Who is Janelle Shanks from Baddies USA: Chapter 1? Age, Instagram, and more explored

Janelle Shanks, known for her appearances across multiple reality television franchises, returns to the spotlight through Baddies USA: Chapter 1.

She was born in Houston and gained fame through multiple reality TV appearances - also building a strong following online, especially on Instagram.

Baddies USA: Chapter 1: Janelle Shanks

Janelle Shanks is listed among the cast members connected to Baddies USA: Chapter 1, the latest chapter of the “Baddies” reality-TV franchise.

The series is a continuation of the format first seen in Baddies ATL and other regional iterations, where a group of women live together, travel, and engage in social, professional, and interpersonal conflicts.

Within this context, Janelle’s participation is framed as part of the return of earlier reality-TV figures to the “Baddies” universe.

Her involvement in Baddies USA: Chapter 1 shows the brand’s reliance on familiar faces alongside newer cast members.

Early life and television career

According to publicly available sources, Janelle Shanks was born on May 6, 1990. That places her as 35 years old in 2025.

She is commonly associated with Houston, Texas, as her hometown and began her television career prominence through the Oxygen series Bad Girls Club, specifically season 11 (also referred to as Bad Girls Club: Miami).

During season 11, she is credited as a replacement cast member. Later, she appeared on other reality programmes, including Ex on the Beach.

On Ex on the Beach (American version season 2), she is listed among the cast and reportedly “was removed from the house after numerous physical altercations” in episode 9.

Her television track record places her firmly among the cohort of reality-TV personalities moving from one franchise to another.

Age, background, and status

With a birth date of May 6, 1990, Janelle Shanks is 35 years old in 2025. Her age positions her toward the mid-thirties, which aligns with many of her peers in the “Baddies” franchise who launched their reality TV careers a decade or more previously.

Her background in Houston and connection to Bad Girls Club Season 11 help trace her origin in reality television. For Baddies USA: Chapter 1, this experience frames her as a “returning” figure rather than an entirely new entrant.

Instagram and social media presence

On Instagram, Janelle Shanks uses the handle @badgirljanelle.

Her profile lists “Houston … Beauty • Fitness • Fashion • Travel” and indicates that she is open to business or promo inquiries (“Business/Promo Inquiries ONLY”).

Her social-media presence reflects the influencer-style content common to reality-TV stars: fashion, lifestyle, travel, and brand partnerships.

As of the current snapshot, she has around 381,000 followers on Instagram and over 1,000 accounts followed (though social-media numbers can change rapidly).

Role and involvement in Baddies USA: Chapter 1

She is linked to Baddies USA: Chapter 1 through promo posts on Instagram - teasing the debut and building hype piece by piece.

Though exact numbers or plot points about her role this season aren't clearly shared online, the fact that she keeps showing up in previews suggests she appears on the show frequently.

Because the “Baddies” brand emphasizes interpersonal drama, travel, group living, and social events, her role likely aligns with the franchise’s established formula: cast dynamics, challenge moments, and possibly conflict scenes.

Her prior reality-TV history with Bad Girls Club and Ex on the Beach would position her to fulfill the “experienced reality-star” role among newer castmates.

Within Baddies USA: Chapter 1, she returns as a recognizable face in the “Baddies” franchise, contributing her reality-TV experience to the new chapter.

Her trajectory from earlier reality-TV shows into the evolving “Baddies” brand reflects the broader pattern of reality-TV veterans maintaining relevance through participating in successive iterations of popular formats.

Stay tuned for more updates.