Cambridge woman looking to land on cover of Inked Magazine

When she answered an ad on Instagram, Cambridge's Kristie Taylor did not expect to make it this far in the 2022 Inked Magazine Cover Girl Contest.

Now, in second place, in her group of 34 other contestants, Taylor must remain in the top five in voting to advance to the next round for a chance to appear on the cover of Inked magazine and win a grand prize of $25,000.

“This is totally new to me. It's amazing! I'm still holding on to second place,” Taylor said.

It all began when Taylor saw the ad announcing the search was on for the next up-and-coming Inked Cover Girl.

“My boyfriend said I would be great. So, I went for it,” Taylor said.

“I entered the contest on Nov. 25. I thought, well what's the worst they do, say no?”

On Dec. 14, Taylor received the big news.

“I was having an off day. And then I got the e-mail saying that the Ink team has accepted my application and that they are excited to have me take part. So, I began my profile,” Taylor said.

Inked is a tattoo lifestyle magazine that covers music, fashion, art, sports, and the rest of the lifestyle of the tattooed.

“I have five tattoos. The one on my leg, a tiger, is stunning. It took five sittings in Toronto where the artist is based. I hope to add more to complete it, and fill my entire leg,” Taylor said.

“I was 17 when I got my first tattoo. I do plan on getting more. Even though I'm 29-years-old, my dad still shakes his head when I get a new tattoo.”

Taylor was born and raised in Hespeler where she attended Galt Collegiate Institute.

“I then went to school for radio broadcasting,” she said.

Taylor worked for a number of local radio stations including CHYM 96.7 and CityNews 570 (then known as 570 News).

Today, she works for a local family-owned glass manufacturing company

“It's nice and close to home, and there are great opportunities to move around. There’s a real personal feeling working there,” Taylor said.

It was one of Taylor's co-workers who first mentioned the Inked Magazine Cover Girl Contest last year.  

“My co-workers thought I should enter. But when I heard about it, it was too late. There were already girls competing and getting votes. So, I thought, well, maybe next year,” Taylor said.

“But after my co-worker mentioned it to me, I looked into the magazine. I love reading about tattoo artists and the music.”

Inked magazine has featured some of the most well-known names in music, entertainment, and alternative culture.

Because the tattoo industry is so closely integrated with the music community, Inked Cover Girl will donate a portion of the proceeds from the competition to MusiCares, a non-profit organization that supports music industry professionals struggling with addiction and health issues, or who require emergency assistance.

The next Inked Cover Girl model will win an all-expense paid trip to join celebrity photographer Christopher Kolk and his style team for an exclusive cover shoot.

“This is really outside of my comfort zone. I've always been behind the camera,” Taylor said.

When Taylor was 12-years-old she suffered a stroke. For years, she had to shift her focus on healing.

“I went through a lot. I had to take a step back. I couldn’t play the sports I used to play. So, I had to find different interests and hobbies,” Taylor said.

“But getting tattoos, it really gave me the confidence to step back into the public eye.”

The tiger on her leg is much more than just a tattoo.

“The reason I chose the tiger is because I have had to fight to get where I am today and I believe that the tiger was the perfect animal for strength, courage and power,” Taylor said in her Inked profile.

“If I win the contest, I really want to give back. I'm such an animal lover. I would like to donate to the Cambridge Humane Society.”

Taylor would also like to support KidsAbility, an organization that helped her in her journey to recovery.  

“Then I would take my family and friends out for dinner just to say thank you for pushing me into this competition and forcing me outside my comfort zone. And I would put the rest in my savings to buy myself a house,” Taylor said.

One of thousands competing from around the world, Taylor is thrilled to be holding on to second place in her group of contestants.

The Inked Cover Girl Contest runs from Jan. 18 to March 17.

“The finals begin March 11 and on March 17, the grand prize winner will be announced,” Taylor said.

“It's exciting. And everyone's rooting for me.”

To vote for Kristie Taylor as the next Inked Cover Girl, visit here.