PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys chose an iconic Jamaica tourism poster cover to recreate for her empowering photo shoot. It is the most recognizable tourism campaign Jamaica has ever had, and the original model, Sintra Arunte Bronte, was thrilled Keys chose her photo to replicate.
"I feel honored that she chose me as the person she would like to represent," Arunte Bronte said. "It has been an amazing ride the last two weeks with all the publicity."
Arunte Bronte, now in her 60s, said she was just 27 years old when, while sitting in the lobby of a Jamaica hotel, a photographer snapped a photo of her. He then asked her to please shoot with him for the tourism campaign. She agreed, and the rest is history.
The Trinidadian was on vacation at the time. She hopes when people look at the poster that they see a proud Caribbean woman.
"I know many Jamaicans were upset that it had to be a Trinidadian woman, but I still think I am a Caribbean woman representing the Caribbean," Arunte Bronte said.
After the poster campaign, Arunte Bronte said, many people approached her about modeling and even acting. She did a few things, but said it was not for her. Urged by her mother to start her own business, Arunte Bronte ran a successful airline charter company for more than three decades.
Jennifer Lopez was one of the many members of the music and modeling worlds that came together Sunday, May 17, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for the 2015 Billboard Music Awards.
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