Influencers and social stars have surpassed mainstream celebrities in terms of capturing the attention of the next generation of viewers and consumers. One of the mediums most successful stars, Lele Pons, is an internet sensation, Instagram influencer, and YouTube celebrity who has a diverse following of all different age groups. In 2017, she leveraged her massive following and became the most watched influencer via Instagram’s stories. She has created a virtual, and very real, empire through her comedic and lifestyle videos, often featuring her unique self-deprecating humor. Her original content has culminated in over 17.7 million subscribers and 4.6 billion total views on YouTube alone.
In addition to her YouTube videos and engaging Instagram content, she has also expanded to a career as a model and brand ambassador for notable companies like EyeBuyDirect and CoverGirl. But while she may be one of the most engaged-with celebrities on several of the biggest social media platforms, she also seems to have evaded mainstream media attention as well as the public spotlight. Despite her relative anonymity, she is a star among her devoted fans and followers who contributed to her astonishing 44.2 million Instagram followers. But who exactly is the Venezuelan influencer taking the younger generation by storm? By focusing on her career and history of posting content to different platforms, it becomes easily recognizable how she became the most watched Instagram star in 2017 and beyond.
First Viral Success
Lele Pons was born in Caracas, Venezuela and moved to the United States at the age of 5. She was then raised in Miami, Florida and moved to Los Angeles in 2015. She first started gaining attention on the internet when she posted comedic videos through the now-defunct platform Vine. She quickly rose to the top of the platform and became the first Vine star to pass one billion loops.
In 2015, she started to expand her brand, launching her own jewelry company called UNO Magnetic. In 2016, she signed with the entertainment company Shot Studios and shortly after released her debut novel Surviving High School which she co-authored with Melissa de la Cruz. That same year, Pons also starred in the comedy film We Love You which was released via YouTube Red.
Entering the Mainstream
Expanding on her Internet fame, Pons then migrated to television and starred in the pilot episode of the MTV horror series Scream. She then went on to star in a variety of music videos for different artists including Camila Cabello, Anitta and J. Balvin. In February of 2017, Pons became an official brand ambassador for CoverGirl and walked in a runway show for th fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana.
After appearing in videos for other musicians, Pons decided to create her own music and released her debut single “Dicen” in May of 2018. She gained further recognition when she released the song “Celoso” which went on to become a 3x Platinum hit, earning Pons a nomination for a Premios Los Nuestro award.
By expanding into television roles and music where Pons could showcase her unique personality to a wider audience, she started to accumulate hosting gigs as well. This included her work as host for La Voz...Mexico and the red carpet segment of the 2019 Billboard Music Awards.
Future Plans and Career
Unknown to most, Lele Pons has Tourettes syndrome and severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. She openly discussed her life in relation to both situations in her recent documentary series The Secret Life of Lele Pons which premiered in May of 2020 on YouTube. As an expansion of the popular web series, Pons also launched a Spotify exclusive podcast titled Best Kept Secrets with Lele Pons. The show features calls and conversations from anonymous viewers that showcase their own vulnerable experiences and stories.
Her music career has also developed in 2021 as Pons has released several additional singles including “Bubble Gum” featuring Yandel and the song “Al Lau.” In addition to Instagram and YouTube, Lele Pons has aldo dominated TikTok with her following, earning over 23.7 million followers and over 432.1 million likes on the platform. Lele Pons has diversified herself across all platforms and genres in a move that has secured her consistent relevancy as well as an ever-growing audience.
With a diverse range of interests including music, comedy, acting, hosting and modeling, Lele Pons is set to take over the mainstream with her likeable personality and willingness to portray the more vulnerable aspects of her life. With a growing success and a lack of celebrity drama, Pons might beat her own 2017 record once again as the most viewed influencer on Instagram stories.
Sources:
BusinessInsider, Billboard, TheSun, BarstoolSports, MoneyScotch, GoBloGan, Marca, FamousBirthdays, FactNinja, WashingtonPost, Forbes, Simon&Schuster, Yahoo, StyleCaster, People, Distractify, LATimes