NOT SHY AT ALL

In a digital landscape dominated by hyper-strategic influencers and content creators, this all-Singaporean comedian is proving that you can still be an Internet star by being unapologetically you.

- Cam Khalid

A new viral dance. A whole lot of drama. A host of fresh faces with inside jokes that everyone could join in. 2020 was the year that Tiktok – as the Gen Zs would put it – “ate” the Internet.

When the world found itself doom scrolling, Nicole Liel took to the social media app to transform mundane moments into comedic gold. “Going on Tiktok was more like: Let me just talk c*ck during Circuit Breaker and see how it goes,” she says.

One upload of a fun take on Nicole’s daily routine, and Tiktok’s For You algorithm thrust her into the limelight, amassing thousands of followers overnight. “I was like ‘Wow, 10K people care about what I say. Slay!’”

Fast-forward to 2024, and the 25-yearold boasts over 190,000 followers on Tiktok and 57,000 on Instagram, establishing herself as a witty storyteller who captivates with entertaining anecdotes.

From a young age, the Singapore-born Tiktok star had always flirted with the idea of becoming an entertainer.

But in this industry, success often hinges on either appearance or charisma.

“If I were hot, I would live solely on my looks. I’m not saying this to shade good- looking people, but I’ll just take advantage of my looks. But if you don’t fit into the category of what people think is pretty, what else do you have but your charisma?” she says. “[Plus] sh*t happens in life. It’s just easier to laugh it off.”

With her signature unapologetic storytelling style and exaggerated facial expressions, one of her popular videos recounts an experience in Malaysia, where she served as a translator for a group of tourists from China who wanted to book a karaoke package.