Darnell Nicole

You put so much of yourself out there on WAGS—what have you learned from our experience on the show?

I've learned to fully accept myself as I am. Sometimes we have the tendency to stare at our flaws, fear judgment and over-analyze our choices…well that's amplified by 100 when you decide to step on a worldwide platform. Prior to the show, I viewed some of the most beautiful aspects of myself as flaws but I'm one of those people who are very naturally transparent. I couldn't pretend to not be me if I wanted to. So I put those flaws, my insecurities, my problems, my tears, my sailor tongue, and my “thicker than all my other cast-mates” body, out there and got SO much love back…that really made me look at myself. I didn’t have to wear a mask, I didn’t have to be perfect, I didn’t have to have all the answers. I’m okay just as I am. I’ll stop and pray with/for you if you need me, I’m always being silly, cracking jokes and I might curse you out if you try me. That is who I am and I’ve learned to be comfortable in my skin regardless.

What inspired you to become a trained dancer?

I like to describe myself as a creative being, always thriving in the arts. My parents put me in Ballet when I was two years old and by the time I turned eighteen, I was also trained in Jazz, Modern, Hip-Hop and Lyrical dance. Drama was a huge part of my adolescent years and carried on into my adult life…always finding classes in the area to keep my acting skills sharp. My infatuation with music, I feel, has been there since I was in the womb. I listen to old-school music in my house ALL day. It feeds my soul! My passion though, my passion comes out through my fingertips! I am a writer. I was inspired by my Creative Writing professor my senior year in college. I’d planned to attend Law School but he saw my talent and pushed me until I saw it too.

You recently launched your blog and podcast, Dear Darnell, what do you hope to accomplish with this platform?

With my blog and podcast, I’m really looking to reach as many girls as I possibly can. When the first season of WAGS Miami aired last year, I was able to respond to every tweet, comment and direct message. I was giving girls from all over the world and different walks of life the same advice for nearly identical issues dealing with heartbreak. As time passed and I got busier and the messages began multiplying, I decided to create DearDarnell.com hoping my blogs could shed some light or give some hope to those I couldn’t reach personally.

You are so honest on social media—what is your most memorable interaction you’ve had with a follower?

I’m very aware of the facade that social media paints. You capture one second of a 24-hour period, post it, and your life looks perfect to the outside world. Just the other day a young girl commented under my picture saying something like she wanted to kill herself because she was not as perfect as me. Perfect?! I told her that she was beautiful just as she was and that she had to stop focusing on the outer stuff because it’s meaningless and fades. I didn’t always feel beautiful and when I was pregnant I gained 50 pounds that stuck to me like tar. For me, being secure in my beauty came with age and as for my body, it took dedication and some serious willpower to get it where it is today. Do you know how hard it is for me not to raid my daughter’s snacks?!

What are the hair products you swear by?

When it comes to hair, I’m a fanatic of the natural stuff. I love to put African Shea Butter on my scalp and Moroccan Argan Oil on my ends. Right now, I’m seriously obsessed with Miss Jessie’s hair products and have actually reached out to their company a couple of times. So y'all go on social media and tell them to stop playing and hit me up! Lol!

If someone is visiting Miami for the first time—what 3 spots do they have to check out?

When you come to Miami, Prime 112 is an absolute must! The food is impeccable and you’re guaranteed to see some people worth seeing. I’m not really a club person so I can’t help you there but I do love going to Ocean’s Ten to grab a drink, smoke some hookah and people-watch. Lastly, you have to hit Haulover Beach, which is clothing optional. Lol it’s definitely an experience!

You've lived all over the country—where is your favorite city you’ve lived?

So I’ve lived in five different cities but my favorite, hands down, is New York City. I moved there when I was twenty-four years old, chasing my dreams. Moving there felt like falling in love. The best years of my life! I didn’t excel career-wise but I grew so much personally. That city taught me a lot and I still run back every chance I get!

If you could give advice to women who are learning to love themselves, what would it be?

I would tell them not to love themselves based off how much they feel loved by the people around them. You have to sit with you, spend quality time with you and build a relationship with YOU. Make a list of the most beautiful qualities you posses. Are you kind to strangers, are you always giving your last, do you make a habit of encouraging those around you, do you give your all in everything that you do, are you constantly pushing positivity out into the universe? Ignore what the world says about you and focus on what you have to contribute. Put the list where you will see it everyday until it’s embedded in your subconscious. You have to fall in love with who you are internally before anything else and the first step is changing your thinking, changing how you view you.

What is the story behind your “Just Breathe” collection?

Last year I went through a very hard break-up and in the process of trying to pick up the pieces of my life, I had to re-live it while watching it on television with the rest of the world. That sank me into the darkest hole and I saw no way out. I wanted to give up. “Just Breathe” was created to encourage people to never stop trying to claw their way out of that hole and to understand that as long as you are still able to draw breath, ANY situation can turn around.

To you, what does it mean to be a good American girl?

For me, being a Good American girl is joining a movement that sees the beauty in diversity and promotes the acceptance of it. Not praising a body type, a skin color, a hair length, or a social status but celebrating being a woman, just as you are.

DARNELL'S ON-SET Q&A