We The People: “Being bullied motivated me to be more vocal,” says Preetipls

We The People is a column commemorating Singapore’s 55th birthday, featuring a diverse slate of personalities — from heritage warriors to environmentalists, entrepreneurs to filmmakers for their vision of society. These are the voices that make Singapore home.

Preeti Nair, also known by her moniker Preetipls, is no stranger to us all.

The 26-year-old has made a name for herself as a comedic social media personality and musician, and in an industry that tends to steer itself towards slim, light-skinned females, Preeti’s videos and posts are a breath of fresh air in Singapore’s cyberspace.

Yet, that isn’t the only reason why she’s popular. Preeti plays a vocal role in politically conservative Singapore by making use of comedy and humour to speak out on issues like racism and body positivity.

We speak with Preetipls on what areas she hopes to see the country can improve on, as well as some silver linings she has experienced during this challenging year.

You’re known for being outspoken about the beauty industry and other social issues revolving race: did your personal experiences growing up in Singapore influence this?
Yes for sure, my personal experiences have played a huge role in most of my content. Especially videos specific to race, body positivity etc. Being bullied for these things have certainly motivated me to be more vocal about such issues today.

Do you feel that the use of satire and humour helps society in general to navigate heavier, more controversial issues?
I definitely believe that humour helps to make a lot of “difficult” or “heavy” topics way more palatable for the average consumer. Personally, humour is a coping mechanism, so it was only natural for me to turn to humour to discuss these issues.

The word influencer is thrown around quite loosely these days. Is this label something you associate yourself with?
I would define the term “influencer” as someone with influence. So as much as there’s a negative connotation to the term and a specific image in mind when the word “influencer” is mentioned, based on the definition – I am an influencer.

This year has been challenging for us all. What to you, are the silver linings?
My silver linings would definitely include being able to spend way more time indoors, so more time with loved ones and also having more time on my hands to focus on creating more content.

What is your personal vision for Singapore?
This could be wishful thinking but I would love for Singapore to be a safe space for everyone.

In what areas do you think the country can improve?
Not sure what the courtesy lion is up to these days, but I definitely think there’s a lot more room for kindness in Singapore.

This story first appeared in Lifestyle Asia Singapore.

(All images: Preetipls)