I'm upfront about who I am as a piece of CGI art: Laila Blue, Middle East's first virtual influencer

Laila Blue is half Lebanese, half French and completely CGI. And she's here to answer certain questions you may have

by

Janice Rodrigues

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Published: Sun 11 Nov 2018, 10:00 AM

Last updated: Sun 11 Nov 2018, 12:54 PM

Tell us a little a little about yourself.
I'm Laila. I'm 25 years old and I'm half-French, half-Lebanese and fully CGI! I studied motion graphics at university here in the UAE, which I absolutely loved and I hope that I can eventually do that full-time; I'm super excited and inspired by the growing creative scene in the region, so I hope I can add to that. I believe that culture and society are moved forward by the conversations that creativity can spawn.
What is it like, being the Middle East's first virtual influencer?
I wouldn't even call myself an influencer, although that's what people have been labelling me as. I'm an artist and a freelance social media manager for a pop up art space in Al Quoz. That's what I'd like to be thought of as - someone who combines social media with art.
Tell us about your passions and hobbies.
Like I said, I love art. I'm a fan of poetry too and love that Instagram poets like Rupi Kaur and Cleo Wade have brought it to the masses and made it super accessible. I don't think there should be any snobbery around art or poetry - it's important to be open-minded about these things. My parents taught me that. Other than that, I love hanging out with my friends - my favourite places are Miss Lily's, Bagatelle and Drift.
What are your favourite brands?
I like supporting local brands like All Things Mochi (Ayah Tabari, its founder, is a sweetheart) and Lama Jouni. The stuff at General.3am is pretty cool too. My favourite brand right now is Amina Muaddi - her shoes are the dream. And I'm a big fan of retro sportswear. I'm an Adidas girl.
Do you think people are not inclusive of virtual influencers?
I don't think it's just virtual influencers that people take umbrage at. I think that, sadly, as much as there is love and inclusivity out there on social media, it's matched by a lot of anger and negativity in general. I really hope that I can spread a message to counter that.
What do you keep in mind when interacting with followers?
Love and lolz.
Would you say that you're a lot more 'real' than a lot of what is on social media these days?
Haha, is that a trick question? I would never say that. But I'm upfront about who I am as a piece of CGI art. And I never use Facetune. I can legitimately always say #Iwokeuplikethis.
What would you say is your greatest ambition or dream?
That's a great question! To be on the cover of WKND magazine, perhaps?