Lilly Singh in her book, How To Be A Bawse, writes, “The universe might respect the law of attraction, but it respects a good hustle even more.” And that is what defines her success story. Other than being a best-selling author, the 30-year-old is one of the most successful YouTubers in the world. The biggest moment of her career was when American television network NBC offered her her very own late night talk show. This makes her the first Indian to get a late night gig and follow the likes of David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel and Carson Daly. But what she’s most famous for is spreading positivity and happiness.
So, what do you do when you get the chance to sit down for a chat with Lilly Singh? You try and find out all the secrets to her success. What she reads, who she surrounds herself with and what has helped her achieve the status of a pathbreaker.
Here are snippets of our chat with Superwoman AKA Lilly Singh.
POPxo: Let’s get right to it! What’s been your driving force in life?
Lilly Singh: Something that has motivated me over the years is that I want to keep my life exciting and I never want to feel like I’m stagnant and that I’m not growing and that I’m not moving forward. I want to continue learning and being a student for life.
POPxo: On International Women’s Day, POPxo celebrated women who support other women through its campaign #WomenForWomen. It acknowledged that, now more than ever, we need to remind ourselves that we’re stronger together than apart. Is there someone in your life who has inspired you professionally?
Lilly Singh: A woman who has really motivated me is Stephanie McMahon from WWE. Because when I was a little girl I used to watch WWE and she has evolved the sport to such an extent that women are the main event. It is such an inclusive industry. She has made such amazing strides for so many people around the world. I’d love to follow her path.
POPxo: Other than your own book, is there a book that you would recommend that every young woman should read?
Lilly Singh: There is a book called The Feminist Manifesto In 15 Suggestions that I recently read. It is super short and easy to read. It’s incredible – it takes an in-depth look at feminism for both girls and guys and why it’s so important on a global level. It tackles some of the common misconceptions people have about feminism.
POPxo: A woman in Bollywood who has inspired you?
Lilly Singh: It’s definitely my sister, Priyanka Chopra. I think she has made such big moves in terms of bringing Bollywood to the world and also, she has such a multi-faceted career. It’s been really, really impressive to see her not only conquer Bollywood but also come to Hollywood and be such a force to be reckoned with. And she’s also HOT, and she’s smart and she’s loyal..and I respect that!
POPxo: An account you’re following on Instagram that makes you feel really good?
Lilly Singh: It’s probably Jay Shetty’s account. He’s also a friend of mine who has really great, uplifting content. Even if you’re not having a bad day and you’re having a great day, your day becomes better. It makes you feel – oh, there is good in the world and I think that’s really important
POPxo: What’s your relationship with makeup and how has it evolved over the years?
Lilly Singh: My relationship with makeup is a complicated one. For a while I had to breakup with it and it got complicated. But now, I think we have a very big relationship – simply because I wear it when I feel like wearing it. I’m no longer that person that feels incomplete without makeup. Some days, I want to wear it. Some days, I don’t want to wear it. And that’s completely fine because I love the skin I’m in.
POPxo: Speaking of which, you’ve always picked brands and campaigns that resonate with your work. What was it about Olay’s #FaceAnything campaign that attracted you?
Lilly Singh: I love working with them – they let me be myself. They let me be unapologetically authentic to myself and two, they promote fearlessness. I think that’s the exact message we should be sending, especially to young girls. To be fearless, to be anything, to be confident and to destruct. And I’m all about that!
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