NEW BEDFORD – If you look closely, you’ll find Alana Monteiro in movies like “Someone Great” featuring Gina Rodriguez, DeWanda Wise and Brittany Snow, or “Second Act” starring Jennifer Lopez and Vanessa Hudgens.
Monteiro, 24, is a Cape Verdean fashion model, singer/songwriter and actress from New Bedford. Growing up, she was heavily involved in the performing arts, dancing for 15 years and dabbling in theater. Up until she was 17 years old, she said she didn’t even know what modeling was or how to get into the industry. In her senior year of high school, while watching the annual Victoria’s Secret fashion show, she became interested in learning more.
Monteiro applied to every top modeling agency in New York for eight months, trying to get her “in.” A friend had a clothing line featured in downtown New Bedford and asked Monteiro to model her designs. Monteiro loved the way the photos turned out and submitted them to Boston modeling agencies.
“I didn’t even know I had it in me,” Monteiro said.
Dartmouth Mall customers nudged her into modeling
Initially, she didn’t have much support from family members. She said they laughed at her, saying she was too short at the time to be a model. She was 5-foot-6-inches when she first expressed interest in the industry. However, while working in retail stores at the Dartmouth Mall, she said customers would always tell her that she should be a model. Because of this, Monteiro tried to hide her passion and submitted applications quietly on her own.
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Upon graduating high school in 2015, she signed with Model Club Inc. In Boston and booked local gigs like a wedding gown photoshoot. She continued to persevere with the road to New York City as she prepared for her freshman year of college at Bridgewater State University. Her college experience was cut short, however; after her first day of classes, she received a long-awaited email from a New York agency and informed her family she would be moving to the Big Apple.
Then she got a call from Wilhelmina Models
Now, standing tall at 5-foot-9-inches, Monteiro is represented by one of the top agencies in the world: Wilhelmina Models.
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Under this new agency, she started off with smaller gigs such as shoots for Under Armour and Amazon fashion, but her first real big moment was the Macy’s back-to-school fashion show.
Shortly after, she began booking shoots with well-known cosmetic brands such as CoverGirl, bareMinerals, Clinique, L’Oréal Paris, MAC Cosmetics and NARS. She began appearing in editorials and on covers of some of the world’s top magazines including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Marie Claire, L’Officiel, Numéro, Glamour and Grazia. In addition, she has worked on print advertisement campaigns for globally known brands such as Nike, Under Armour, Footlocker, TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, Macy’s, Puma, Target, Reebok, FILA and more. She has appeared on the runway in New York Fashion Week and Miami Swim Week.
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“You have to work for literally everything you do,” Monteiro said. “If you, as a model, have a strong work ethic and good portfolio it’s great. It’s a hard to start in the beginning, a slow start.”
Most days are long but vary depending on the type of photoshoot. When she’s working with a fashion brand, she could be standing all day and shooting up to 50 different looks. When working with a beauty brand, other models on set rotate before the lens.
“The amount of work it took to get to that point was a lot, I feel very accomplished and happy,” Monteiro said.
Prior to the pandemic, Monteiro said she was working multiple gigs per week. In March 2020, the industry came to a halt for a few months but she continued working on creative projects on her own to keep busy. Her first photoshoot after her time off was in May for a magazine cover and she said she was so scared to model again. However, sets were clean and safe and models and staff were tested for COVID-19. Her normal schedule picked back up again in fall 2020.
On set with JLo, Mark Wahlberg, Naomi Campbell and more
Once her modeling career took off, she began dabbling in acting and singing. She signed with Innovative Artists Agency in New York and worked as an extra in films like “Someone Great” and “Second Act” as well as other television shows like “Orange is the New Black,” “Law and Order: SVU” and more. Unfortunately, viewers can only point her out in the two films, as producers often cut scenes in which she was featured.
Although she wasn’t credited in any films or shows, she said that being on set with famous actors was just as gratifying. When she was an extra on the set of “Daddy’s Home 2” starring Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell, she said she received generous career advice if she ever decides to step into the spotlight. Plus, it didn’t hurt that she was able to meet actors like Naomi Campbell on the set of “I Feel Pretty” starring Amy Schumer.
When she was filming “Second Act,” she admired JLo’s work ethic up close and personal.
“Being on a big set with those level of actors was very inspirational,” Monteiro said. “I thought, ‘if I can do this, I can do anything.’”
While she has enjoyed her acting career so far, she will be shifting her focus to modeling and music for the near future.
“High” single and new music
Monteiro said she’d been writing songs her entire life, but only began turning her dreams into reality over the past couple of years. In 2018, she attended Rolling Loud Festival in Miami and by fate, met a music producer in the lobby of her hotel and exchanged social media handles. When Monteiro posted a video of her singing on Instagram, the producer messaged her and asked to set up a studio session in New York. She recorded her first single, “High” in 2019, announcing that new music would be released in 2021. Monteiro said she actually forgot about the song until this year and decided to release it on June 30, available on Apple Music and Spotify.
“I’m more motivated and inspired now,” Monteiro said. “I’m back in the studio recording an album.”
On the morning of her interview with the Standard-Times, she said FUN 107 played her song for the first time. Even though she knew when it would air, she was still excited.
Monteiro just wrapped up shooting her music video for her single. She said although it’s only a two-minute song, it took four days to get the footage they needed. The music video will release in October.
In her off-time, she continues to write new music.
Crediting her community
Reflecting back on how far she’s come, she credits a lot of community support and inspiration. Singer-songwriter Tynisha Kell, a New Bedford native, remained at the top of Monteiro’s list of inspirations along with other Cape Verdean and Portuguese celebrities who have gone on to make a name for themselves.
Although her family didn’t think she could make it in the industry at first, they have come around to fully supporting Monteiro in all her success. She is the daughter of New Bedford residents Denise Porche and Allan Monteiro and granddaughter of Evelyn Gomes and Arthur Porche Sr. Her father is her biggest supporter, she said.
Standard-Times staff writer Kerri Tallman can be reached at ktallman@s-t.com. Follow her on Twitter at @kerri_tallman for links to recent articles.
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