US talent scouts take heed of Toti beauty

Toti’s Hollywood hopeful, Angelique Janssen is well on her way to stardom after returning elated from the International Arts Talent Showcase in Orlando, USA.

Angelique got the opportunity to strut her stuff to 37 talent scouts, representing the world’s top talent agencies, Broadway, Vogue magazine and even the television programme America’s Got Talent at the showcase after she made it through to the Summer Heat Model and Talent Search finals at Montecasino in Johannesburg in October.

Last month she flew to New York with 45 other SA artists and models and then to Orlando.

“Orlando is beautiful, green and natural, but very hot and humid,” said the grade 12 Kuswag beauty. “New York never sleeps and is rushed and cramped.”

Angelique received three call-backs from Atlantic Records, the New York Film Academy, and Albany Talent and Model Management, based in New York.

“The owner, James Pentaudi is writing a play for Broadway and he was interested in me. It looks very promising and I’m excited at what lies ahead.”

Angelique is building a relationship with Atlantic Records and sends accapella videos of herself singing to the record label every two months, to document her growth. “I’ve only been singing for three months, so I really didn’t expect to get a call-back from them.”

The biggest obstacles for South Africans to get work in the entertainment industry in the States is their accent and a working visa.

Angelique, who is coached by LeMari Smit of Upstage Models KZN, is part of Childline KZN’s anti-bullying campaign and the KZN beach clean-up with People Investing in Needs of Communities (PINC). She was also instrumental in Kuswag donating desks and chairs to an Umlazi school.

She will enter Miss Teen SA in September and has qualified to participate in the annual three-day Mzantsi Africa Role Models and Ambassadors national pageant in December.

For now the 18-year-old beauty will concentrate on her school work. “I want to move to Los Angeles after matric,” she said. “For the rest of the year I also want to get more involved in local charities and community theatre, because at the end of the day I am proudly South African.”