Chelley Says Your Beautiful Regardless Of The Beauty Standard
For most of us, Love Island USA has not only consumed our summer but that cult-like fandom is easily pouring into fall. When the beautiful Haitian goddess Michelle Bissainthe better known as Chelley B. hit our screens, we instantly became obsessed with her Bratz doll aesthetic and cool girl aura. In this in-depth conversation, we got the chance to know Chelley on a deeper level and discussed everything from her Latin roots to her journey on Love Island and beyond. Keep reading to learn all about the woman Chelley is right now and the vision she sees for herself in the future.
FEATURE INTERVIEW:
When you think about your early childhood in Miami, what’s one of your favorite memories that comes to mind?
Well to start, my parents had me very young at 17 years old in Miami, so I was down there for quite a few years. My grandmother was a huge support system for my parents so I was always around her. She’s someone who’s always liked to yell, play music and cook great Haitian meals. She’s always been so funny and authentically herself and she’s always said that is her love language. If you know anything about Haitian culture, our grandparents are very sweet and sour with a deep love and pride for their culture. So whenever I think back to those days, she’s the first thing that comes to mind.
When it comes to Haitian food, what’s your go to meal?
Oh my gosh, my favorite Haitian meal is legume. You can make it with any type of beef. For the vegans/vegetarians, some people don’t put any meat in it. Then you have cabbage, eggplant, corn, peppers, spinach, all these different vegetables that blend together so well. Anytime I introduce someone to Haitian food I’m like the first thing you need to try is some legume!
I always have it with white rice and Sòs Pwa, a bean puree. So all that mixed together, that would be my favorite dish, because one thing about Haitian food, I always tell people, Haitians have the best rice, hands down! Mind you, I love food. There’s a lot of different cultures that have great food too and great rice, but Haitians got it, hands down.
With having those Miami roots and moving to New York at a young age, do you think there’s a difference in Haitian culture in Miami vs. NY?
You know what? It’s a little bit different. Like, I feel like the Haitian culture in New York has a little twist of what New York is, you know? Versus Miami is more tropical, more sunny. It almost feels like what Haiti is with the beautiful trees, the greenery and growing certain tropical foods out there.
Have you ever been to Haiti?
No I haven’t and I want to so badly. I think one of my biggest goals in life is to do something to give back to Haiti to help rebuild and grow the country. There’s so much going on right now that is just so heartbreaking. And being that I really do want to learn more about my culture, more about the foods, the language, the history, I want to be able to go there and make a difference in others lives as well as my own. That would mean the world to me, but at this moment in time, I’m always told now is not the best time, but I’m gonna figure it out eventually.
Are both of your parents Haitian?
Yes! My mom was born in Haiti and she moved to America when she was around 9 years old I believe. She went back and forth through her teenage years so she got a nice balance of her home country and growing up in America. My dad was born in New York, moved to Miami as a child and was raised in Miami. So they’re very much Americanized. They didn’t really speak the language with me either. My mom for sure cooks Haitian food and they both fully represent their culture but they most definitely didn’t have the traditional Haitian experience growing up.
Being Haitian you are Latina even though some people in the diaspora may not consider Haitians to be. Can you talk to us about your experience as a dark skin Latina?
They don’t and if I’m being 100% transparent, I remember this question had come up, and I was like Latina? Are we? So then I had to Google it, just to be sure! I really had to. And it was like yes, Haitians are considered Latinas because of where we are on the map, etc. I was like wow, you don’t hear that a lot, you don’t see that a lot. This just goes to show that there’s more to learn, you know?
So, me being a dark-skinned one at that, I feel like in a lot of places and spaces, people will be like, you’re not Latina! The only time someone will ask me if I’m maybe Latina is when I have my hair straightened. I’m like, no, I’m Haitian. Actually, I’m full-blown Haitian, this comes from my roots and everything, I don’t have to be mixed with something else! There’s this thing of, especially with dark-skinned women, where people make you feel like you’re not beautiful because your skin isn’t lighter, you know? Your hair isn’t as curly, or this or that and stuff, so people don’t look at you all the time, or won’t make room for you.
It’s like, what are you doing here? This is just a skin color, this is just a hair texture, okay? I am who I am. I’m very confident in myself. No one is gonna sit here and bring me down. And I love to see other women who are just like me, who don’t let their skin color make them feel any type of way. If anything, we embrace it fully, because it’s so beautiful, it’s so rich. People want to tan, they want this nice bronze and chocolate color. I look forward to the summertime so that I can get even more chocolatey. I love when I’m looking golden and shining in the sun because our skin is just so beautiful.
And even growing up, I remember it being so hard because again, the beauty standard is being lighter skin with curly hair, so it makes you feel as a kid, if you’re not in a space where people are uplifting you and reminding you of how beautiful you are, how important you are, you’ll lose sight of that. Growing up, when I was in a place that wasn’t predominantly Black people, where it was mostly white people, that weighed heavy on me.
Sometimes I thought, I wish my hair was like this, I wish my skin color was lighter, you know? But as I grew up, I continued to learn more about my culture and even just embracing who I am. Seeing so many inspirations of other Black or dark-skinned Latinas who were in the spotlight and seeing how well they carried and loved themselves, it reminded me that I’m beautiful, no matter what type of beauty standard anybody tries to push, it doesn’t matter. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and when I look at myself, I see how beautiful I am. When I see another dark-skinned Latina or any other Black woman in general, I’m like, wow, she’s so phenomenal, she’s so beautiful.
It’s hard to see how we kind of get overlooked, even in the modeling industry. That’s something that I’ve always been working towards and sometimes it breaks my heart when I walk into a room and I don’t see any other representation. I don’t see the next dark-skinned Latina next to me. I may see a beautiful lighter-skin one, but when it comes to dark-skin ones, I don’t really see that as often. And that’s so heartbreaking. Things really do have to change and I’ve seen a lot of progression, but there’s still so much more to be done, for real.
When it comes to being on a popular dating show like Love Island USA, did thoughts about race and skin tone ever become a big concern for you?
I remember before I went to the villa, I was so nervous. I’m like, is there gonna be someone that looks like me? Am I gonna feel comfortable around the people that I’m gonna be around? There’s just so many different things, especially being that this is about dating. As a Black woman, you run into so many different scenarios when it comes to dating. You wanna be with someone who doesn’t see you as that strong Black woman, you know?
Throughout this most recent season of Love Island USA you were tested in more ways than one. I always thought, she handled this situation better than I would. Talk to us about those times where emotionally you were tested in the villa and how you handled it.
Obviously there’s heated moments in the villa throughout the season where people get so upset, and maybe argue and this and that. Me, I’m the type of person where I just don’t care to do that. I like to take a step back from things and think to myself, “What is it that I’m feeling? How does this person feel at this moment?”. I don’t want to ever give anything energy that doesn’t deserve it. Not everyone’s worthy of your energy. Your voice, your words, anything. So sometimes I have to just sit back and collect myself and think about how I want to react in that moment. I don’t think it makes me soft or weak to not always be hard or reactive in that moment, it just means you aren’t deserving of my energy right now so I’m going to preserve it.
Even when I think back to moments in the villa where I was being tested or challenged, having Olandria in there with me made me feel seen. Like we saw and supported each other sometimes without even saying a word. We had so many small moments the viewers didn’t see that helped me throughout my time on the show. Seeing her initially I didn’t know if we would become as close as we have but seeing another beautiful black woman with braids and a skin tone like mine made me feel like I could already relate to her.
Olandria is so beautiful, level-headed, poised and so elegant. Like everything about her is what I see in myself. It’s just nice to have somebody in your life who’s like that, especially at this moment in time in our lives. We understand each other and think the same exact thing most of the time. We have this little joke that we always do, where if she says something or I say something, where we both know what we were thinking it, we’re like “You thought it and I’m like but you said it!”. It’s from a movie that I can’t think of right now!
It’s so funny to us because it’s always moments like that. Where it’s like girl, you really are just like me, my soul sister. We really do be right here about everything and that’s just so beautiful to have in a friendship. The fact that so many people in the world could see that our relationship is special means a lot, because we as Black women should be sticking together. We should be uplifting one another and speaking life to each other.. We have so much to go through on a day-to-day basis, and if having that soul sister in your life, that other woman who can uplift you and have your back and everything, could make your life even just the slightest bit easier, then let’s be that to one another, you know?
When you think back on your Love Island experience, what is one of your favorite memories with Ace that the viewers never got to see?
I think my favorite memories would always be the morning time. There’s so much that happened between us day-to-day, but I think the mornings would be my favorite. Every time we would wake up he’d be like good morning beautiful and give me a kiss on the cheek. Then he asked what do I want for breakfast? And I’m like I want this, that, whatever.
And he’s the first one in the kitchen, he don’t play! He’d be the first one in the kitchen and the first one upstairs to make sure he gives me my breakfast and he’s always checking on me. Seeing how I’m feeling. Another thing that I loved so much was how I’d be on the other side of the villa and he’s looking to see where he can find me. When he eventually does he’s always gonna have a compliment. He to this day is always uplifting me and is so unapologetic and loud about his feelings for me and overall. I just love that so much, so I think that’s what was some of my favorite memories!
Is there something that you’re learning from dating Ace post-villa that you didn’t know about yourself prior to your relationship with him?
I think I’m learning how affectionate I really am. I was dating people who weren’t as affectionate as he is in the past and although I agree with the comments I see about him being a teddy bear, he has a really strong side right along with his more nurturing side that really is the perfect balance for me. He makes me want to be more like that as a partner as well. In the past, as weird as it may sound, I rarely called my partners bae or baby, it just didn’t flow off the tongue for me LOL.
But with Ace, I have all these little cute nicknames for him and I find myself doing and saying things that I never felt comfortable enough to say or do for anyone else. I think a major part of it is that he allows me to just be myself. He’s always laughing with me and is giving me the reassurance I need every single day, without me having to ask. The way he loves and adores me allows me to be the softie I really am.
Recently you’ve gotten back into your video vixen bag in the new Mariah The Scientist album trailer, which is basically a mini movie. How did this opportunity come about?
Mariah and I we went to college together! We were really close in college I always knew that she could sing, so then it was this random time we came back from school and I don’t see her anymore. The next thing you know, I’m seeing her music being dropped so I was like damn girl! I’m so proud of you! She always kept in touch, even when she just left school and started doing her thing, which was amazing. So it was a full circle moment linking up with her again for her new album, which is SO GOOD by the way.
What song on Mariah The Scientist’s new album is your current vibe?
I’m still stuck on “Burning Blue”! Before going into the villa that song had a hold on me and since we couldn’t listen to music or have access to our phones, I would always sing that song to myself while in the villa. And now, it just reminds me of Ace. That song really will always have a special place in my heart.
The internet has been finding old videos of you from over the years in so many music videos and it’s truly amazing how much you were outside before entering the villa!
Oh my gosh girl LOL, yes! Out of nowhere photographers would reach out to me and be like, “Will you be my muse? I have this project I wanna work on.” I’ve been interested in modeling for quite a while so I was eager to put myself out there and make connections. And living in New York helps as well because everyone knows someone!
You call your fanbase “Chelley’s Cherries”, how did this name come about and what do you love most about your supporters?
It’s two different things, a double entendre kinda. When I came onto the show I remember telling them how I have a tattoo on my on my ass and it says “Bad Bitch” with a cherry. When I got the tattoo, I remember telling the tattoo artist I wanted to be a bad bitch with a cherry on top. So he was like, well I can’t get the cherry on top but I could get there. But I knew when I would tell people about my tattoo I’m gonna make sure they know it’s a bad bitch with a cherry on top!
So I ended up telling the show that. So it was just like that, because whoever’s with me is bad bitches with the cherry on top, you know? And then a play on the phrase “Mon Cheri” in Creole. When I was in the villa my sister wrote me this beautiful note and she was telling me about having Stans and how she was already calling them my cherries so I was like this is the perfect name for them!
It makes the experience so much more beautiful to know that you have people that see you for who you are. Who love you for the person that you are as well. I never wanted to put up any facade by trying to pretend to be this type of person that is nothing like me in the real world. And they fully have embraced me as I am, and they love the person that I am through and through, and that’s something that makes me so happy. It’s just like wow, this is real genuine love and support, and it’s right back at them. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to get through everything that was happening when I got out and the ups and downs of my new reality now.
If I didn’t see all the love and support, it would be much harder with this new reality and seeing so much love that people STILL pour into me makes me want to keep going and show that love right back. I’m so thankful and grateful for my cherries and I can’t wait to see all we have in store in the future together.
If you could create your dream brand campaign, who would it be with and what would this collaboration look like?
Fenty is definitely on my list! I would love to do a sexy Savage X lingerie vibe with cherries everywhere. Lots of lace and red and my boo right beside me so something nice for the men as well. Rihanna is my spirit animal so I would love to work with her one day!
What’s 3 beauty items you can’t leave the house without?
Hmm, I’d have to say my Maybelline Super Lock Brow Glue Eyebrow Gel, I don’t play about that product! It snatches my brows together every time they’re looking a little crazy! I love the smell of “Blooming Bouquet” by Dior. I’d have to say that is my signature scent. And lastly, I’m never leaving the house without a lipgloss! My faves are Fenty Heat gloss and a Dior lip oil, it’s just too good.
Share with us one secret you haven’t told anyone else.
This is actually a Galore exclusive right here… Ace is taking me on a beautiful vacation to the Maldives very soon and I can’t wait to see all he has up his sleeves. He might ask me a special question on this trip, but we will see…
We’d love to see more of your life and behind the scenes of everything you have coming up. Would you ever consider vlogging?
Absolutely, yes! I want to and I’m really trying to figure this out. This is all so new to me and with me being such an in-the-moment person, it’s so hard for me sometimes to remember to pull out my phone and record the moment. I just want to talk to people, be free, do my thing. So, what I’m working on is building a social media team who could help me out with that.
Leave Galore readers with one piece of relationship advice.
My best advice I could give to anyone when it comes to dating is to wear your heart on your sleeve. You want whoever you end up with to know who you truly are. And you also want to know who they truly are, so wear your heart on your sleeve and don’t scared of heartbreak. If it happens, it was meant to happen.
There’s something better waiting for you. So, just allow yourself to be open, allow yourself to be vulnerable. If it doesn’t work, don’t think love is not there for you, because it absolutely is. I went through so many heartbreaks and I still believe in love and it’s gotten me to this point where I’ve found someone who truly is my person. To the point where I can say I am in love with this person. So, don’t give up. The love is waiting for you and you always want what’s supposed to be yours, so if it didn’t work out, it’s because it wasn’t for you.
TEAM CREDITS:
Editor-in-Chief: Prince Chenoa
Feature Editor & Writer: Taylor Winter Wilson (@taylorwinter)
Photographer: Salvatore Demaio (@sonejr)
Hair Stylist: Zoe Cook (@fhairygodmotha) , Davontae’ Washington (@iamdavontae)
Makeup Artist: Taylar Thompson (@tays.muse)
Wardrobe Stylists: Matthew Reisman (@matthewreisman) , Reginald Reisman (@reginaldreisman)
