Marizza Delgado was made for the spotlight. A woman of many talents—whether it be singing, dancing, or acting—her penchant for performing had followed her from a young age. Though a completely different endeavor altogether, pageantry eventually swooped in to present the ripe star the stage she’d been chasing after, when she was crowned Miss Pacific Coast Teen USA in 2017. This regional win, for a persistent hard worker like Marizza, proved to only be the first of many stages the 22-year-old would stand, walk, and strut on.
Upon bagging the aforementioned title, Marizza was scouted by modeling agency Stars Management, not long after, before inking a contract with her current New York-based handler One Management. Much like her friend and inspiration Janine Tugonon, Marizza seamlessly went from sashes and crowns to runways and magazine spreads, proving the boundless beauty of Filipinas. She’s since posed for brands like H&M, L’Oreal, Walmart, and Kohls, and has walked in two seasons of New York Fashion Week. You can also find her in the pages of Seventeen Magazine and Cosmopolitan U.S.
Her repertoire, impressive as it is, isn’t just about optics, though. When she’s not giving the camera her best smolder, Marizza’s working as a Data Scientist for American e-commerce site Etsy. Speaking of beauty and brains, the model also recently returned to her pageant roots with a bang. Just this August, Marizza was crowned Miss New York Earth USA 2021, setting her up to represent the state at the Miss Earth USA pageant next year. Having achieved all this in her teens and early 20s, we can't wait to see Marizza's star reach further heights in the future.
Before anything else, though, the accomplished Filipina sat down with Preview through an email interview to talk about her promising modeling career, her advocacies as a beauty queen, her passion for STEM education, and more.
Marizza Delgado's exclusive interview with Preview:
Could you give us a brief background of yourself?
"I'm Marizza Delgado, a data scientist, fashion model, and Miss New York Earth USA 2021. My mother is from Pampanga, my dad is from Manila, and they immigrated to San Jose, California, where I was born and raised. Currently, I'm 22 years old and based in NYC. In my spare time, I like weightlifting, reading, and cooking vegan recipes."
Was it always your dream to become a model? Who are your biggest inspirations in the field?
"I always loved the stage, and knew I wanted to keep performing in some capacity—whether that was singing, dancing, or acting. I never imagined that I'd end up in the modeling industry, but some of my inspirations are Lyndsey Scott, a model and IOS developer, and one of my good friends Janine Tugonon. Ultimately, modeling has taught me to push my limits, embrace my creativity, and chase dreams that I never thought were possible for me."
What struggles did you experience while pursuing your [modeling] dream? How did you get through them?
"While pursuing modeling full time, it was difficult moving across the country to live on my own at 18 years old. Missing out on birthdays or other big milestones was never fun. I got through this adjustment period by creating my own circle of friends that have really supported me and made New York feel like a second home. Also, thank god for Facetime!"
It says in your profile that you’re also a data scientist. How do you juggle your modeling gigs with your day job?
"Correct! I just started as a Data Scientist for Etsy on their Product Analytics team, and I'm a huge advocate for women representation in STEM. I'm really fortunate to be working for such a socially, economically, and environmentally responsible company for my first job out of college. Although modeling has taken a backseat, I try to balance both of my hustles by taking PTO (Paid Time Off) whenever I'm shooting a campaign. Props to all the multi-faceted Women in Tech who balance their side hustles with their full-time hustle!"
What’s been the most memorable/notable modeling job you’ve landed so far?
"It would be my first international e-commerce shoot for H&M. I cried when my agent told me the news since it was the biggest client I've worked for. Also, I love traveling and exploring new destinations, so flying to Stockholm, Sweden was really exciting for me."
You’re also a beauty queen. Congratulations on winning Miss Earth New York, BTW! Has modeling helped you in your pageant journey in any way?
"Salamat po! Modeling has definitely helped with my onstage presence—although high fashion and pageant runway walks are totally different styles. And vice versa, the confidence I gained through pageantry directly translates to when I'm on set."
As a beauty queen, what advocacies are you strongly pushing for?
"As Miss New York Earth USA 2021, I'm promoting environmental awareness and social responsibility to protect our environment. My platform #VeganForAReason is to promote a vegan lifestyle and show how accessible a healthy, ethical plant-based diet can be. It’s the single best thing you can do for the planet, and to reduce your carbon footprint, for the environment, animals, and future generations."
What’s your ultimate goal as a model?
"My ultimate goals as a model is to shoot a huge Sephora campaign, be featured on Times Square, and to represent Filipina beauty in the industry. If I left the industry with more inclusiveness and diversity, then I've left my legacy."
What’s your advice to young, aspiring Filipino models looking to make it big abroad?
"Nothing can prepare you for modeling, you have to be ready for new challenges and adjust to any situation you're thrown into. My advice for young, aspiring Filipino models is to show up to set with a positive attitude, good work ethic, and don't take rejections personally. You will be a more independent, confident, and determined person because of it."
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