Do you know Candice Lia? Probably not, but that does not mean you shouldn’t take the time to read her interview. Everyone has a story to tell, and everyone’s story is meaningful. Read her full interview below and follow her on Instagram @thecandicelia. You definitely do not want to miss reading this interview.
Who is Candice Lia?
CL: Hello everybody! It is an honor and an absolute pleasure for me to be featured today on Taste The Dram. My name is Candice Lia and I am a Canadian-born Chinese published model based in Vancouver and I sometimes travel internationally for work. My brand image and persona has been defined through years of experience in the divisions of import, lifestyle, promotional/spokesperson and fashion modelling.
How did you develop an interest in fashion, modeling, and travel respectively?
CL: In terms of fashion, it has always been ingrained within my DNA to appreciate aesthetics. As a dominantly creative brain thinker, I genuinely appreciate high fashion and the creativity behind good, fashionable coordination. Being caught up in the latest trends, matching colours, fabrics and textures is a true hobby I’ve discovered since I was young.
Modelling has become one of my greatest passions because of many great reasons. It is absolutely empowering and a huge confidence boost once you receive your photos and see how you look from another’s perspective that isn’t attainable through looking into a mirror. It’s always a fun adventure going from one gig to another gig, whether it is a new photoshoot or an interactive social event. One experience is never the same as the next, it’s always something to look forward to.
I’ve always had an interest in traveling for as long as I can remember. In my opinion, it is one of the most important and rewarding things to do in life. It’s something to do with the craving, the lust for adventure, the longing for exploration, for learning and seeing, for stretching and growing beyond your comfort zone, it pushes you beyond your limit. There’s a fascination behind being in a foreign place surrounded by foreign people, walking on new land, hearing different languages, immersing yourself in another culture. It’s fueling and energizing. We live in a vast world. We cannot simply just limit ourselves to our hometown or home country. You’re missing out on life if you miss out on so much of what there is to see, feel and experience. There is so much more than what you have already seen and done, seriously, it’s endless.
How would you describe your philosophy on health and fitness?
CL: My philosophy on this topic is that you must not forget the importance of emotional, mental, spiritual and physical health of your being. All aspects are equally important and must be tended to in order to achieve a happy, balanced and healthy state of mind, heart, soul and lifestyle. It’s a constant work in progress, can be realistically hard to keep up with, but I promise you, you will be happier when you put your focus upon bettering yourself. Self-love, self-care, baby.
Being part of an industry whose only emphasis is on the outside characteristics of a person, how have you stayed grounded?
CL: This one is an interesting one that I for sure have struggled with before. Initially, I too was fully soaked in the obsession of solely an outwards appearance, as it is the biggest factor in the job. However, after modelling for a few years, it didn’t feel fulfilling to me to keep up with just an exterior image. I felt like a huge part of who I truly am as an authentic person was constantly hiding and pushed down by the spotlight of the Candice that people knew me by. I can’t quite pinpoint when and how things changed, but surely and slowly, over the years, I have finally been able to express more of my authentic thoughts, feelings and intentions that come from a place within me, separate from my image.
I learned that it isn’t always and only about how you look, but who you are on the inside as a human being as well. Beauty isn’t just an outwards appearance, but true beauty lies with the core of who you really are. That’s what makes people interesting and multi-dimensioned. That’s where your audience can truly connect with you, because it shows that you aren’t perfect, but just a mere human being too.
Of all the places you’ve lived and visited, is there anywhere in particular that has the most appeal to you?
CL: I haven’t travelled to too many places, but of the places I’ve been to, I love California for the warm sun, sandy beaches and LA city vibes and Vegas for its glamorous city-lifestyle. There’s a ton of places that appeal more to me though, but I haven’t travelled to them yet- such as Bora Bora, Greece and many places in Asia, Southeast Asia and Europe.
Your Instagram feed is flawless and aesthetically pleasing. Do you like to curate your feed or keep it as close as possible to your authentic self?
CL: I definitely put a lot of thought, time and effort into planning each individual post, caption, and layout of my feed. This could take weeks for me, as I do all of my content planning, marketing and all other aspects of modelling myself and have to find a balance between it all. But I do try to stay true to my authentic self by letting my raw emotions, thoughts, feelings and beliefs flow through the words of my written captions. That’s where the true me comes out.
General words of wisdom you live by….
CL: Here are a few of my favourite quotes of all time:
“Anything that annoys you is for teaching you patience.
Anyone who abandons you is for teaching you how to stand upon your own two feet.
Anything that angers you is for teaching you forgiveness and compassion.
Anything that has power over you is for teaching you how to take your power back.
Anything you hate is for teaching you unconditional love.
Anything you fear is for teaching you courage to overcome your fear.
Anything you can’t control is for teaching you how to let go.” – Jackson Kiddard
As well as: “If it won’t matter in five years, don’t spend five minutes worrying about it.”
One of my strongest core values and beliefs that I truly stand and live by is to do everything from the place of love and compassion that resides in your heart. Don’t hate, don’t take revenge, forgive, empathise, let go, be the bigger person and move on.
What’s your favorite thing to do in your down time?
CL: My issue is that I have way too many hobbies and simply not enough time! I enjoy singing, dancing, playing piano, playing guitar, reading books, travelling, retail-therapy, shopping, taking naps, eating, exploring, hiking, boating, travelling, modelling, listening to music and meditating.
What is your stance on influencers being paid to post about brands? Should influencers be transparent regarding payment for posts?
CL: Influencer marketing is undeniably currently a trending market and it makes sense that the general public would take an interest in listening to a figure in whom they follow and trust. But there is definitely a fine line between promoting a product (whether you like it or not) solely for the pay and doing it because you genuinely would recommend it to your loyal followers. This line is constantly crossed over and abused, which makes the influencer market sometimes untrustworthy. And there are other issues, such as influencers tricking brands by buying their followers to appear bigger than who they really are. It’s definitely tricky because you’ve got to have an eye out for who is truly genuine and authentic versus who is just trying to run the race and cheat while doing it.
Like with any work, I don’t believe it is necessary to reveal how much you get paid for your posts. But what is absolutely crucial is to let your audience know that you are getting paid to make a promotional post.
How do you stay full of energy throughout the day?
CL: Ohh, definitely with a ton of coffee… every single day. If needed, a double espresso. If desperate, energy drinks. Occasionally, I take a break from the world and assign myself to a mandatory nap, usually about 15-45 minutes (I try to stay under an hour). After that, then I’m up and good to go again!
Best moment/memory of 2019?
CL: Too many to recall, so I’ll list a few and try to keep this short! Attending my first EDC Las Vegas in May, flying to Seattle to revisit Above & Beyond Group Therapy Weekender in July with my favourite people, boating and jetskiing over the beautiful British Columbian waters during the summertime, starting post-secondary for the first time after being on a long break from school for a few years and coming to achieve a fantastic GPA, travelling to LA for Dreamstate SoCal with my favourite people celebrating a special occasion, moving into my first apartment with no roommates in downtown Vancouver and taking the time to creatively furnish it, flying to San Francisco to model for SPOCOM in August, taking my first ever girls’ only trip to Las Vegas for my 22nd birthday in December and all of the accomplishments I have made throughout my journey of modelling- which includes the launch of my new website (thecandicelia.com) and the profound discovery of my purpose and mission (written on my website).
Looking back, 2019 has been jam-packed with everlasting memories, moments to be cherished and incredible lessons and growth. Each year just keeps getting better, and this is only just a momentary glimpse of part of the journey. What a treasure it is to be alive, eh?
If your best friend could tell us something embarrassing about you, what would it be?
CL: When I open up to you in reaching the deepest level of comfort, all boundaries dissipate and my sense of humour becomes the most embarrassing thing you’ll ever witness (swear to god, you don’t wanna see it)- but hey, it keeps things interesting. Those who know, they know, they VIP. 😉
Okay okay, fine. In all honesty, I can’t poop with socks on. Unless I’m in a public bathroom where it would be inconvenient to take off my socks, then I’ll keep them on. But if it’s at a house or apartment, socks off. Great, now my secret’s out.
