Mayra Dias Gomes Our Rock ‘n Roll Muse
with FHM Canada January 2024 cover star Mayra Dias / @mayradiasgomes
Photographer Freiddo Efeit / @frxxddo
Assistant Louise Carmichael / @louisecarmichael
Makeup Hamest Margaryan / @makeup_byhamest
Hair Armine Sargsyan / @hairbyarminn
Location Vibrancy Lab / @vibrancylab
Congratulations on your second FHM cover! You’re gracing the cover as FHM’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Muse. How does it feel to be recognized for your connection to the world of music and the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle? It feels very cool! Thank you for the honor! Growing up immersed in rock ‘n’ roll culture, I felt a profound connection to its creativity and rebelliousness from a very young age. I felt different from other kids at school. My childhood in Brazil was filled with dancing, singing, and concert experiences. After my father’s passing when I was 11 years old, my rebellious spirit intensified. Leveraging my mom’s connections as a TV actress, I was often backstage at concerts. My first backstage experience was with The Offspring at age 11. During Rock in Rio, I stayed at the same hotel as the artists and had surreal experiences that inspired me to want to work in the music industry. I remember being at the pool having lunch with Papa Roach and then swimming with Iron Maiden while the Foo Fighters and Britney Spears tanned. I grew up idolizing rock stars and was determined to meet all my rock idols. My first kiss was with a rockstar, and as a troubled teenager, I immersed myself in the local underground scene, while battling depression and substance abuse. I documented all of this in a book I wrote at age 16 and became a teenage bestselling author. By the time I was 19, I transitioned into music writing, contributing to major Brazilian newspapers and eventually writing for the most prestigious music outlets in the world. I worked for Rolling Stone, VH1, Spin, MTV! When I was 21, I moved to Hollywood.
How has your personal style been influenced by the rebellious spirit of rock ‘n’ roll, and how do you incorporate it into your fashion choices? My style is both edgy and glamorous. I’ve always drawn inspiration from punk, glam, heavy metal, and pop artists. I’ve also always loved tattoos and got my first one when I was just 14 years old. Bad idea, by the way. It took me years to fix it.
Your career spans modeling, writing, and also public speaking and television hosting. How do you find the time to do a bit of everything? Being three years sober has played a very significant role in that. I used to spend a lot of time dealing with emotional issues and getting over a hangover. Since I quit drinking, I experienced a long list of positive changes including emotional balance, heightened focus and creativity, and a lot of determination to be the best version of myself. I am very career-focused.
You’ve mentioned you grew up in the music scene and started going backstage at concerts since you were really young. Have any musicians ever brought you on stage? Yes, actually! I had an amazing experience at Fremont Street in Las Vegas sitting on stage with Steven Adler, the drummer of Guns n Roses, during a performance.
You’ve also been in music videos of bands such as The Smashing Pumpkins. If you could choose any band to collaborate in a music video with, who would that be? Yes, I have! Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins is my boss and somewhat mentor, as he discovered me and gave me my first job in the professional wrestling industry. He is the owner of the National Wrestling Alliance, where I work hosting backstage interviews with the wrestlers for the past four years. I was in two Smashing Pumpkins music videos! If I could be in a music video with a band, I would probably pick Papa Roach. They are still one of my favorite bands to this day, and I’ve done background in one of their videos when I was younger.
Did you have any rock’n’roll romances? Oh, definitely. I’ve had a few. I was actually married for almost ten years to Canadian musician Coyote Shivers, who you may know from the classic 90s movie Empire Records. We are still best friends and I used the guitar he played in the movie with Renee Zelwegger on my FHM Canada cover shoot.
Can you share any pre-show ritual you have before stepping in front of the camera or onto the stage to host? I don’t have any rituals besides making sure I’ve done my research and learned my lines. I am very comfortable in front of the cameras, but going on stage makes me really nervous. One of the reasons I didn’t pursue a singing career is I used to have terrible stage fright. Nowadays I know that the fear builds up before going through the curtains, but then disappears once you’re in front of the audience connecting to them.
Since last year, your modeling career has really taken off to a new level. Do you plan to continue modeling? Absolutely! I love modeling and expressing myself through photos and different styles. I’m passionate about producing and styling my own shoots. I’m really grateful to be working as a model. Since last year, I’ve been on 6 magazine covers.
Looking ahead, what’s your vision for the future as FHM’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Muse? How do you plan to continue merging your passion for music and your dynamic career? I am so excited to share that I’ll be featured on a new music show on AXS TV premiering in April. I am thrilled to be a part of the team of commentators! I can’t wait for you guys to watch it! It’s a really fun show.
