For our very first in person interview, we got a chance to sit down with multitalented creative, Monique Avant aka Fronique! Get to know Fronique, her ambitions and goals, the story behind “nailstyling”, and the pains and joys or embellishing hair with nails.
Are you originally from Beaumont?
No, I was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. I moved to Beaumont when I was like eight. But I always say I am from Texas, though, because I grew up there. I don’t really have any family in Virginia, so… Texas.
Do you consider yourself alternative1?
I guess it depends on how you define it. If you’re using it as an adjective, then yeah, I guess it’s an alternative way of styling or dressing, but as a noun, I don’t think so. I think it’s… I just don’t think there’s a word to describe it. I mean, I guess, yeah. By definition,… the adjective. Then, yeah.
Yeah. Did that affect how you grew up?
I actually wasn’t alternative until I met Teezo! So yeah, I used to be the Jordan, the polo t-shirt gal, and then, yeah. He was like, “You know, I can style you.” And I was like (shrugs) And then I kind of took it and made it my style, so.
How long have you been a hair stylist?
Almost five years now. I wasn’t a hairstylist until I met Teezo, and he was like, “I want you to do my hair.” I was like, “Are you sure?” He goes, ” I don’t know what I’m doing.” And then, I don’t know, I always say he- he saw who I am today, four years ago. He saw something in me, and I guess he was right. So, I’ve been a stylist for almost five years now.
I actually was going to ask that as another question. What was going through your head when he came to you and was like, “I want to put nails in my braids.”?
Well, it’s kind of a crazy story. We’ve been friends since the end of 2019 and for the Strong Friend videos, where he first does the nails, right? And my dad met him for the first time, and because he has like different flowers and painted nails and everything. So my dad met him. He has big, baggy pants with nails in his hair. I was like, “Oh my god, he’s gonna think I pick bad friends!” But so- he put those nails in for the first time. That was him. And so he came to me one day and was like, “I’m going to braid my hair back and put nails in.” And I was like, “OK, so do it.”
Like it wasn’t really like a shocker or anything. I was just like, you want to do it. I always tell him I think you should be able to do whatever you want to do. I tell everybody that. So I’m going to do it. And then Strong Friends came out and I was like, oh okay. You did it. So, yeah.
Is that your motto for life? Do whatever you want to do?
Do what you want to do. Do anything! You know? It depends on what you want to do. You know?
You’re a hairstylist, you model, crochet, and you design clothes. Would you call yourself more of an artist than a hairstylist?
Yeah, I’d say I’m an artist. I think art, I don’t think it’s really a…, you know, what is art? I think art is whatever you do. I feel like, … I just took a picture of my clothes and if you put it on a wall, it’d be art, so. I wouldn’t consider myself an artist. Like, I don’t consider Teezo a rapper. He’s also an artist. So, yeah.
I’m sure crocheting, sewing, braiding, and wrapping hair around the nails can be hard on your hands. Are you taking any precautions to protect your hands?
My doctor told me too, but… No, I have- I have real bad carpal tunnel. Like I have this knot in my wrist because I crochet so much and I’m doing the nails. Uh… I- I have exercises, like little stretching things that I’m supposed to do. I do it when it’s too late. Like when the carpal tunnel is set in, then I’m like okay, then I sleep with like a wrist brace and everything. But, so yeah, if you’re crocheting and stuff, don’t, DON’T be like me. Don’t look at me. Do the stretching before and after you do anything that’s like a repetitive motion.
Now, your natural afro, as we know, is big, is big. Can you let us in on your hair routine? Or give us any tips for healthy hair, or how to get ours as big?
My hair routine… There’s something out there called like the LCO method, but I hate saying “loc” because it’s flipped. It’s actually, L-C-O, because it’s liquid, put in your liquid, spray first, and then you condition, and then you seal it with oil. I wash my hair maybe every two weeks. I don’t wet my hair every day because I’ve learned that when you wet your hair it becomes more elastic and it’s drying and it’s wetting and it’s drying until it causes a lot of breakage. If you wash your hair too much, it’s too much moisture and too much protein gets in it. Your hair doesn’t have time to make its own natural oil.
So, yeah, the routine is just basically, maybe once a week I do the LCO method and then every two weeks, I wash it. Ends trimmed every six months. And I don’t trim my hair straight! I usually flat iron my hair before I get it trimmed, but like in a bowl shape, not necessarily a bowl cut because I’ll wear it in an afro anyway. So yeah!
What would you say your signature hairstyle is? The Afro?
Yeah!
Are you still going to sell your crochet hats?
Yeah, so I have so many orders that I’m supposed to be doing right now, so- I’m sorry! But tour is so hectic and you know I like to sit down and actually have time and then I get into these little creative blocks and you know I have to put it away for a minute and I don’t have time to do that. But yeah, I’m still selling them. I’m taking orders now but I’ll probably get back into it after to a little bit.
How can we order a hat?
Actually, right now I’m doing the DM thing, which I don’t like, it’s so unprofessional, but I’m making a website right now. By the end of the year, you’re going to be able go on there, but for now, I’m doing the, “What color do you want?” Yeah.
Do you see yourself always being a hairstylist?
No.
Are there any other career paths you want to pursue?
Yeah, I want to do everything. I don’t feel like you have to pick one thing and just do that for the rest of your life or everything else as a hobby. I think I could have everything I want as a career, you know. I go to school full time, I make clothes, I style, I dabble in modeling like, you know, I feel like all of that could be main focus for me, I don’t have to pick. Anyways, I don’t need like this particularly, even if you’re in the business world, you don’t have to just be an accountant. You can be an accountant and a professional biker, you know? I don’t really like to narrow it down like that. Career is such a new word in the grand scheme of things, so… My dad doesn’t like it, but… (shrugs)
What are you thinking is the next new thing for you?
Whatever I come across that I don’t know how to do yet. I took up the crocheting just because I didn’t know how to do it and I don’t like it when I don’t know how to do things. I make it a point to learn it and then I actually get interested in it. So, the next thing I come across that’s like, oh that’s interesting. I don’t know how to do it though. And I’m frustrated to the point where I do it and master it. I don’t know what it is yet.
If you had to choose protective styles or natural hair?
I would, – With no consequences? I would pick natural hair all day. If I could just have natural hair 24/7, yeah, but like, I have a wig on now because we’re on the tour bus and it’s a hassle having to like, comb out your hair and do it in the morning and in between I’m doing hair and you know. So, I would pick natural hair if it was just that simple but even not on the tour, I still put braids in and I just don’t feel like doing it every day. But yeah, natural hair.
Do you have any tips for anyone wanting to dye their natural hair?
I think the tip would be know your hair. I’ve been using box dye since I was like 16 and then I got it professionally dyed. I was like, “Hmm look, I think I deserve this,” and then fried my hair. I ended up getting it back healthy but it really like fried my hair and I was like, bro, I’ve been using a box for 10- 8 years now and I go get it done professionally and you messed it up! That’s crazy!
So, I know a lot of professional stylists are against box dye. I’m on board! It already comes with like the toner and everything. You can see the box and see what color you want. And it comes with a conditioner too, so it’s like, I never had an issue with it. Tips, if it doesn’t come out right the first time, don’t bleach it again! Don’t dye again the same day. Wait like two weeks so that the hair can restore itself. Find references. The filters on Instagram and TikTok actually like, if you’re thinking about changing to a color, see how it looks. The power of technology! So, yeah!
How tired are you of the, “How do you sleep in the nails?”, question? You guys get it like every interview.
I don’t know if it’s tiring yet because we kind of took it and you know, it’s part of the album and now it’s part of the tour. So, like now when I hear it, it’s synonymous with happiness and traveling. So, I was getting tired of it. I would just tell people, try it yourself if you wanna know so bad. But I’m not over it yet. I think I got a couple more months in me.
How often do you need to restyle Teezo?
Now? Every day. Because he’s dabbling with wigs now and he’s sweating on stage every day. I have to redo it every day. And he’s so, his creativity is so like fleeting, he can change his mind tomorrow and want a whole new style.
I was going to ask that as well, are you guys using wigs more now?
Yeah, because it’s more, I would rather do- Like, if he is changing his mind, yeah, I would rather do it with wigs than with his real hair. His real hair is super healthy and I don’t wanna… Yeah.
Do you know what style you guys are thinking of doing next with the nails?
With the nails? I don’t know. We never know what’s going to be the next thing for us until we’re like in it, and we’re like, hmm, let’s try this, and then it just ends up working. But I want to do Bantu knots like how I had in the video, but he doesn’t want to. He thinks he doesn’t the head shape for it.
I believe I heard that you guys go through a few boxes of nails a tour. Do you reuse the nails, or you have to change them out every time?
Yeah, we try to recycle. We’re very conservative people, so we try to recycle them. You know, I hate having to like, find a Home Depot and having to go when we had them yesterday, so. Yeah, we recycle only until they get rusty and we have to throw them away.
I was going to ask that. Do you have to worry about them rusting?
Yeah, especially being in like more humid places, like today it’s raining. If he had nails it, I would have to take them out if he got caught in the rain. But what helps with that is if I just dry them right after so that it doesn’t oxidize and rust. So, yeah.
At this point, it would probably be beneficial to sign up for a rewards account!
But, like, you don’t get anything. Like, the Home Depot, they don’t ever, like—
You don’t get a discount or anything?
No! It’s just like, like just points. Unless I’m tripping. I don’t know. But this is something that I asked. I was like, what’s the reward? ” Oh, you get points.” …Okay… All right, cool. So, yeah, I mean, maybe I’ll do it for fun just to see how many,- I should sign up just to track how many nails we’re going through.
Maybe you’ll get a few free boxes of nails!
I hope so, I hope so!
Have you thought about working with any other artists or clients?
Styling? Yeah, I’ve worked with Telfar, putting nails in their hair. I would want to style Rico Nasty and Doja Cat.
And who is your dream collaboration? Other than those two.
SZA. I would love to like, if she ever changed her hairstyle one day, that would be sick!
Any advice for anyone thinking of trying out the nails in their hair or warnings?
People think they’re dangerous, but literally, I’ve never poked myself. He’s never poked himself. I guess. I don’t know, just do it. I don’t know. I’m like, don’t be scared. Yeah, don’t be scared.
Are there any cons to it? Anything that gives you a hard time?
Yeah, I guess the cons is the time. Some styles take- one style, the mullet, takes me 18 hours to do. So, it takes a lot of time, and we don’t have a lot of time. Like his career is moving so fast. So… another con is when he really loves his hairstyle and he doesn’t want to take the nails out, but I’m like, bro, I’m need to wash your hair, condition it. I can’t moisturize with nails in, because of the rust. His hair is dry under there, for how ever long he wants to keep his hair in. So, the con is getting him to get out of the nails. He loves him so much!
Last question! So, I’ve seen your wash day video where you ask, “What are you washing away today?”, and I’ve seen in an interview that you had Teezo wash his hair before he did a meeting with Drake. Do you believe there’s connection with hair care and spirituality or cleanliness and spirituality?
I think… I think… I’m not… I’ve never thought about it. I do know. I don’t know if it’s actually washing the hair, or if it’s just speaking those things. Because I’m sure it could be anything. I could be folding clothes each day, you know, I’m letting go. But he believes, like if I’m in a bad mood, I’m not going to wash his hair. I’m not going to do his hair. You know, because the energy- It’ll transfer. So sometimes, sometimes I do think about it, but I don’t know. I think, it can apply to anything. I don’t think it’s necessarily hair.
It’s all about what you put out!
Yeah!