Sienna Mae Gomez Talks Body Confidence, The Power of Dance and Being the Face of Maybelline
There's a good reason Sienna Mae Gomez is one of the best-known stars on TikTok.
The competitive dancer has made a name for herself not only with incredible dance videos, but with her authenticity, as well as her championing of body confidence. She's proof that dancers don't have just one body type, and shows us that we should all embrace the bodies we're in, and also recently became the face of Maybelline.
She's been very busy, to say the least—and we think her career's only just getting started. We got the chance to chat with her about all of these topics, and more, and here's what she had to say.
Sweety High: How long has dancing been a part of your life? At what point did you decide that you might be able to make a career out of it?
Sienna Mae Gomez: I started dancing at 3 years old, then stopped to play soccer and some other sports, and then started dancing again when I was in second grade. I didn't actively try to make a career out of it—dancing is just something that has always been fun for me. I figured I might try to go to college as a dance major and maybe own my own studio one day, but I never imagined that I would be known for my dances on TikTok!
SH: What has it been like to make such a huge name for yourself on TikTok?
SMG: Incredible! I wake up every day with such gratitude for everything that has come to me these past eight months. I feel so fortunate to be on the path of achieving the dreams I've had since I was a little girl. It feels surreal sometimes, but exciting too!
SH: What do you think it is about TikTok that's allowed you to succeed in such an impactful way?
SMG: It's easier on TikTok than some of the other social platforms to show your real self because you are using video, not just photos, so it's harder to fake things or photoshop your images. I make it a point to use both of my accounts—@siennamae and @siennamaegomezz—to show authentic content, whether that's just me goofing off, dancing or putting forward a serious message about body confidence.
SH: Why has it been so important for you to point out people's unrealistic beauty standards?
SMG: When I was in middle school, I really struggled with society's beauty standards. I was never tall and thin, and I remember feeling like I would never fit in because I was short and muscular. Pointing out unrealistic beauty standards is something I do for all of my younger fans, and even some older ones, too. No one should get to define what beauty means for other people. We are all beautiful in our own ways, and that diversity in itself is beautiful. That's the message I want to share.
SH: What do body positivity and body confidence mean to you?
SMG: I know and appreciate that the body positive movement was started by plus-sized Black women for plus-sized men and women. I do not want to take away from the importance of that or be the "face" of something that wasn't intended to include someone like me. I much prefer "body confidence" because really that's what I'm trying to convey—that we can all be confident in whatever body size we have, whether that's smaller than me or bigger than me—it doesn't matter. All bodies are beautiful and unique, and I think that's what is important here.
SH: Why is it important for you to be a good role model to the Latinx community? What do those words mean to you?
SMG: Just a few weeks after my first video went viral last year, TikTok reached out and told me they would like to include me as one of 12 "Trailblazers" in the Latinx community. This designation means the world to me because it's important to me to be a good role model in our community, especially because we don't often see ourselves on social media. My grandpa came to the United States from Mexico, and if he were alive today I know how proud he would be of me, and the fact that there is a community out there—the community he came from and that my dad grew up in too—who see themselves in me. I do not take this responsibility lightly.
SH: Can you share details about your Maybelline partnership?
SMG: I am so honored and excited to be Maybelline's newest ambassador. It's the first time in Maybelline history that they have enlisted a Gen Z, Latinx, digital-first talent for a long-term partnership. I love that they are okay that I like being a little more "natural" looking and also appreciate that our very first campaign together was angled more at teaching young girls how to properly apply makeup vs. assuming that they already knew how (with celebrity makeup artist Ariel Tejada on Maybelline's YouTube channel). My values and Maybelline's really align—that you are beautiful the way you are.
Love discovering new talents? Click HERE to find out all about Kiran & Nivi, who've also taken TikTok by storm.