[xxOceanEyesxx]

interview from february.

Sarah Ruba

February 14, 2006






You know that feeling you get when you discover a band before anyone else? "I know something you don't... but you will soon." And as much as you want the rest of the world to share your view, you also crave the recognition that you got there first. So you won't shut up about it.

That's been me since I first spied Sarah Ruba last year.

When Next Canada first sent me Ruba's images I went into a mad rush to get them online as quickly as possible. Determined to be first because I was damn sure the rest of the world was going to take to this girl as well.

I had her online on April 15th. Within two weeks Models.com was also onboard, and shortly thereafter TeenVogue.com was there too.

The early shots (that's them on the right) told me almost everything I needed to know about this girl. The face says "stare at me" while the expression dares you to look away. This girl is very comfortable in front of a camera. This girl is a (and I don't use the word lightly) natural.

In her first six weeks Ruba shot British Marie Claire, British Glamour (10 page story), US Glamour, Z!NK, Lucky, Elle Girl, Nylon, WWD (twice), and 10.

Despite her immediate success however, Ruba has remained focused on her bands, Birdseyeingit (link conveniently provided in case you want to jump on that bandwagon early) and Little Clever.

Recently I sat down with Ruba to get her take on this whole mixed up industry she was lured into less than a year ago.

Right, and you heard it here first.


Modelresource (MR): A year ago did you think you would be modelling?

Sarah Ruba (SR): No... not at all.

MR: What were your impressions of modelling before you got into it?

SR: I knew nothing about it. I never thought about doing it.

MR: Did you judge it, though? Because of the stereotypes?

SR: I thought they were all freaks. All crazy, six-foot tall, rack-of-bones, runway models. I still think they're freaks. They're beautiful, but freaks. I'm not one of them. But I never thought I would meet any of them, or see any of them in person. I never even paid attention to it. I watched Fashion File because I liked the clothes but I knew nothing about it... never thought about it.


Sarah RubaWhen [Next Canada scout Corey Mann] scouted me I was like "what about this mole on my face?" and he was like "what are you talking about? No one cares." I was really surprised by how not perfect models are.

MR: What were you doing before you were scouted?

SR: I had worked in my dad's factory the summer before for six months and saved up a bunch of money so I could move [to Toronto] and not work for a while. I started doing back-up singing and making a little bit of money. Then my parents cut me off. Then I started modelling, so it all worked out perfectly.

MR: What was your first modelling job?

SR: My first little go-see was for fit modelling. And it was like "$75 an hour... wicked!" I was so excited. That was when I first realized what I was getting into, because obviously they treated me like a mannequin. I was like "oh, what is this?"

MR: Things happened pretty quickly after that though...

SR: I went to England to see a friend, and met with the agency there, and then through that I got all kinds of interest. They told me New York wanted to meet with me and stuff like that. So when I got back from England I went to New York, then I did all those crazy editorials.

MR: How was it shooting with Bruce Weber (for Abercrombie & Fitch)?


Sarah RubaI knew he made the Chet Baker film, and I luuuhhhve Chet Baker. So I was like "oooo... Bruce Weber!" Everyone was like "You're shooting with Bruce Weber!" So I was like "Okay, so be nervous... check..."

I go there and everyone was freaking out. His crew - he has like 30 people around him at all times - and everyone was nervous. He didn't want to wait for anything, so they're all standing behind him saying "What did he say? What are we going to do? Oh my God." They kind of pushed us around and it was a really sad vibe on set actually.

It's not his fault. Once I got in front of the camera it was totally different. You just kind of get into it. He's super serious and really sweet, and directs the models well... but it was really nerve-wracking.

MR: What has modelling taught you about yourself?

SR: That I'm capable of doing a lot more than I thought I could.

MR: How so?

SR: Through the acting thing. I guess I'm just more talented than I thought I was in many ways. I would never have thought I could do any acting kinds of things, but modelling showed me that I can actually take on different characters and emotions and work them.


Sarah RubaMR: You strike me as a very confident person. You strike me as someone that would take on any challenge thinking you could do it.

SR: Mmm hmmm.

MR: Do you find people judge you? Expect you to be arrogant, superficial, anorexic?

SR: No. People make jokes about it.

It only has a negative effect on me when I say I'm a singer. Because people are like "Oh, a model that sings? Blah..." Every model thinks they can sing, and whenever I'm on a job somewhere, if the client doesn't know me at all they ask what I do. I say "I'm a singer," and they just say "that's nice."

But I don't let it bother me because I know what I'm doing is wicked.

MR: When I saw your band, Birdseyeingit, I was amazed by how tight you were, especially when the jazz elements kicked in.

SR: As much as we try, we just cannot not be jazz. We just can't. We can't not be a jazz band. Me and Thom, the guitarist, and our bass player Justin. We just all get together and feed off each other so well we can't not improvise.


Sarah RubaMR: Now you're mixing your own CD.

SR: I'm still learning. Luckily my boyfriend is really good and he's showing me how to use ProTools - the software for it.

MR: Is your boyfriend also part of Little Clever?

SR: Yeah, he's the other part of it. Me, him and two other guys. The Little Clever thing is developing slowly. We just got the studio done. It's all really relaxed because all I have is time.

MR: Between modelling and two bands you have free time?

I have a lot of free time. Modelling allows for a lot of free time.

And we're not like regular bands. Because we're jazz musicians we don't rehearse all the time. We never rehearse.

MR: Do you enjoy playing clubs?

SR: I like people's reactions, because they never know what we're going to do.

MR: Do you know what you're going to do?

Oh yeah, we always have a loose idea and we always pull something off. I like surprising everybody with my voice, because it's a lot bigger than people expect. I can do a lot.

But yeah, I like surprising everybody. Well, that's the best part of after we play, but when we play, it's spiritual and I shake and freak out.

MR: Are you happy with the way things are working out?

SR: Right now things are perfect. I go back and forth between here and New York. I just started doing commercials here, and I'm doing jingles - I did the new milk ad... that's my pop voice, don't get confused.

MR: You're not going to do the whole Milla Jovovich, "acting, singing, modelling" thing?

SR: I love Milla Jovovich. You know, if it works out that way, wicked. Because I would love to act. But music is it.