We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ariyana Bell a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Ariyana thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
When I was around 14 years old I used to indulge in YouTube, watching creators such as Alyssa Forever, Amber Scholl, Elena Genevinne, and many others. Watching them get on camera and talk to their audience (me) and bring us along through their daily lives like we were best friends, made me want to pick up a camera too. I used to watch their videos and admire their creativity, from their filming setup, their beauty looks, along with their fashion looks. I always used to think “I can totally do that.” I’d go into the bathroom and stare at myself in the mirror for hours. Every time I entered the bathroom my family knew I’d come out looking different. I used to look in the mirror and say, “What’s up guys it’s your girl Ary B. and welcome back to my channel.” I felt so empowered. I felt important. I was sharing what I learned and showcased my creative skills to the world. The only thing was there wasn’t an actual camera in front of me to record. I finally had the courage to pick up my phone and record, but of course my anxiety got the best of me. Instead of pushing through the fear I made excuses as to why I wasn’t filming. “I don’t have a good camera to film with,” “My hair isn’t done.” Fast forward to the age 19, I finally stopped with the excuses, I picked up my phone with little to no storage and I filmed a simple eyebrow tutorial. I posted it on instagram hoping this would jumpstart my career. In all honesty… it didn’t. Fast forward again to the age of 19, I realized just how much control I have over MY life and MY destiny. I picked up my phone again and pressed record. I posted on TikTok whenever creative ideas crept into my head. Every time I filmed a video I compared it those I had watched from the age of 14 and said “my videos don’t look like theirs.” Little did I know I was stealing my own joy by comparing myself to the creators who inspired me. They had the courage post even when quality was poor and no one was watching.
Ariyana, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am Arii Sahi and I am successful content creator empowering and inspiring through beauty, fashion and travel. I got into content creation when I was around 19 years old. I have always been a creative from the time I was a little girl, I would draw, write, dance and sing. I actually used to always want to be a musical artist. My parents often had MTV videos playing on the TV, so I would see the female artist on the television, and I would just be in awe. I would try to mimic their confidence, their walk, their moves, their energy. From the time that I was 4 or 5 years old I would dance in front of the TV and tell my mom that I was going to be the next Beyonce. I don’t care who was around but I was always dancing and always singing as if I was on stage. When I was about 7 to 8 years old my mom finally heard me out and attempted to take my sister and I to audition for Disney. I can’t exactly remember where we went but they tried to charge my mom money for us to be on Disney, so that didn’t work out very well. Around the age of 15 I told my mom I wanted to model, I looked up agencies, types of modeling, famous models, and what I needed to model. Only this time when I was researching, I didn’t want to be like the other models. I wanted to be me. I wanted to be Ary B, that’s what I was calling myself at the time. Since then, I’ve only ever wanted to be myself. I wanted to be Ariyana, and I still do. Every time I walk in a room, I am no one else but Arii Sahi. Arii Sahi is me. I encourage and embody authenticity, every time I walk in a room. I believe that it can be easy to lose sight of who we truly are with our circumstances that make us feel depressed or hopeless. Schools can accidentally teach us to become slaves to society and teach us to forget about our dreams and passions, especially in America. They push for us to graduate high school, go to college, get a degree, get a good job, get married, have kids, and die happy. It sounds simple but many of us struggle with that because it’s not meant for us. When people ask what sets me apart, it’s me. I am different. I am here to inspire and guide people to find THEMSELVES and to create the life THEY dream of. Not what their parents wanted for them, or their grandparents, or aunties, uncles, the system. None of that. I help people unlock their most authentic selves, empowering them to live a life of purpose, confidence, and fulfillment.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative would be connecting with people, and being able to inspire them to do the unthinkable. I get to talk to people who watch me along my creative journey and I get to hear them, inspire them, connect with them. Not only is connecting with my supporters amazing, but I know that one day I will stand on the same red carpet, or be at the same event as a VIP as the same creators who inspired me. It is a circle of love, empowerment and beauty that goes around and around, being passed from one person to another. We get to share love and truth on my pages. I will never lie to my audience about the products I am using, or the brands I am promoting. I get to build my audience “brick by brick.” I get to connect with them in the way that I want to. I don’t have to listen to anyone else. If I chose to answer 300+ dm’s on instagram I can. If I chose to host a pop up event in a city I am traveling to, just to connect with my supporters , I can. Not only can I connect with them via a screen, but also in real life. I get to spread love and authenticity and empowerment on a wide scale and I get to see those. affects, and that is what I love about being a creative.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
I think some non-creatives struggle to understand the true beauty of art in all of its forms. I can create a video that inspires people, or I can create a painting that makes people feel emotional. Art has so many different forms and I feel that the art of content creation is under appreciated in certain aspects. Some people. believe that if you are an influencer you are automatically a liar and you’re just doing it for the money. Which just isn’t true. Not everyone who is an influencer or content creator is a liar. Some of us are trying to make an honest living. Some people will also never understand the courage, confidence, and effort it takes to get up in front of a camera no matter how scared, no matter how unmotivated you are. I have had so many times where I was extremely depressed and did not feel like recording. I got up some of those days and did it anyway. Some people don’t get the life of being a content creator/influencer and sometimes they never will, and that’s okay. It is not meant for them to understand.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @arii.sahi
- Facebook: Arii Sahi
- Linkedin: Arii Sahi
- Youtube: Arii. Sahi
