THE ELLA WILLS INTERVIEW!
By Florence Limb
Publishing by Mel
Credit: Ella Willis
You’ve built a strong presence on TikTok, what originally motivated you to start posting?
What made me want to start was the fact I couldn’t wait to get my comedy out there. I found myself constantly thinking about it that I had to do it then and there in my room. I wanted to create what I felt was art and I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I wanted to show people. So I started and then it went up from there.
At what point did you realise your content was reaching a wider audience and having real impact?
When I did my first Edinburgh Fringe run, it was so beautiful to see all these people in real life. But I first started noticing my impact on people when people started to smile and recognise me in the street. I truly made someone’s day with my silly videos and my interaction meant something to them.
How do you balance authenticity with the pressures of having a large public platform?
I create what I find funny. I find that usually the things that I’m not too bothered about posting do really well and then the things I find funny don’t do as well in terms of numbers. So sometimes I just try and incorporate both.
Credit: Ella Wills
What responsibility do you think influencers have when discussing political issues?
For me personally I like to inform people on educating on what’s going on in the world, because politics is everywhere whether you like it or not. It weaves itself into every aspect of your life. That’s what I try telling people. They will make the decision on who’s operating the world on greed or from love and respect, but I can only be an information vessel.
Have you faced backlash for your views,
and how have you handled it?
I have and honestly I don’t care. I stand by what I believe in because I believe in people and I believe in respect. I believe that people shouldn’t have their lives ruined by other people. If someone wants to ruin their own life, let them but it should never be under someone else’s control.
What advice would you give to young people who want to speak out but are afraid of public criticism?
I think it’s admirable for you wanting to speak out. If you speak out the feeling of pride for yourself for doing so will always override other peoples hatred of you.
Credit: Ella Wills
Has being an online personality changed your personal life or relationships?
Yes and no. Yes because I have to make the active decision to keep my life private and I have to understand if someone’s using me for personal gain. However, no because I get to decide how I go about those situations.
How do you take care of your mental health while maintaining a digital presence?
I try to not compare myself. Everyone’s journey is different and you don’t know what’s going on behind the screen/video. I just try to separate my work from engulfing my entire life and I have in the past and I found myself struggling immensely as a result.
If your audience could take away one key message from your content, what would you want it to be?
To be unapologetically yourself. To be kind. To joke but not bully. To make light of situations so deeply stressful. To just take a second and have a giggle.
If your audience could take away one key message from your content, what would you want it to be?
To be unapologetically yourself. To be kind. To joke but not bully. To make light of situations so deeply stressful. To just take a second and have a giggle.
Credit: Ella Wills
Would you rather never have Flat Iron again, or be straight?
Be straight.
