Beyoncé’s ‘Freakum Dress’ Music Video Features This ‘America’s Next Top Model’ Alum
If you’ve been a member of the Beyhive for a while now, then you probably know that Beyoncé often hires female talent to work alongside her for various projects. Since she’s big on female empowerment, Bey looks to shine a bright light on as many women as possible and make them feel seen in a world that fails to acknowledge them.
The singer does this by featuring women of all different shapes, sizes, and colors in her music videos. Some of whom you might even remember seeing on the hit modeling competition series, America’s Next Top Model.
Beyoncé brought in an ‘ANTM’ Cycle 1 contestant for the video
“Freakum Dress” many not be the most popular song off of Beyoncé’s B’Day album, but it is a fun track to listen to whenever you’re in need of a little confidence boost.
In the song, Bey advises women who have partners with straying eyes to put on alluring dresses to gain the attention of other guys to make their beau’s jealous. Though many music critics complimented Beyoncé’s vocals and the assertiveness with which she delivers the lyrics, the message isn’t the only reason fans couldn’t and still can’t get enough of this catchy song.
When Beyoncé released the music video for “Freakum Dress” in 2006, fans were instantly enthralled by the 1980s retro set, the beautiful metallic dresses, as well as the women of different ages, races, and sizes dancing alongside her.
Though everyone who appeared in the video was considered a star in their own right, one of the dancers had actually become a cultural phenomenon long before working for Queen Bey.
The video featured model Ebony Haith, whose name might sound familiar to those who spent much of the early 2000s watching America’s Next Top Model.
Haith was a contestant on Cycle 1 of the hit modeling series. Though she only placed 7th in the competition overall, Haith’s over-the-top reactions and expressions on the show have made her one of the most memorable ANTM contestants to date.
In fact, Haith had arguably the best “LOL JK” reaction ever when she started to fake cry then quickly put on a confident face after being called to the final cast of Cycle 1. The expression was such a history-making moment that it’s frequently used as a gif in internet culture.
Beyoncé’s worked with other ‘ANTM’ alums in the past
Over the years, Beyoncé has chosen many women to shine a light on in her music videos, but only two ANTM alums have had the pleasure of working alongside the iconic singer.
In addition to Haith, model Winnie Harlow has also been featured in a Beyoncé music video.
The Canadian beauty competed on Cycle 21 of the modeling competition series. Although she didn’t win, the model’s career took off after she made a cameo in Bey’s visual album, “Lemonade,” back in 2014.
Harlow shot the visual album alongside Mrs. Carter and an empowering squad of black women that included singer Zendaya, actress Amandla Stenberg, French-Cuban musical duo Ibeyi, Sybrina Fulton and many more.
Despite only getting two-days’ notice to fly out to the music video’s location, the model didn’t mind making the trip because she ended up leaving with more than just another job to put down on her resume.
“I actually spoke to B and Miss Tina [Knowles] one-on-one when we wrapped. I wanted to thank her for acknowledging me as a strong black woman and uplifting and continuing to empower us all,” Harlow told W Magazine in 2016. “That made her so happy. She said that’s exactly what she wanted to do and feels even more responsible now that she has Blue. I’m so happy to be a part of her iconic story now.”
