Lights, Camera, Cyrus

Cyrus Veyssi (Sea-roos) (they/he) first drew my attention on the playground. I was 8, they were 10. I watched from across the jungle gym as they executed a perfect standing-back tuck (tutorial and context here). I was mesmerized, they were just being themselves.

The year was 2005. The phrase “makeup tutorials” was maybe only ever used at the local mall, and it for sure wasn’t a thing on the internet. Yet.

For background: Cyrus and I went to the same elementary school. It was obvious from very early on that they were destined for greatness. They were outgoing, and kind, plus they knew how to put people in their place. A leader; an influencer for good.

Fast forward to the early days of the pandemic when I was reintroduced to their panache via Instagram. I was mindlessly scrolling when I stopped after seeing a familiar face. This person wasn’t dancing (s/o April 2020 trends).

Instead, it was Cyrus applying makeup. Skin glowing. Lighting perfect. Jokes landing. Once again, they mesmerized me. I, along with eight thousand other followers, were inspired by their authenticity, talent, and humor.

In the years since, they’ve built a tremendous following (now a couple hundred thousand strong), and done campaigns with brands like MAC and La Mer. They’ve also collaborated with household names like Ashley Graham and attended events with Selena Gomez. Along the way, they’ve introduced us to their Baba (father in Persian), their brother, and their boyfriend.

Cyrus is non-binary and is quick to educate their followers on issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community. They also shut down haters with kindness, humor, and striking precision. It’s a pleasure to watch. Their community is loyal, engaged, and constantly wanting more Cyrus. It’s no wonder Vogue has called them a “TikTok darling.”

Cyrus’ IG bio says “cheering you on.” But it’s very clear that we, the audience, are the ones cheering on Cyrus. It’s impossible not to.

Read on to learn how they built their world on the internet from the ground up.

Those numbers don’t happen overnight without a clearly defined strategy. For the most part, Cyrus sticks with what they do best: Cyrus has mastered skincare. They know the best eye-cream, face mask, moisturizer, and SPF. They’ll teach you about makeup from primer to finishing spray. They will joke about their non-binary identity with their Baba, who now has his very own fanbase and account (@yourfavoriteba). They’re super relatable, while also being aspirational (mostly due to luxury partners). Cyrus is great at handling haters.

They’ve done quite a few partnerships. Companies and brands include:

In addition to posting on social media, they also do speaking gigs—giving their fanbase the chance to connect IRL. Before transitioning to full-time content creating, Cyrus was a Cultural Strategist and Planner at M. Booth. They’ve been featured in The Boston Globe, Allure, The Zoe Report, In The Know, Cosmo, and more.

I was lucky enough to sit down with Cyrus to chat about just how they grew their platform, the moment that inspired them to walk away from their 9-5, and their ambitions. Watch the highlights below:

***NOTE TO TG + CO: I was unable to get time with Cyrus unfortunately. However, this is where a nice little video interview would go. It’d be <2 minutes and feature me asking them several questions including (but not limited to):

• What made you want to be a creator?

• How long did it take you to go from zero-100?

• Biggest piece of advice you’d give to other creators (or wannabes)?

• Proudest moment so far? What’s making you tick right now?

• Are there any no-nos when it comes to making content? If so, what?

• I see you have an agency now. What was the moment when you realized you needed a team to support you?

• What’s next?

@cyrusveyssi

?????? #fyp

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@cyrusveyssi

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