Naomi Osaka, Leyna Bloom and Megan Thee Stallion showed off their body-ody-ody's on the recent covers of Sports Illustrated, all while making history in the process.
The Houston native became the first rapper to grace the cover of the prominent magazine, which she said was a “dream come true.”
“REAL SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT EDITION COVER MODEL SHIT!!! ????????Thee first female rapper on the cover of @si_swimsuit ???????? I want to thank all the strong women in my life who inspired me to love my body and live my best hot girl life. It means the world to me to be on this cover DREAM COME TRUE!! ???? #SISwim21,” Megan wrote in an Instagram post.
"When I got the call that they wanted me on the cover, I was like, 'Wha—? Me?' And to be the first female rapper on the swim cover makes it extra special," the 26-year-old told People. "It feels amazing!"
She also shared that the entire experience was "magical," due in part to undergoing rigorous training leading up to the shoot.
"I had been training for months and I was super prepared. I got into the shoot right away. [Photographer] James [Macari] said he usually doesn't get into the water until the fourth or fifth set-up, but we were both in the ocean from the start," Megan recalled. "The day was perfect and I had a blast."
Previously, Beyoncé modeled for Sports Illustrated back in 2007, making her and Megan the only musicians to grace the cover of their swimsuit issue.
Osaka became the first Japanese and Haitian person and the first Black woman athlete to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.
First Haitian and Japanese woman on the cover ????????????????❤️ pic.twitter.com/SLcKNSrSkH
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) July 19, 2021
"There’s no question that Naomi is one of the best athletes in the world, and a cover spot felt obvious," SI Swimsuit editor-in-chief MJ Day said in a statement, USA Today reported. "She’s spent her formative years racking up titles and is headed to the Olympics. But we celebrate Naomi for her passion, strength and power geared towards consistently breaking barriers when it comes to equality, social justice and mental health."
Bloom, the first transgender person on the magazine's cover, said that being in Sport's Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue is a "powerful" moment that is long overdue.
"This moment heals a lot of pain in the world. We deserve this moment; we have waited millions of years to show up as survivors and be seen as full humans filled with wonder," Bloom wrote in an Instagram post.
"I have dreamt a million beautiful dreams, but for girls like me, most dreams are just fanciful hopes in a world that often erases and omits our history and even existence. This moment is so powerful because it allows me to live forever even after my physical form is gone. Not a lot of people get to live in the future, so at this moment, I’m proudly choosing to live forever," she continued.
“If there’s one thing that our cover models have in common, it’s that they don’t have one thing in common. They look different, have different upbringings, have different passions and inspirations. But each is a reminder that beauty comes in many forms," Day said.
The editor-in-chief referred to Bloom as "one grounded in resilience, and we couldn't be more thrilled to help her tell it. Her presence as the first trans woman of color to be in our issue is a result of her lifetime dedication to forging her own path."
As for Megan, Day shared that choosing her as one of the cover stars aligns with the brand's values of inspiring women within various communities across the globe.
"In terms of the whole package of Megan Thee Stallion, it's not just Meg the rapper. It's not just Meg the advocate. It's not just Meg the academic," Day said, Billboard reported. "She's so passionate, she's so professional, she's so driven, and she's so kind and wonderful and empowering and uplifting.
"She is so symbolic of everything I hope other women can tap into for themselves. I don't think the world has given her the respect that she deserves for all of the progress she has helped make, and has helped liberate women with, and that's very synonymous with how I feel like this brand is also of service to people," Day added.