Click through and get to know Storm as she goes by on Instagram @gravify. She is the epitome of free will and to follow the beat of your heart.
Please tell us who you are and a little about yourself.
S: I go by Storm or @Gravify. Storm is my middle name; I choose to keep my first name offline for privacy concerns. I’m 21 years old and live in Florida. I love adventures, nature, art, music, and photography/modeling. I love going to new places and doing new things. I love to explore and learn about new things. I’m partly Native American, so I grew up being around nature a lot with my dad and was taught to love and respect it. I love the beach, springs, forests, deserts, anything nature is just eye candy to me, and I love to be around it.
I grew up in a family of artists, so whatever kind of art it is, you name it and I love it. I enjoy admiring other people’s work and creating my own as well. Music is a big part of my life. My father was a dancer in the underground rave scene, so I grew up on EDM music, along with reggae and some old classic music. I now go to music festivals all the time, it’s a big part of my life, and a part time job. I love being able to wear whatever I want and dance however I feel, finding new music, and meeting new people.
How did you develop an interest in fashion, beauty, and travel respectively?
S: I developed an interest in fashion and beauty because I love to express myself. I always try to make outfits that are different and stand out. I don’t normally wear makeup but when I do, I love to do bold and colorful eye looks. I have an appreciation for each style, I don’t just have one style. I try to rock every single style I can depending on how I feel that day. Travel goes in hand with my love for nature/culture. I would love to see what the world has to offer, along with over cultures. I love to learn, and traveling will teach you so much about our world and other people.
What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced while traveling?
S: My biggest and only challenge has been not having enough time to see everything I would want to see. I’m the type of person who would love to go to some tourist spots of course, but I also love driving around town and backroads to see the little things people overlook.
What do you think is unique about your audience and the way that you engage with them?
S: I think my audience is unique because it’s not just one type of targeted people. I have a mix of people who are all brought together for certain things. People who love travel, people who love art, people who love music, etc. I always try to uplift my audience with positive captions and posts. I want them to all be happy and succeed. I’m also very honest with them. I will not lie to them about anything, I’m very transparent and open.
How do you decide which brands to partner with, and how do you ensure that your fans are receptive to sponsored content?
S: I will only work with brands that I support 100% or like the product/service personally. I post organic and creative pictures that I normally would with captions that are truthful.
Being part of an industry, whose only emphasis is on the outside characteristics of a person, how have you stayed grounded?
S: Instagram is not real life. People only post the highlights of their life. Everyone has their own problems that they deal with, and you will see that a lot of behinds the scenes. Life is too short to care about what people think of you. Just keep being yourself and loving every second of it.
You’ve worked as a model. What is the most annoying and most enticing aspect of this work?
S: The most annoying thing about working as a model is, I constantly get asked for nude photoshoots. If that’s your thing then awesome! I definitely appreciate the art, but it’s just personally not my thing. The most enticing thing about working as a model is the beauty and art of it. I love the feeling of getting creative and brainstorming for new shoots. Getting THE SHOT is awesome cause you’re just like wow we did THAT!
What are your three favorite trends at this moment?
S:
- Men painting their fingernails. I think it’s awesome that men can finally not be afraid to express themselves. Gay, Straight, or bi, whichever they are, I’m here for it!
- Street wear fashion is becoming very trendy. The industrial belts, chains, boots, etc. I’ve always loved street wear. So, I’m living for this.
- Everyone works out now a day. It’s even some people’s entire lives. For whatever reason they’re doing it, they’re still bettering themselves and staying healthy and I love that. I also go to the gym daily, so I guess I hopped on that trend!
Where do you hope your Instagram journey takes you? What are you looking forward to in the new year? Anything we should be on the lookout for?
S: I hope my Instagram journey takes me to the things I love. I could go nowhere with it and be fine as long as I’m still doing what I like to do. In the next year I’m looking forward to traveling a lot more, going to more music festivals, modeling more and making more art! There MAY be some of my art on some merch here soon, so be on the lookout for that. It hasn’t been finalized but it’s being talked about!
What’s the most overrated part of working in Social media?
S: Everyone thinks you have a perfect life, because you only post the highlights of your life, and posting the lows of your life is a “cry for attention.” Everyone thinks you don’t work hard. “Oh, you just post to Instagram. You don’t have talents.” Modeling is harder than it looks. Keeping an audience interested is hard when the internet changes every day. Getting yourself out there and being noticed is hard when there’s a million of other people out there doing the same thing. Coming up with ideas for content and creating it is hard and time consuming. Social media is a WHOLE JOB.
Best moment/memory of 2019?
S: Going to LA. That was the first time I ever traveled (not including my 2008 visit to Wyoming with my whole family) and that was the moment I took my life back. I decided I’d work on myself and the things I’d love nonstop. I told myself I’d travel more and do more things I wanted to, and I’ve traveled to many states/festivals since then and there’s only more to come!
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
S: Don’t give up on your dreams. Work hard for what you want, don’t dwell on the past and keep a positive mindset. It sounds so cliche and cheesy, but I’ve come to learn how true it all is! Thanks for supporting me. Endless love and gratitude to you all and to the team who helped made this interview possible!
