The model shared that her early years spent on Rota included involvement in several island-wide singing and pageants.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I had done more singing than modeling, I was more serious about singing and it seemed that I had more opportunities for singing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Frazier added that along with doing gigs, during her early teen years, she had begun venturing out more on social media, filming her music on TikTok, at that time called Musically, and began filming several short videos of school performances.<\/p>\n
As she entered adulthood, Frazier shared that she still believed music would be her ticket to fame.<\/p>\n
\u201cI moved to Saipan after high school, graduating from Rota High School in 2013, and on Saipan I joined the band Mango Sessions and we would perform live at Safehouse and the I Love Saipan. I would also sing at the Paseo de Marianas.\u201d<\/p>\n
As time passed the singer also took up dance and got involved in several dancing opportunities, one with her best friend at Saipan Studio 29:11, and the other with local Polynesian Dance group, Te\u2019Ivi Maori, where she would regularly perform for tourists and Saipan residents alike.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the performing arts has been really in me the whole time,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The model shared that aside from the music, she enjoyed watching modeling shows and doing her own photoshoots.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just started with me taking photos and striking poses and doing new and different poses. Again, I was never really serious about it as I was just doing it for fun. I had no proper training for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Frazier added that at the time she was attending the Northern Marianas College and studying for a whole different career field.<\/p>\n
She graduated with a double major\u2014Associates in Liberal Arts and Associates in Applied Science for Business and Accounting.<\/p>\n
It was Frazier\u2019s peers on Rota and Saipan that first saw her modelling potential and suggested she pursue a modeling career.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople began encouraging me and saying \u2018you know you have it in you,\u2019 and I would just say \u2018this is me joking around!\u2019\u201d she said<\/p>\n
But in 2019, Frazier decided to give it a shot.<\/p>\n
As part Filipino, Frazier moved to the Philippines to try her luck there, trying out for castings in the Pinoy Big Brother<\/em>, Miss Universe Philippines, and many other opportunities, but experiencing one rejection after another. Frazier said that after an unsuccessful year, the COVID-19 pandemic brought everything to a screeching halt as the Philippines underwent strict lockdown. After the Philippines reopened, the model said she felt there weren\u2019t any opportunities for her there.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like there\u2019s a stigma and a misconception on modeling. A lot of people think it\u2019s just about glamor, makeup, walking on runways, modeling, but no! What they see in shows like Asia\u2019s Next Top Model<\/em> it\u2019s similar, but it\u2019s definitely more aggressive and competitive than it looks.\u201d<\/p>\n Frazier shared that she took the time spent in the Philippines as a well-needed break, noting that she also learned more about her ethnicity during the sabbatical.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m Asian-Arab, so half-Filipino, half-Sudanese so I just came out to Dubai to try something new and learn more about my Arab side.\u201d<\/p>\n She told Saipan Tribune that not long after she arrived in Dubai, Frazier saw an opportunity and decided to take it.<\/p>\n Last year in August, within several months after arriving in Dubai, Frazier took part in the 2023 Vie Fashion Week. The fashion event, held at the Dubai Trade Center is one of the biggest fashion events in the region, featuring global designers\u2019 talent and creativity.<\/p>\n Her experience on the runway throughout that week was surreal and Frazier felt humbled working alongside many talented individuals.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t think my \u2018not serious\u2019 self in modeling would bring me all the way out here in Dubai.\u201d<\/p>\n Along with getting in the zone during runways, Frazier shared that she particularly enjoys representing designers. In that show, she was able to represent designers from Africa, Georgia, and Thailand.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s always been a sort of pride in me when I wear the designs, the thought of getting picked and chosen by them and hear them say that they want me to wear their design not necessarily because of my skin color or my height or body type, but more because of my personality. That means this designer really saw you without you really trying.\u201d<\/p>\n And in a field where physical appearance is everything, Frazier shared that having designers like that are rare.<\/p>\n \u201cAside from your height, your portfolio, or your features they really look at your skin color. Some designers looking for models will solely cast you based on skin color\u2026and most of the time, Western designers look for their people, so a majority blonde, blue eyes, and tall.\u201d<\/p>\n She shared that oftentimes, in her experience, those with darker skin would be left for other designers who are more diverse with their clothing and designs.<\/p>\n \u201cAside from skin color would be my height. I\u2019m not that tall, I\u2019m 5\u20195 and a half so 171-170 cm without heels, and a lot of the people here, Western models especially, they\u2019re like really tall like 180 cm and above.\u201d<\/p>\n She shared that the minimum height for most models is 175cm and that stigma and her being of mixed race have been some of her challenges in entering the industry.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen they say we\u2019re looking for Arab females I don\u2019t look Arab enough and then when they say we\u2019re looking for Southeast Asian models I don\u2019t look Filipino enough. For me, I find that as both an advantage and a disadvantage because I\u2019m a mixed race. I pretty much get a little of both worlds, but at the same time I don\u2019t, because I don\u2019t look Filipino enough or I don\u2019t look Asian enough, I don\u2019t look Arab enough. So those are the challenges that I always get and I get discouraged sometimes, but honestly, those discouragements are just for a second and then it\u2019s gone after that and I need to move on.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite these challenges, Frazier shared that she had to keep moving on and not give up.<\/p>\n \u201cI started out as a freelancing model and then eventually I got discovered by agencies. So currently, I have three agencies who have booked me. The biggest one I have is FP model, one of the biggest modeling agencies in the region. It\u2019s similar or pretty much the same as MGM Talent which is also one of the biggest modeling agencies in the world. The other two are Universal Couture and Bareface.\u201d<\/p>\n She has since worked with big names in Dubai including designer Angelo Estera. \u201cHe\u2019s just a little bit under Michael Cinco, so for me that\u2019s a big deal,\u201d said Frazier.<\/p>\n Along with representing her designers, representing her island is as important for Frazier.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been a year and I feel very humble and proud. I mean coming from a small island like Rota, a lot of people here don\u2019t know Saipan, they don\u2019t know Rota, let alone saying Northern Mariana Islands or Guam\u2026So I would constantly, constantly try to make Saipan, Rota, and the NMI known.\u201d<\/p>\n She shared that whether she is on her way to a photoshoot, or film a commercial, she would wear her mwar mwar, leis, sometimes even bringing along her coconut shell bra from her time on Saipan.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s something very unique out there they would not see that here in Dubai. That\u2019s something I walk around proudly wearing and trying to represent Saipan everywhere I go even in modeling. They call me the little Moana because of that the grass skirt and the flowers. It\u2019s something they really admire and I feel good about that.\u201d<\/p>\n She would also often also make her own mwars to wear.<\/p>\n If there was something she could share with young people in the NMI, it\u2019s not to limit themselves because they come from a small island, but instead to let that fact be their unique advantage.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you have some unique skill that\u2019s a good start and to begin to hone that and get proper training because coming from a small island is already special.\u201d<\/p>\n So far, Frazier has been busy and continues to pursue bigger things, most recently last May 13, she obtained her bachelor\u2019s degree in general health studies focused on health sciences for allied health from the Louisiana State University-Alexandria.<\/p>\n As far as modeling, Frazier shared that she\u2019s been getting more opportunities in advertising, endorsement, and commercials.<\/p>\n \u201cMy biggest goal this year is to step out of my comfort zone and be more aggressive because I still get nervous. I still get shy. So, this year my goal is to put my face and at least one of the biggest brands.\u201d<\/p>\n She\u2019s also aiming for modeling for Sephora and hopefully getting in the Dubai Fashion Week. Her ultimate goal is Milan Fashion week.<\/p>\n Having been away from the NMI for over five years, she shared that one thing on her bucket list is to visit Rota and if given a chance to do a workshop and teach young folks interested in becoming a professional fashion model.<\/p>\n Frazier said a major reason why she\u2019s in the field she\u2019s in today is because of the people at home who believed in her.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are so many people I want to thank but I would like to extend my gratitude to those people who believed in me\u2014my Rota and Saipan family, NMC Proa Music Society, Mango Session family, Safehouse, I Love Saipan, and Te\u2019Ivi Maori family. Those people who are still supporting and cheering me on no matter where I am and whatever I do, my loved ones and best friends who are also now across the world in different countries supporting and cheering me. Most especially to my No. 1 fan and supporter since Day 1, my Mom. She has had the biggest impact on every journey whether it would be for modeling, performing arts, or just life in general.\u201d<\/p>\n Professional model from the NMI Zahra \u201cZhee\u201d Frazier during a film shoot in Dubai.<\/p>\n -CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Professional model from the NMI Zahra \u201cZhee\u201d Frazier stuns in a black and gold dress during 2023 Vie Fashion Week at World Trade Center Dubai.<\/p>\n -CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Doning a pink corset designer dress from Angelo Estero, professional model from the NMI Zahra \u201cZhee\u201d Frazier poses for the Fashion Factor season seven at the Agenda, Dubai.<\/p>\n -CONTRIBUTED PHOTO With the Burj Al Arab behind her, Zahra \u201cZhee\u201d Frazier shares a smile after obtaining her bachelor\u2019s degree in general studies focused in health sciences for allied health from Louisiana State University-Alexandria.<\/p>\n -CONTRIBUTED PHOTO From walking down the beautiful shores of Rota, to sashaying on one of the longest…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-408567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-local-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/408567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/31"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=408567"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/408567\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=408567"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=408567"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=408567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![](\"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/images\/imgupload\/859dc064c3409b3d0a0bec7f22739d98.jpg\")
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