Masha Kunynets is half Russian and half Ukrainian. She grew up in Rome, Italy, before moving to Milan and London, to pursue her degree in TV broadcast journalism. She described her background, “It’s hard to distinguish one nationality in me. I’d say I have Russian looks, Ukrainian feature with Italian touch.”
Her birthdate is January 1st. Masha was humorous, “It is a special date, and I like to believe that everyone is not only celebrating a New Year but also celebrating me. Every year, I make it a point to celebrate my birthday in a new destination around the globe.”
Modelling gave Masha Kunynets various travel opportunities
After completing her degree, Masha was scouted by a modelling agency in Bangkok, which led to her globetrotting as a model. She worked in various fashion hubs such as Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, Paris, and Mexico City. Masha reflects on her modelling journey, “My first modelling contract was in Bangkok, and it was a very different world from what I was used to. Although it was mentally challenging at first, I eventually enjoyed exploring the city and its surrounding islands like Koh Larn and Phuket.”
Despite her vast modelling experience in different cities, Singapore holds a special place in Masha’s heart. She cherishes many fond memories from the city and is still in love with it, as she recounts, “I was literally in tears when my contract ended.”
Moving to Tokyo after living in Bangkok, Singapore, and Hong Kong offered a completely different experience of Asia for Masha. She remarked, “The people, culture, and even the food were very different, but at the same time, very exciting.”
Masha possesses a gift for languages and takes pride in her multilingualism and ability to learn new languages quickly. “I love languages,” she explains. “Thanks to my travels, I’ve had opportunities to learn English, German, Spanish, French, besides my three mother tongues – Russian, Ukrainian, and Italian.”
In 2019, Masha traveled to Saint Martin, a Caribbean island, for a music festival. Due to the pandemic, she ended up staying for three months, making her lockdown experience an adventure in itself.
“There will be haters, non-believers and then there will be you proving them wrong!” – Masha Kunyanets
Life in her so-called “Tropic Pause”
Following the incident, she moved to live on the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean. Masha considers this place to be very special, and she described her days as starting with waking up to irresistible turquoise waters and almost daily sunshine, which fills her with nothing but gratitude and happiness. She spent her time there with friends, who made the experience one of the best times of her life.
Masha Kunyanets has always had an artistic soul. “As a kid, I attended dancing and acting classes at school and was also passionate about house music” she recalls.
During her quarantine in Saint Martin, she was surrounded by DJs, and “it happened naturally for me to learn the technical part of DJing.”
Can a girl make an excellent DJ? Absolutely, says Masha. “There’s no difference if you’re a guy or a girl. Of course, our appearance plays an important role. But more importantly, we must have a genuine passion for music and a strong understanding of the crowd. With hard work and real talent, I strongly believe that anyone can conquer their audience!”
Model: Masha Kunynets @missmashafromrussia.
Production: Multi-Publications@multi_publications.
Photographers: Watson Morency, Marcelo Gonzalez.
Assistant: Win Dieujuste.
M.U.A./Hair: Amy Schumer.
Locations: Taylor Bay Turks and Caicos Islands.
Locations: Shore Club Hotel Turks and Caicos.
Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam
