny if you view it for what it is. And Lana does have a great ass.
TC: Yeah, it’s ‘satire.’
TC: What do you think of Kreayshawn? Did you see her leaked nude photos?
BS: I hate Kreayshawn. I think she has no flow. I saw the nudes, I tumbled them. I feel she kind of ruined her career for backing V-nasty, and beefing with Rick Ross. She said he was fat in a freestyle verse, or some sh-t — just disrespectful, and something you don’t do in the industry. Also, her manager got into it with a dude from Ross’ crew. V-nasty [has] used the word n*gga a few times, and like tried to say she was allowed to. I went to jail, and I don’t say that type of sh-t. She was trying to say, since she went to jail, so she could say that. Just not someone you should back up, in that sense.
TC: Does anyone call you ‘Brad’?
BS: Girls call me Bradley. Dudes call me Brad. My agent calls me both.
TC: Who is your favorite female model?
BS: My favorite female model is Freja Beha Erichsen.
TC: Do you believe your good looks prevent you from being taken seriously?
BS: Nah. Nobody knew who I was 6 months ago, and everyone took me seriously before.
TC: But do you think other DJs will write you off?
BS: No one cares about looks in the DJ world. It actually gets you further if you are attractive.
TC: Were you into fashion at all before you were discovered?
BS: I was into looking fly, but I didn’t really know that much about fashion. When I was scouted, I was wearing some vintage vans that were pretty crazy, some nudie skinny jeans, a long ass tank top, and a backwards supreme hat.
TC: That sounds fly. Would you want to be photographed by Terry Richardson?
BS: I definitely wanna get photographed by Terry. I was supposed to for Vogue Homme Japan, but I guess he cancelled.
TC: Do you know Odd Future?
BS: I don’t know them personally, but I follow them. They’re extremely talented kids. I give mad props, and respect to those dudes.
TC: I loooooveeee Frank Ocean.
BS: Frank is the sickest.
TC: It’s kind of radical how you’re tatted all over and yet are a viable mainstream male model. I would think it would put you into a niche category.
BS: I am somewhat in a niche, it’s cool though. It’s like me pretty much by myself.
TC: Your Tumblr is kind of dark, does it reflect you in every way?
BS: Every single way. It’s every part of me — the good, the bad, and the ugly.
TC: The knives?
BS: ‘Cause I´ve used knives. Haha. I’ve lived a wild life. I saw some sh-t, and it all comes out on Tumblr. When I write music it will come out in that, too.
TC: Did you listen to “N*ggas in Paris” while you were in Paris filming the Lana video?
BS: I listened to it while I was in Paris, jumping on my bed, in my hotel room.
TC: What kind of writing do you do?
BS: Lyrics, and melodies on guitar.
TC: You play guitar?!
BS: I´ve played guitar since I was 8. People don’t know anything about me, honestly; people don’t know I used to play the trumpet.
TC: Do you have other hobbies?
BS: Nah, I chill, DJ; I’m into music, clothes skateboarding, and watching movies.
TC: Tell me about the music you listened to in the 90s.
BS: I listened to a lot of classic rock with my dad when I was younger. I tried to get into a lot of stuff like Beastie boys, I loved Styx, then towards the end I really got into stuff from Fat Wreck Chords, and all types of punk. Then I switched to Christian punk, and hardcore — I was kind of forced in by the parental figure. Then I got into a lot of sh-t like Zao and No Innocent Victim and Dodging Bullets. Rode that out until I got into a lot of secular hardcore like Hatebreed, and Terror, and Casey Jones, but then I switched to older punk, oldskool hardcore, and straight up hardcore like Carry On, Minor Threat, Black Flag, Down to Nothing, Kids Like Us, and even a little Thrash like Municipal Waste, and of course, Suicidal Tendencies.
My parents are southern Baptist, so no secular music or television. Couldn’t stay at my friends ‘cause they had internet. They were just trying to keep me from the terrors of the world, I guess. I feel like you need that a younger age, so you know what’s wrong, and right when you’re legal.
TC: How’s your relationship with your parents now?
BS: A lot better. They understand I’m older, so they know I’ll do whatever I want.
TC: Do you have any siblings?
BS: Two brothers, and one sister.
TC: Who’s the oldest?
BS: Me.
TC: Are your parents, and siblings proud of you?
BS: Yeah, I guess they are. I came a long way.
TC: What are you plans for Christmas?
BS: No plans. I’ll chill by myself. If any friends are in town, I’ll probably get some food with them, or something.
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