By Nethmie Dehigama 20-year-old Kavithi is not one to shy away from the camera or an audience. We got to connect with this budding social media personality and learn more about who she is and what drives her. Q: Tell us a little bit about who you are. A: I’m Kavithi Dinethma. I’m 20 years old. I am a social media content creator and a professional speaker. I graduated from Lyceum International School Nugegoda and I am currently an undergraduate pursuing the University of London BSc in International Relations at the Royal Institute of Colombo. Q: What would you say your passions are? A: My passions currently involve sharing lifestyle, travel, and food-related content on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Apart from content creation, I’m also engaged with my passion as a professional speaker, so people often reach out to me for event compering and interview/podcast hosting. I moderate as well. Q: When and why did you get into YouTube vlogging and social media content creation? A: I feel naturally at ease and comfortable in front of the camera, so there was no hesitancy when it came to YouTube vlogging. One of the niche content I initially started sharing on YouTube was food-related vlogs. When my family goes out to dine, we would naturally try out different restaurants and cuisines. So, I started doing food vlogs to share my experiences with viewers who were just as interested. Along with the food vlogs, I expanded to lifestyle vlogging to include sharing titbits of my life because I have an eventful lifestyle and I also travel when my schedule allows. Editing such content into engaging stories and using my love of speech to narrate through voiceovers made vlogging an even more enjoyable and alluring field for me. As I kept at it, it felt so gratifying to be building a community. I have a community now in my own corner of the internet that enjoys the journeys I upload and share with them. I feel the same way about Instagram and TikTok, which are the other platforms I presently share my lifestyle on. Q: You also compere at events, and host/moderate interviews and podcasts. What about it do you love the most? A: Compering/emceeing, hosting, presenting, and podcasting – these are all areas that I am engaged in. I have a love for speech, engaging with an audience, ensuring that the guests are at ease and comfortable, and of course ensuring smooth event delivery. They are all aspects I find so gratifying. Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years? A: Certain individuals have reached out to me saying that they have been inspired by my social media platforms to begin content creation themselves, which is heart-warming and touching to hear. So, I wish to see myself in 10 years, as someone who still inspires people to go about their passion projects because it is so pivotal in life. In 10 years, I also envision myself travelling more, and experiencing the world, while also producing more adventurous vlogs for my viewers. Apart from that side of content creation, I also wish to complete my degree, continue my further studies, and go up the career ladder. Ultimately, this is just a rough sketch of life in 10 years’ time, because I’m mostly someone who makes decisions along with the flow. Q: When it comes to modelling and content creation, who are your respective muses? A: I don’t have one muse per se in the field of content creation on YouTube because I honestly admire the works of a variety of creators belonging to different communities – such as the lifestyle community, study, beauty, food, and travel. On Instagram, If I had to pick my current favourite, it would be Matilda Djerf, because her content is so carefree. When it comes to modelling, I’ve personally not been able to engage in the field as much as I would have liked to due to my schedule. When it comes to picking my muse, I would say Waris Dirie. While being a model, she is also an activist and she has released an impactful book titled ‘Desert Flower’; this is inspiring. Q: What are some values that are important to you when you engage in creative content creation? A: Being authentic, letting my personality shine through, and of course, being consistent are all values I consider important. Sticking to such principles is some advice I give to any aspiring content creators as well. Also, in the aspect of video content creation, try to give focus not just to the product of the video but also to the process behind it. This involves the filming and editing side of creation. When editing, for example, take time to pick the most suitable music for the vlog and try to give a detailed commentary through verbal or written narration whenever possible. This is because it is not just the overall content of the vlog but also the minute details that all factor into building that bond between your content and the audience. This plays a role in keeping your community engaged. Q: What is happiness to you? A: To keep it simple. To me, happiness is waking up every morning and being able to engage in my passions. It’s that feeling of enjoying what I do and appreciating the ride that makes me happy. PHOTOS © SHAMEEM ISMAIL, ABHISHEK DHARMAWARDENA