As someone with a huge social media following, Amy has been open about the pressures she’s faced to look a certain way, and in doing so, she’s taught us all so much. By sharing her story, she’s become a shining example of confidence and self-love, reminding us to embrace our unique selves and rise above unrealistic beauty standards. 

Here’s a snapshot of the wonderful chat we had while filming the Embrace Kids film …

Did you always want to be a famous musician?  

Growing up, I was a pretty average kid. I felt like I wasn’t good at anything. I was bullied, and I really held onto the dream that one day I would be a successful musician and I’d be able to share my story with the world.

We’ve played in some of the biggest festivals in the world, including Rock in Rio, and when you walk out on stage, it really takes your breath away. A hundred thousand people singing your song is the best feeling in the world. We’ve performed on Ellen, and Jimmy Fallon and you know, looking back to the girl that I once was, I just want to give her a big hug and a high five and say, ‘You did it!’

How did you become such a passionate advocate for positive body image? 

When I first started using social media, I was really just sharing my perspective of the

world. And then it slowly started to change, with the rise of the influencer. I started posting photos of myself, and then myself in a bikini, and I was really trying to keep up with what I thought people were expecting of me. You know, I was comparing myself to these influencers and these models and I was trying to emulate what I thought people wanted to see.

I remember getting ready to post this bikini selfie of me and I was looking back at the camera, in a bikini, and I was really disappointed with the image when I saw it, because I had cellulite all up the back of my legs. And I picked so many issues with this one image, but I thought, ‘You know what? I’ll just quickly edit that, and I’ll cinch that, and I’ll throw a filter on that, and it’ll be great.’ 

And then when I looked back at the image, I noticed that I just looked like a Barbie doll. I didn’t even look like me, and I had a lightning bolt moment where I just thought, ‘How can I fraud people like this? How can I pretend that I am someone that I’m not? People out there are going to be comparing their bodies to my fake body, and that’s just not fair.’ 

So, I just thought, ‘I’m just going to post this image as is, cellulite and all, and we’ll see how it goes.’

What was the response? 

I was shocked because it was quickly my most-liked photo! I had DMs from women and people all around the world saying, ‘Thank you! This is the content we need to see. I have been craving to see a body that looks like mine.’

So, it was at that moment that I decided that I would never Photoshop another picture again. I decided that I was going to be the influencer who had cellulite and was okay with that. I wanted to be the influencer who had pimples and was still beautiful, and I wanted to be the person who could sit down and have a roll in her tummy without worrying about it, because it’s normal and it’s natural and everyone has tummy rolls.

What does confidence mean to you? 

I love expressing myself through hair and make-up. Obviously, I’ve got blue hair, and I love glitter. I love getting dressed up for photo shoots because it’s creative and it’s fun, and that’s okay. But at the end of the day when I wash it all off, my confidence doesn’t change. I don’t rely on fake lashes and fake tans, and that’s what it’s all about. It’s about knowing who you are and not wavering your confidence depending on what you’re wearing and what you look like.

What’s helped you build self-esteem over time?

When it came to Instagram, I had to really have an overhaul of my social media feed. I unfollowed anyone who made me feel bad about myself. I started following people who were doing amazing things, people who were interesting, people I could learn from. I started following animals and you know, projects. Rather than focusing on models and what people looked like, I started to focus on what people did and what they could offer me and in terms of what I could learn from them, and that really shifted my perspective on what I valued in people and what I valued in myself.

What advice do you have for people who struggle with social media pressure or body image issues?

Be kind to yourself. Stop comparing yourself. Unfollow anyone who makes you feel unworthy on social media, because you are absolutely worthy, and you deserve to be happy every single day.

Amy’s story is a powerful reminder to love ourselves just as we are. To stay inspired, follow her on Instagram.