Uchechi | 04.2021

SRHMA:

How are your spirits Uchechi?

Hello. Thanks so much for asking that question! Mental health is so important, especially during these trying times. My spirits are doing fine. I’m making the best out of my circumstances, and trying to look at the glass half full. Quarantine has been a hell of a ride haha! It’s been difficult but I finally feel like things are finally slowing down and getting back to how they once were. I’m just doing all I can to still stay safe, move with caution and make sure my family is okay!

SRHMA:

What would you say is the hardest thing you had to adjust to, due to the pandemic?

The hardest thing for me was definitely staying at home lol! It drove me crazy! I missed being outside, and hanging with friends. I honestly missed the human interaction. To know that I couldn’t interact with others because my safety would be jeopardised, was a lot to take in. Another thing I had to adjust to was masks! Lmao . The idea of wearing masks to walk around was so foreign to me.

SRHMA:

Was it difficult to keep in touch with your friends?

We made the most of it! We utilised FaceTime, phone calls, and text messages! Even though we couldn’t actively see each other we tried our best to stay in contact with one another.

SRHMA:

Has your ability to create content been affected?

I strongly believe that the pandemic strengthened the creative aspect of the Uchechi brand. Staying at home allowed me to think of ideas, execute them, and stay consistent. Creating content was my way of escaping what was going on in the real world. It was my mental sanctity, as I could really venture into my brand and give it immense focus. When we got into May/June and the George Floyd situation occurred, my creativity honestly dwindled greatly. I was so hurt and traumatized by the worldwide events taking place.

SRHMA:

How did the passing of George Floyd affect your mental health?

Coming to terms with the death of George Floyd was not easy. George Floyd represented so many people of colour who have been unfairly treated received delayed justice in America. I used his passing as motivation to be the best individual and creator I could be. In a world where being black is treated as a crime, we need more positive figures showing people that our black is beautiful.

SRHMA:

When did you start your journey of becoming, a digital creator?

Haha so I started my journey a loooong time ago, like 2013 TBH. I was a YouTube OG! I started by posting little hair videos here and there, but was not consistent with it! The real content came in during the year 2019/2020. That was when I started tapping into my creative niche and realising my passion for hair and glam! I have always loved hair and makeup. I just never translated it into content form until late 2019/2020.

SRHMA:

What changed in your life between 2013-2019, that made you think “I need to get serious about this”?

It wasn’t until I was applying for medical school/ nursing school that I broke down and realised that career wasn’t for me. There was a basic question on the application that asked the applicant why they choose this certain career path. It seemed like such a simple question but I could not answer it. I went online to see other people reasons and make it a story that I could tweak to my life. The mere fact that I couldn’t answer that question came as a red flag to me. It showed me I was on a path that I didn’t need to be on. After a couple months of thinking I decided not to go back to school and just try influencing part time and working part time. It was definitely hard to get myself out there. Once I did, I knew this was the best decision I had ever made.

SRHMA:

Did you begin with hair first or makeup?

Definitely Hair first ! Hair content was my first love. The majority of my content is still hair. There is very little makeup content unless it’s a picture.

SRHMA:

When did you get into doing your own hair?

I’ve been doing my hair for a LONG time! Anyone who knows me, knows that I’ve always had a passion for hair. Whether it was wigs, natural styling or braids. I’ve always loved doing my hair. Although having a kinkier hair texture is a more work, the versatility is unmatched! I first started doing my hair for myself, but when people started to find out about me through my videos, I started the tutorials.

SRHMA:

Did the fact that there aren’t many black girls doing hair videos, inspire you to continue? 

Of course ! As black women, we know how important our hair is and what it means to us. Most of the time, we fall under this false notion of our hair being “bad” or untamed. I wanted to lift the narrative and show that our hair is a bit more fragile than other hair types, but it can still be styled and groomed to perfection. A crucial part of my brand was making sure that women with kinkier hair types were represented in a positive light. You don’t see many people with kinky hair in the media, moreover the hair being kinky AND short. This is why I decided to put my content out there. Black women are not represented as much as other races and it’s not fair at all. Upon creating my brand I decided that instead of sulking over the facts, I will be the change I want to see.

SRHMA:

When you are in a rush, what is your go to hairstyle?

Haha lmaoo the 90s pony is a classic! But my go to hairstyle by FAR, has to be the plain puff. I LOVE, my puff to death lmfao its not going anywhere!! Just stick your hair into a ponytail throw on that puff ponytail and you are good to go. You can dress it up, down, sideways, zigzag lmao. Its good for any occasion !

SRHMA:

What is your favourite natural go to style, which doesn’t involved extensions or added hair of any kind?

UCH:

Slick back ponytail, with a middle parting. I love it. It’s sleek, easy, fast and elegant.

SRHMA:

Where do you see yourself in six months time?

I see myself growing bigger and better with time. I have so many things in store for my brand and I can’t wait to see them all come into fruition. Hopefully, in about 6 months we reach 100K on TikTok, and break some numbers on Instagram! I also would love to see my YouTube audience expand! 

SRHMA:

Where does your confidence come from?

My confidence comes from within. It sounds so corny and typical but my confidence truly comes from being secure in myself. I would always compare myself to others or talk down on my accomplishments. To find out where those tendencies were coming from, I listened to many podcasts and did some self analysing to uproot them. Once you start to become confident and love yourself, it ripples in effect. The world becomes a mirror, reflecting what you put out! Once you start to love on yourself, everybody does too!

I also struggled with showing my hair unstreched and raw online. I didn’t want to show everyone what my hair looked like un-styled but I quickly overcame that. It was easy for me to overcome it because I realised I was letting society’s definition of hair influence me and my thoughts. Now nobody can tell me anything about my hair. Its short and sassy!! It has a mind of its own and its beautiful, whether its styled or not!!

SRHMA:

Are there any people you have around you, which you take inspiration from?

I honestly find myself inspired by so many creatives on this app!! One of the people that stand out to me is Challxn. I love her so much. She’s so carefree, fun, animated and a huge breath of fresh air. I love challxn because I love her cosplays and skits. She has really inspired me to get out of my comfort zone and venture into costume makeup and acting skits.