Beyond The Screen: 'With Tears First And Then...' — Dolly Singh On Battling Challenges As Creator, Culture Shock In Delhi

In a candid conversation with ABP Live, Dolly Singh spoke about the "culture shock" she had when she came to Delhi, about her childhood dreams and so much more.

Beyond The Screen: Dolly Singh Shares How She Overcomes Challenges As A Content Creator. Says, 'With Tears First, And Then With Strategies'

Source : Instagram/ Dolly Singh

New Delhi: Dolly Singh is an Indian YouTuber, fashion blogger, content creator, and social media influencer. She was a content creator at iDiva, best known for playing the character 'Raju Ki Mummy' and stereotypical 'South Delhi Girl' on YouTube. Hailing from the quaint town of Nainital, Dolly came to Delhi for her higher education, where she started working at a very early age. However, her journey towards content creation happened by chance! 

With a huge base of 1.6M+ followers on Instagram, Dolly spoke about the challenges she faces to remain consistent and engage her presence on Instagram. She said, "I overcome these challenges—with tears first, and then with strategies."

In a candid conversation with ABP Live, Dolly spoke about the "culture shock" she had when she came to Delhi from Nainital, about her childhood dreams, why she has never shied from showing her real self on the internet and so much more...

Here are some excerpts from the interview:

Can you share a bit about your story and what inspired you to pursue this path?

I always say that my journey as a comedy content creator pretty much started as an accident. Before that, I used to have a fashion blog. I would write blog posts and post pictures on Instagram, attending Fashion Week as a fashion student. Later, I joined a company called iDiva as a stylist and a junior writer. Unexpectedly, our platform had to start creating videos, but we didn't have a video team. So, all of us had to step up and start acting.

Gradually, I moved away from the company and began my own content creation journey. I handled my own work, collaborated with brands, and the rest, as cliché as it sounds, is history. 

Content creation was not even a thing when you were growing up. So, as a child what is it that you wanted to become and why?

I always had a strong desire to perform in some way or another, and I think deep down, acting was something I always wanted to pursue. However, my insecurities held me back. Coming from a middle-class family in a small town, far away from the industry, and given that acting wasn't always seen as an attractive profession and was somewhat looked down upon, I grew up with those values. 

I also fancied the idea of being a VJ, a model, and sometimes even a singer. However, in simple and somewhat superficial terms, if I had to express it, I always wanted recognition. I yearned to be known and famous. I just knew I wanted people to know my name. As a child, that was my essential driving force in life.

As a content creator, what are some of the challenges you face in maintaining a consistent and engaging presence on Instagram? How do you overcome those challenges?

I think one of the biggest challenges that I face, and pretty much everybody does, is reinventing themselves every day because the world of the Internet is ever-changing. Trends come and go, and nothing sticks around for long. So, you have to work with the times. Initially, I had a lot of hardships around that, and I used to think that my kind of content was not working, or the things I knew were not relevant anymore. I used to wonder why people's tastes were changing. I used to blame everybody else, but slowly I understood that this happens in every field. Each profession has its own challenges, and people struggle in their own ways.

I had to take it as a challenge, face it, and tackle it. I started thinking of ways I could reinvent my content and myself to keep up with the times. Of course, you don't have to change yourself or the kind of content you create entirely, but the approaches can change.

Consistency is another big challenge. Especially after doing it for eight years, I've realized there are only so many ideas you can come up with. So, I'm at a stage in life where I need more stimuli to generate new ideas.

To overcome these challenges, I try to stay relevant by trying different things and putting my own fun twist on them. If you can handle engagement and keep things relevant, then you're on the right track. So, that's how I overcome these challenges—with tears first, and then with strategies.

Your content often focuses on fashion, lifestyle and comedy. How do you come up with unique and creative ideas to keep your audience engaged and interested?

As I mentioned earlier, trying to keep up with the times and understanding what the audience really wants to see is essential. Whether it's short form, long form, fast-paced, or slower videos, it's crucial to consider the business perspective. However, as a creator, you must also remember to make content that reflects you and appeals to you. Imagine if you were the only one watching it; would you still enjoy it? It's easy to get caught up in trends and follow what everyone else is doing. There were times when I felt disconnected from the content I was creating because it didn't feel authentic to me.

At times, I experienced writer's block or a creative block, but there were also fun times when ideas kept flowing in. Meeting new people and observing different things, even if they were similar to what other creators were doing, brought fresh inspiration. In the end, it's about how you present the content that matters. While many creators may produce similar content due to the shared ecosystem we are in and consuming similar content, it's crucial to maintain uniqueness.

I create a lot of such content that people can only identify with me. This keeps the engagement alive because, in the vast sea of creators, it's easy to get lost, and having a unique identity helps you stand out.

You are from Nainital and then you came to Delhi, how was it for you in a completely different environment?

It was a major culture shock for me because I come from a place where we walk everywhere, with not many cars or people around, and where everybody knows everybody. It's kind of like a very quaint and slow-paced vibe. Then, I moved to a city that's always bustling, where nobody seems to have time for anyone else. It's a world of opportunities, and I have to take them as soon as they come. It's like a rat race, you know? Initially, I struggled a lot. The first two to three years were kind of depressing because I didn't have many friends, and I was still trying to understand how to keep up with life in Delhi. The people here were so different from the people I used to live with in Nainital.

But my ambition was big, and I always wanted to do something, earn enough money to survive, and build a career. Delhi was a great place to achieve that. In my second year of college, I started earning quite quickly. I got opportunities to anchor for brands, malls, car showrooms, corporate events, and even weddings sometimes. I remember staying up until five in the morning at weddings. It was quite a ride, but a wonderful learning experience.

You once said that you were an introvert, so how did you overcome it?

I don't think it's something that you can overcome; it's just how personalities are. And, of course, you can work on it and try to get the best out of it and also try to fit in. I think, for a long time, I used to think of it as an issue—my introvertedness—and it didn't help. Because if you're around people and you start feeling like, "Oh my God, I'm such an introvert," you begin to spiral in your head and retreat back into your shell. So, it's very easy for me to do that, and I still sometimes do that. But the kind of industry that I'm in, the kind of people that I meet, it's also essential for me to be able to connect with them, talk to them, and network. So, I've had to work on that, and I still am. It's a work in progress. But I've also started to look at my introvertedness as not a bad thing. It's just who I am, and if it sets me apart, that's great—whether it's for good or bad, but it's fine.

You have never shied away from showing your real self and your life to your viewers. Do you think that has helped you more to connect with your audience?

Yeah, I definitely think so. As an audience on the Internet, especially on social media, I am someone who looks forward to and looks up to creators who are genuine and true to themselves, even if it's difficult. I admire people who are honest about who they are and openly discuss their problems and issues. It helps me connect with them on a deeper level. Therefore, as I embark on my own journey as a creator, I want to be authentic and sincere with my audience because that's what I appreciate in others.

I have noticed that being honest with my audience has had a positive impact. Their support and kind words have boosted my confidence. They provide encouragement even about things I used to feel insecure about, like my teeth or my body frame. Sometimes, their feedback has been helpful, which is why I believe it's only fair to approach them with honesty in return. I don't shy away from sharing things with them anymore. It took time, and maybe I was initially embarrassed to talk about where I come from, but gradually, I realized that my audience is kind and supportive, and they have my back.

But, I feel like now I've taken astep back as there are obviously great people on the Internet, but there are also some bad ones. And when they troll or say something nasty, it affects me. So I've just taken a little bit of a step back that I'm going to share, but I'm not going to share too much.