After amassing 2.7 million followers on TikTok with her famous “Subway Sessionz” performances, influencer/singer Raquel Reigns now focuses on leveraging her platform to better the lives of others.
You are launching a new community initiative via social media. What do you hope to accomplish?
I hope to reach as many aspiring artists as possible and encourage them to start taking action on the things they want and to keep the passion for creating alive.
We don’t see a lot of influencers doing work in the community unless it’s for content. What’s your motivation?
I believe that as a community we have a duty to take care of those who cannot help themselves. Regardless if the act is for content, it is influencing others (hopefully) to demonstrate acts of kindness. My motivation is a calling within myself saying that I can do more for others while I am in a position to do so.
Tell us when you realized that community work was so important to you on a personal level.
I’ve always had a deep sense of duty to support the community. As a young girl I would give food and money to people in need in the street. Growing up in church and reading about how Jesus would heal the sick and take care of the poor inspired me to do the same.
What are some of the activities you have planned this year for the benefit of others?
I plan on hosting free scheduled vocal coaching live sessions for singers to learn and grow from my trainings. I also plan to post the positive affirmations that have helped me grow and build strength in myself as an artist and businesswoman.
Do you feel fame comes with a responsibility to serve the others?
I think fame wides one’s reach to resources and resourceful people. With that element in mind, the responsibility is the duty to bring awareness to causes that may not receive as much attention that could benefit from being seen by the right people.
Describe the pros and cons of your experience with social media.
the pros of my experience on social media is that it certainly boosts my confidence to receive messages from complete strangers who don’t owe me anything to stroke my ego. I love singing and making content so the feedback is very important to me and when it does well I feel like I’m doing something right.
The cons of my experience is the mental pressure of not keeping up with trends or algorithm hacks to stay relevant to my audience. When you go from super high view numbers to plummet low, it can take a toll on your mental health.
How do you determine which songs you perform during your famous “Subway Sessionz’?
I usually choose the songs I see requested the most. I will choose the songs that I know first and require little learning time. I also choose the songs I like the best.
What suggestion would you like to offer someone looking to become a social media influencer?
Take the time to know who it is you want to influence and keep that in mind as you create.
Be’n Original
