In the dynamic realm of social media, where trends are born and creators reign supreme, there exists a young dynamo with a massive social media presence named Oliver Sullano. This 21-year-old Filipino content creator and reluctant heartthrob has captured the hearts of many with his charming dance moves and comedic lip-sync renditions.
Oliver's journey to social media stardom is one that has unfolded in rhythm with the beats of pop and hip-hop anthems. His captivating videos have amassed a dedicated following that eagerly anticipates his next post. His creativity and humor know no bounds when it comes to creating content, whether it’s the latest dance craze or a relatable skit that’s sure to go viral. But hold onto your virtual hats; there's more to Oliver than meets the eye—and that’s saying a lot because when it comes to Oliver, there’s a whole lot that meets the eye, indeed.
When he's not grooving to music or captivating us with his content, Oliver doubles as a multi-hyphenate, balancing life as a multimedia artist and an architecture student. Yes, you read that right. He's got one foot in the world of blueprints and design and the other in the ever-changing universe of social media trends. And trust us, it's no easy feat!
Our conversation in between shoots revealed that beneath the glitz and glamour of Oliver’s online persona lies a down-to-earth guy. Amidst academic challenges, social commitments, and event attendance, he somehow finds time for his personal passions. Perhaps unknown to some, Oliver dabbles in art, unleashing his creativity through acrylic, oil, and watercolor painting. Growing up in a family of artists ignited this passion in him early on. Keep an eye out for his art account when it launches!
Oliver also ensures he remains in top-notch shape, sharing that fitness is his utmost priority. Adhering to his strict workout regimen keeps him mentally and physically focused and stable. With consistent and challenging weight training, along with a variety of sports activities, from swimming to football to volleyball, Oliver's physique is undoubtedly impressive.
But what fuels Oliver Sullano to do all of these and more? For this month’s #PARCINQFresh, we decided to ask this perennially busy guy to take a break, kick back, and chat with us.
Q. In a previous interview of yours, you mentioned that you’ve been dancing since 6th grade. How did you discover dancing and what made you like it?
I just really had an inclination towards dancing then. I knew that I could do it. I joined school competitions pa lang back then in the 6th grade. Very casual. 8th grade was when I started training with an actual dance crew. Sideline, sa school kasi it wasn’t feasible then that I do both sports and dance sabay. I also did football, volleyball and frisbee in school. During that time I couldn’t do dancing consistently. But I’ve always done dancing whenever possible. Grade 11 and 12 I joined Indak Lasalyano (the school’s dance company) and this kicked off my formal training. It was quite fun for me, and I enjoyed it even though it was tiring. Then I got into UST for college and that’s when I got into social media.
Q. So you started Instagram and TikTok during your first year?
Yup, magkasabay. That was the time I graduated Senior High School and then the pandemic happened and TikTok also started. I had Instagram before but I wasn’t an online public guy at that time.
Q. You were private during that time then. What made you explore TikTok when it came out?
I was just posting because during the pandemic we were bored and we had nothing to do. It was very unexpected that I garnered that amount of followers. May stigma pa nga before na when you do TikTok. Then everyone started doing it and we’ve seen TikTok grow into an actual platform. I went with the flow and tried random trends and uploading vids like we all were. When nag-trending yung videos ko, I was just doing yung magagandang dances and songs. To my surprise, people liked it. I thought that maybe I could do more with this so I started sharing and doing relatable content na comedy. I just did my thing and people discovered that I can dance and that I do art.
Q. What do you do when you run out of ideas or when you hit a wall creatively? I think before, especially when I was doing more comedy, I would step back and reflect on my personal experiences, which surprisingly makes it relatable. As with everything, a lot of the things I do need to come from my mind, even architecture. So when I get into a creative block, I recall the biggest advice I receive is to move out of it and do something else. Like taking a break from it. And it worked for me. I also try to find inspiration from other creators and other things that’s out there.
Q. So now you’re showing different aspects to you than what people are used to. Are you sharing it on social media?
Yeah I have an architecture account, actually. As for art, I haven’t created my portfolio yet. So I’m leaning towards learning more about art and gaining experience once I have the time and hopefully I can start my collection and get exposure via galleries. So I do acrylic and oil on canvas, but I also do watercolor. But I haven’t started yet because I want to do a collection with a specific concept and a vision behind it.
My family is art oriented also. My dad does calligraphy, my lola is a painter, and my mom also paints. With this predisposition, I thought siguro may potential ako and I wanted to nurture it. I’m happy and thankful; it’s a good thing.
Q. Is your family supportive of you and how important is their support in what you do?
My parents are also frustrated architects, but they never forced me to take my current course. They’re always supportive with what I want to do; they just want me to balance it. Especially my dad when he reminds me na huwag pabayaan studies ko. And I really respect that. So at the end of the day, I’m honoring what makes them happy, but what makes them happy naman is being able to do what will help me in the future. So ikot ikot lang din.
Q. Seeing your social media, one can tell that you have a keen sense of style. How important is fashion for you?
Very important. I get inspiration from specific fashion houses. One of my favorites is Schiaparelli. I had an outfit made that drew inspiration from 2016 Marc Jacobs. Fashion inspires me to be creative. I actually have a fashion account just for my viewing to follow the fashion brands I like for inspo.
Q. We can also see through your stories and posts that you focus on fitness. How important is it to you?
Super. At a hundred percent. One of the top priorities. Kasi ang pinaka driving factor as to why I’m really into it is the mental stability that it gives me, aside from it reflecting physically. It helps me with my sleep and mood, to the point that I get grumpy if my routine gets messed up. Typically I go to the gym 6 times a week, but I adapted a 4 day workout kasi di na kaya ng schedule ko talaga.
Q. Going back to social media, do you think content creation is sustainable for you? Do you see it as a career? I think it is and it will be supplementary to the other career options I want to explore and the goals I want to achieve. I want to get licensed for architecture and I also want to branch out into real estate. It will give me credibility and confidence to get into other fields I want like art. Being a content creator helps me and has helped me get opportunities, and I am thankful for that.
Q. What advice can you give to aspiring creators, especially those looking to make a mark on TikTok and Instagram?
Just do what it is you think will be good at. Do what it is that interests you and something that you can nurture. At the end of the day, if you push for something that isn’t aligned to who you are as a person, di siya magiging sustainable and wala lang mangyayari.
Q. What do you aim to ultimately achieve with content creation?
My end goal? Just to be able to discover more about myself while being able to share my interests, hopefully inspiring other people.
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Produced and Words by Rj Roque
Featuring Model Oliver Sullano of IM Agency