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Inspiration October 18, 2017
“It gives you freedom. Freedom is the best part.”
She’s famous in the Ukraine, and took fourth place at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011. But none of that fazes fashion and beauty influencer Mika Newton, who left that life behind to focus on Instagram, where she now boasts 144K followers.
“Everything depends on you,” Mika tells ENTITY, of creating content as an influencer. “It gives you freedom. Freedom is the best part.” And she’s been enjoying this newfound freedom since 2015, when she decided to stop singing and instead pursue her passion of acting, and of course, social media.
“It takes a lot of work,” Mika says. “When you’re sick, you have to dress up and get the content anyway. Then continue being sick. These packages don’t just show up at my door. It takes work every single day.”
But she has the talent and passion to keep pushing forward each day, and she believes that is the key to her success. “If you do something for money or fame, you will burn yourself out… People don’t understand it takes time. You are always creating,” she says.
However, just posting pretty pictures won’t pay the bills. You have to know what you’re doing and really plan everything out. “The moment I started treating this as a business,” Mika says. “That’s when it started working.”
ENTITY sat down with Mika at our Los Angeles headquarters to talk more about the ups and downs of Instagram and how she maintains such amazing style.
ENTITY: What’s your inspiration for your chic fashion sense?
MN: You have to be you. I love Audrey Hepburn, all of those classy actresses. My hair’s a bit Marilyn Monroe. I like to combine that history with the modern, cool style we have in 2017.
ENTITY: Is it expensive keeping up with fashion trends on social media?
MN: I believe you don’t need a lot of money to look good. Spend money on staples, like a trench or a bag. But our style constantly evolves, so we shouldn’t spend a ton of money on clothes. I like to look at thrift shops or stores like Marshalls.
ENTITY: Do you have any tips for more cohesive content on IG?
MN: Don’t rush. Plan it out. And if you don’t have quality content, don’t post.
ENTITY: How do you handle online trolls and haters?
MN: We are all human. We all care what others think. With the haters… it’s unhappy people. Something is going wrong in their life. They are emotionally off. That is why we cannot react.
ENTITY: What about women who don’t support other women?
MN: People compare. The only person you can compete with is yourself. I was a singer when I was a child, and I was winning, and wondering why. I didn’t know not to compare myself.
Now other girls with brands, they don’t want to share information. They want to keep it all to themselves. Why? Material items don’t mean we’re happy. You can never assume you know what someone has been through. Our stories are so different. Be you. That is enough. That is when you’re truly inspired. Think ahead, but don’t try to copy others.
ENTITY: Speaking of brands, have you ever had to promote something that you didn’t like?
MN: I can’t. I’m a horrible liar. That follows you home at night. Everything I promote, I would tell you to use the product in real life… Don’t lie, it’s going to hurt you.
That’s why influencers are good. We’re saving you time if you don’t want to shop. Especially with brands you’re not familiar with — hearing influencers respond to these new brands. People get excited about it. They trust you.
ENTITY: Between auditioning for acting jobs and running your account, how do you manage such a hectic schedule?
MN: No days off. I’m constantly working. If my boyfriend [now fiance] wants to get dinner, I’ll ask him to shoot me… and then we can get food. I need to always have content ready, because if I get an audition, then I’m behind. But Mondays I work from home and try to catch up.
From a pop star to a social media influencer, it can be hard to look at someone like Mika and not be intimidated. But she insists anyone can do it — and it’s never too late!
“When you doubt yourself on IG, just go with your first instinct,” Mika says. “If it’s good, it’s good. Don’t create and be scared to release it.” And you don’t need fancy equipment, either. Mika says you can shoot with just your iPhone, and some good lighting, of course.
The bubbly songstress-turned-beauty guru is full of advice for fledgling Instagrammers, clearly practicing what she preaches when it comes to helping other women to advance. “Collaborate with each other,” she says. “Don’t take things personally. Keep going and do it! Get an iPhone and be happy.” There you have it.
