If you are a YouTube addict like I am, then you have probably come across Hyamslife. With well over half a million hits on her videos, this 19 year old YouTube celebrity from Washington is on a mission to influence and uplift many people around the word with the power of the internet.
As a young Muslim and hijabi woman growing up in the west, it is common to receive verbal and at times physical abuse from others because to your religion. But this 19 year old has put her foot down to all this negativity and started a YouTube channel (hyamslife) two year ago today, where she posts various different genres of videos varying from skits to more serious 20 minute long educational videos. However, majority of her videos have one thing common – they all try and break the “Muslim girl" stereotype.
This week, on the 2nd year anniversary of her Youtube channel, Tres Beaut has had the honour of interviewing Hyam Fayed from Hyamslife!
Hello Hyam, thank you for taking the time out to allow us to interview you, we are all very excited!
Well thank you for having me.
So, Summer! Any plans?
You know, I'm busy caught up with work right now. Kinda living several jobs, I have my YouTube stuff going on and I also work with Microsoft so I've been busy. Hope to try some new things and travel but tons of new ideas and stuff coming up for the YouTube channel for sure.
Belated congratulations on becoming a YouTube partner, I believe you’re the first Muslim girl, am I right?
Thank you, I wasn't quite the first but I am thankful to be one of the first in making the type of videos I do and promoting a positive message and attitude. I hope for people to recognize me for that and not just an average everyday person on the internet. I wish I was the first that would mean a lot haha.
How did it all start? Where did the idea of starting your YouTube channel come from? What inspired you?
It basically started when I went alone with my sister for the summer over seas about 2 years ago. I wanted my family to be able to catch up on what we were up to so I made the channel for that purpose that's why I named it "hyamslife". After the trip, slowly but surely I took down all these personal videos and decided to make something out of the channel; because I have always loved filming. I started by uploading videos for different contests people were having so all my videos were contest entries and people loved them. I started getting subscribers and people telling me I have movie material work. People actually wanting to watch "me" and wanting to get to know me more on a personal level beyond silly videos. So I took a whole new approach and started posting videos trying to send out this positive message because kids were looking up to me. I was something people would look forward to watching every week. I got subscribers slowly but now I get about 10-50+ a day and month by month it's getting better. I'm just excited to see where I can go a year from now, it just all takes patience. So these early subscribers of mine have sort of grown up and matured with me through this process and new subscribers will continue to grow with me.
How do you choose the topics of your YouTube channel?
Mostly they are just random ideas or I'll have my moments. I'll be sitting with friends talking about something or in the car driving and an idea will come to my head. I might even get an idea from a song or a movie or other videos I watch. I'd say about 95% of the ideas never happen because my imagination soars far beyond what I can personally produce but I can be very creative. Sometimes I'll just base a video off of something personal or something people question a lot about in other videos. Most of them however are spontaneous and I'm a very energetic and fun person so I like to add a little humor.
What kind of message do you try and put across to your viewers?
When someone first sees my new video thumbnail the first thing they will notice is that I'm Muslim. There is no doubt that it would cross anyone’s mind. I don't want to be on YouTube to preach about religion. I personally believe most people don't like others telling them what to do even if it's for their own good. I don't try to convince people of anything either. Through my random fun videos I just hope that people see a good side to Muslims that we mean well by all means and at the same time I want to show the world that one determined Muslim girl wearing a hijab can do everything and if not that, then more than a lot of people can and I want to prove it. No dream is too big you just have to have good intention and a solid attitude that shows you're just you no matter what. That can take you anywhere. I have more talents and hobbies than I can count to prove it!
There are quite a few “internet trolls” around on YouTube. How do you deal with it? Especially the Islamophobic comments?
I started making videos thinking I'd get the worst of the worst and putting the worst situation in mind. I feel like you shouldn't limit yourself to anything so if people are gonna get in your way then you just shouldn't be on YouTube at all. So, it can be harsh sometimes mainly because someone might say something about religion that has nothing to do with the actual video and it gets attention because that's just what people want to talk about these days. I just know that without any haters then you wouldn't truly know you're doing the right thing because you'd just be doing what everyone else wants to see and not pleasing yourself - which is most important. At this point when someone says something misleading I brush it off or try and inform them but conversations like that could last days, so if they just don't get it, they never will because most people are just closed minded at that point. The others don't seem to phase me anymore. It's normal.
You also have an online store! Tell us more about that.
I actually don't make any revenue from it yet to be honest. I just made it so that I myself can have something to promote and for my fans to have something to remind them to stay grounded if they decided to buy any of the merchandise. I could recieve revenue from the merchandise but I have just refused to for now, I don't want people to feel like I just want their money. By all means, all my merchandise have an innocent meaning or reason so I don't want to take that away.
Where do you see yourself in 2 years time, in terms of YouTube? Any new projects you’re working on?
I always have new ideas and the most important thing is to reach out and build a network. Every few months I gain a new subscriber or fan who is actually much more popular on YouTube than I am. For example, "Destorm" who currently has 901,000+ subscribers and tries to spread meaningful and good messages through music. He came and commented on one of my videos telling me to never give in to the haters and that I'm "awesome keep it up". Things like this remind me that people actually watch and appreciate what I do. I have also had several fan encounters when I go out which to me blows my mind. In 2 years I hope to have 10,000 if not more subscribers or maybe even attend talk shows. I aim to be a good leader and be someone you can look up to just because I feel like it's important in anyones life. I myself had people I looked up to and I feel that they have influenced me to be the person I am and it's a great feeling. Makes you stronger.
I have also had good connection ties with the manager of the New Boyz also known as Britton Hein. He actually helped me with one of my school projects too if you believe it or not. I've gotten voicemails from him as well as random fans and it's scary sometimes how they find your number or information but at the same time it's just so crazy what people do and it amazes me. I've also talked to people like Lil Twist, Supermac18, and Jamie Laou who is well known for being the Justin Bieber twin on Twitter and YouTube who has been supporting me and my videos as well sending a positive message. He currently has 102,000+ followers. And even one of Justin Bieber's best friends himself Chaz Somers. I've had conversations with him in the past on a regular and exchanged contact info. Seems he's a big bmx-er like myself and I caught his attention. Branching out to people really makes a difference and knowing these people have taken notice in you and what you do can change everything.
I have also had good connection ties with the manager of the New Boyz also known as Britton Hein. He actually helped me with one of my school projects too if you believe it or not. I've gotten voicemails from him as well as random fans and it's scary sometimes how they find your number or information but at the same time it's just so crazy what people do and it amazes me. I've also talked to people like Lil Twist, Supermac18, and Jamie Laou who is well known for being the Justin Bieber twin on Twitter and YouTube who has been supporting me and my videos as well sending a positive message. He currently has 102,000+ followers. And even one of Justin Bieber's best friends himself Chaz Somers. I've had conversations with him in the past on a regular and exchanged contact info. Seems he's a big bmx-er like myself and I caught his attention. Branching out to people really makes a difference and knowing these people have taken notice in you and what you do can change everything.
And lastly, if you could have any super power or create your own super hero, what super powers would you want them/you to have?
Haha superpowers... I just want to be perfect. Perfect in the sense of knowing right from wrong at all times. So I would never say anything wrong but at the same time make small innocent mistakes just so that way people always think positively of me. I just want to do good, but people make mistakes. It's a given. I also want to make sure I keep my swag on lock though. I'd never want to lose that!
It's all FAKE, get a real life !
ReplyDeleteIt's all BS
ReplyDelete