Zendaya covers the Spring issue of New You Magazine, where they managed to style her to look like Toni Braxton in a Farrah Fawcett wig. There’s also some Linda Blair weirdness going on with the position of her head. Zendaya is styled for events so much better than this (see photos below), this looks like it was staged by mall workers from Glamour shots. As we’ve come to expect from Zendaya, she has a lot of wise things to say. I know that she doesn’t get a ton of interest around here but I love how well spoken and smart she is, and I enjoy reporting on her. This is a 19 year-old woman who is more self aware and down to earth than many adult celebrities, although with some of the crap people have been spouting lately that isn’t saying much. It’s like foot-in-mouth season. Here’s some of what Zendaya told New You.
On Photoshopping and being you
“There is no such thing as ugly. That’s a word that doesn’t really enter my vocabulary. If there’s any definition to being perfect, you’re perfect at being yourself. No other person can be you 100 percent; no one has your fingerprint; no one has your DNA. You are you 120 percent, through and through. Whether it is through my social media or whatever, I want anyone who looks up to me to know that I go through the same problems. I have to be confident in who I am. When I learn things about myself, I like to share that journey with people because I know there are a lot of people going through the same thing.”
On the importance of education
“I want to promote to young people that it’s okay to be a good citizen. It’s okay to learn. It’s cool to be knowledgeable, to know what’s going on in your country and your world. To form opinions and to talk about it, have discussions and be respectful. I’m trying to make that the new cool.”
Question: Were you ever bullied at school?
“I was made fun of [in school] but it didn’t bother me very much because I was very comfortable in who I was. I was taught as a young child by my parents and family to love myself. And it’s the same today—there are certain things that don’t bother me. I just focus on being a good person. I was always very aware of the world and I was never sheltered from the negative things that were out there. I feel that if you shelter your kids from everything, one day they are going to be out in the world on their own and they are going to have to figure it out. You can’t give them a test if you never taught them anything that’s on the test. They’re going to fail. You have to prepare people and sometimes that’s just being honest with them and letting them know things sooner.”
She loves Michael Jackson
I’ve always been obsessed with him. Ever since I was little, he was always to me the best entertainer that lived. Just the way he moved, his work ethic, and how he was able to make music without cursing or being profane. [He made] music with a purpose and still was the biggest artist of all time, as well as all the charity work he was able to do. I think he was just the best.
The best advice she has received
Be honest with your parents. That’s how you gain their trust, that’s how you get more responsibility, that’s how they will be able to trust you. My parents never have to question. Even before I became an adult, they would never question or worry because I have already proved to them a million times over that I’m a good kid. If something ever happened, I would come to them first. Just be honest with your parents, it’s so much easier.
Remember when bullying was a bigger topic in the media? Usually celebrities who discuss bullying sound understandably sorry for their younger selves, so it’s interesting to hear from someone who says it didn’t affect her. I also like how Zendaya values education, being true to yourself and celebrating your differences. I know she can sound a little Hallmark-cardy and she’s been famous since she was younger and was probably sheltered from a lot of things, but I find her clever and I like that she gets press and interviews. But yeah, she collaborates with Chris Brown on her music so there’s that. Its not like his music is free of profanity, but he’s also a big Michael Jackson fan so maybe they bonded over that.
Credit: WENN.com, the Spring issue of NEW YOU magazine
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