window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-GEQWY429QJ');

 

ENTITY talks about Savannah Brown.

“And when you start to drown in these petty expectations / you better examine the miracle of your existence / because you’re worth so much more than your waistline / you’re worth the beautiful thoughts you think”

These lines come from the spoken-word poem “What Guys Look for in Girls” by Savannah Brown which was response to Nash Grier’s video by the same name. It was this poem that launched Savannah to relative Youtube stardom back in 2014 when she was only 17.

The video today boasts over 5.4 million views, yet it does not remain Savannah’s biggest accomplishment. Since she posted the video, she’s moved to London from Ohio and has done some growing up.

Next year, her first young adult novel, “The Truth About Keeping Secrets,” will be published by Penguin Random House.

How did she got from point A to B? And who exactly is she?

1 She doesn’t shy away from difficult and controversial topics.

Savannah openly speaks and writes about mental illness, eating disorders and feminism.

She’s talked about how and why the romanticization of mental illness on the internet can be very toxic. What’s more, she’s stated that although she herself suffers from mental illness, she is not an authority on mental illness and cannot offer advice for others. Considering the platform and audience she has, this is an incredibly responsible and mature thing to do.

Savannah has also posted poems about her experience with her eating disorder, revealing another outlet she uses to be open about her personal struggles. Through her poetry, she articulates the emotional aspect of such experiences which allows others who may be going through similar struggles to feel represented online.

Of course, she’s also discussed feminism, both through standard vlogs and poetry. In both, she talks about how society often reduces women to its preconceived notions and stereotypes, but that women are complex beings with goals and doubts and gasp — sexual desires, even!

One of my favorite lines by her comes from the poem “hi, I’m a slut.” It reads, “you’re damn right my body is a temple /  i am the god it was built for”

2 She owns the hell out of her style.

ENTITY talks about Savannah Brown.

Photo via Instagram / @savannxhb

Don’t take our word for it, check out her Instagram feed.

If you watch any of Savannah’s videos, you can see she’s had quite a few style changes. Her willingness to alter her appearance drastically and without reservation is certainly inspiring.

She told Local Wolves, “Identity is a thing that’s constantly evolving and trying to confine yourself within certain expression parameters is really damaging, I think. ‘Finding yourself’ is something you’ll be doing for the rest of your life, so make big changes and be unapologetic.”

It’s rare to find a young adult that in command of their sense of self. Most often, women, and in particular younger women, are pressured into fitting within certain standards of beauty. There’s something empowering about the way Savannah says “screw it” to that notion and unapologetically shows exactly who she is. It’s not an easy thing to do, but you could never tell in the way she does it.

3 She’s big on the Youtube spoken-word poetry scene.

First off: please, if you know what is good for you and your soul, check out the spoken-word poetry scene on Youtube. This article will be here when you return.

Unsurprisingly, Savannah has made a name for herself on this corner of Youtube with the poems she’s posted. She admits that unlike most spoken-word poets, she did not get her start outside of Youtube. Rather, it was her jumping-off point.

Her spoken-word videos aren’t filmed at an open mic or competition. Instead, she’s usually sitting with the backdrop of her bedroom. Or, like in the video above, animation and music accompany her poetry, elevating it to something entirely else. Not that her poems aren’t good sans music and animation — they’re brilliant, but being a Youtube spoken-word poet allows her a way of presenting her poetry that becomes something truly special.

4 She also has a self-published book of poems.

ENTITY talks about Savannah Brown.

Photo via Savannah Brown (savbrown.com)

In an experience she describes as “hugely rewarding,” Savannah published a book of her poetry, putting the words from her performed in her videos to the page. The book, “Graffiti: and other poems” became a Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist.

5 And she encourages others to write!

While working on her novel, Sav started a series called “Write with Me.” Essentially, she would hold live streams while she worked on her novel, allowing others to join and creating an environment where people motivate each other to get writing. She’ll take breaks intermittently to chat. The videos are a great way to be productive and keep yourself sane!

 

 

Send this to a friend