Interview: Influencer Matthew Contreras sits down to discuss blowing up on TikTok, Skating, and future plans.
By. Alicia Zamora
Alicia’s Studio Sits Down with Influencer Matthew Contreras to Talk about Why He Started Social Media, Skating, and Future Plans in the Entertainment Industry
A Conversation with Matthew Contreras
Alicia: Welcome back to Alicia’s Studio we have our fourth special guest
Matthew Contreras: I’m Matthew Contreras. I’m from Japan
Alicia: Alright we're going to dive into the first question starting with how it all started when you started to blow up on TikTok did you expect it or at the time were you posting for fun?
Matthew Contreras: At the time I was just posting for fun.
Matthew Contreras: My friends told me I should start posting and I lived in Tokyo at the time and I was really bored every day. So I just posted.
Alicia: Okay! If it weren't for social media what would you have found yourself doing?
Matthew Contreras: working at the child daycare
Alicia: I see that skating is something you do in a lot of your videos. Is that something that has always been an interest of yours?
Matthew Contreras: it has I've been skating since middle school and yeah
Alicia: cool cool cool
Alicia: When skating have you ever had a bad injury to the point where you have broken a bone or torn a ligament?
Matthew Contreras: No I’ve never had a broken bone probably just a sprain.
Alicia: Moving into the topics of interest, in let's say five years do you see yourself putting yourself out there more like making YouTube videos or do you even see yourself still doing social media?
Matthew Contreras: uhhh I hope so. I want to get into YouTube a little more but I’m just kind of lazy right now
Alicia: So you’ve started or?
Matthew Contreras: I’ve started a little bit but I’m just kind of busy moving around too much.
Alicia: ahh okay okay
Alicia: But have you recently thought about dropping any YouTube videos and collaborating with other influencers?
Matthew Contreras: Umm yeah I’ve been asked but it’s just I live in Japan so it’s kind of hard
Alicia: So you coming to LA.. do you come out here just for fun or do you have any projects to do?
Matthew Contreras: I come here for work stuff but mostly to see my friends
Alicia: At the moment you live in Japan do you see yourself ever moving out here to LA to see if you can explore more of the entertainment industry like modeling or acting?
Matthew Contreras: I do want to get into modeling a little more but I’m just.. I don’t know.. I don’t really know how to.. Yeah
Alicia: What do you mean.. Did you just never look into it orrr?
Matthew Contreras: not really.. I mean I’m in an agency in Okinawa, Japan but I don’t know.. I’m just like.. I don’t know what I really want to do
Alicia: Oh real
Alicia: I get that. I get that
Matthew Contreras: Like I’m just confused
Alicia: That’s so valid
Alicia: When you started to see that you were rapidly gaining followers did it switch your perspective on anything?
Matthew Contreras: Uhh not really. I still feel the same about people and the same about myself
Alicia: Do you feel pressure to post and engage with the people who follow you?
Matthew Contreras: Mmm sometimes I do because I know some people want specific things but I just post whatever I want
Alicia: What positive outcome do you think you have gained with the rise of your social media success?
Matthew Contreras: Positive outcome…mmmm I would say entertaining other people like making funny videos
Alicia: Cool cool
Alicia: Being active in general seems to be your thing. Do you ever feel like you're about to hit burnout?
Matthew Contreras: Not really. I enjoy posting
Alicia: Was this something you were aiming for?
Matthew Contreras: In high school, before I was doing all this I was always talking about you know starting YouTube and doing all this and kinda did it to where I’m at right now.
Alicia: Going into your tattoos is that something you always knew you were going to get?
Matthew Contreras: mhmmm
Alicia: Did you get in trouble?
Matthew Contreras: No. My mom has a lot of tattoos. She has more tattoos than me and I always kind of watched her while I was growing up so I’ve always wanted tattoos.
Matthew Contreras: She was my inspiration a little bit
Alicia: Would you say you have a pretty decent pain tolerance?
Matthew Contreras: Yeah !
Alicia: Diving deeper into the future do you see yourself pursuing any type of…
Alicia: You're in school right? I forgot to ask
Matthew Contreras: Yeah.. kind of
Alicia: Kind of
Matthew Contreras: Kind of
Alicia: collegeeee??
Matthew Contreras: yeahhhh
Alicia: okay.. Freshmannn???
Matthew Contreras: yeahhhh
Alicia: What do you major in?
Matthew Contreras: right now it’s Psychology and Business Management
Alicia: Oh shit I was doing that too but I switched
Alicia: Okay so Speaking more about the future do you see yourself pursuing any type of grad school or do you want to simply stick to social media?
Matthew Contreras: Social Media
Alicia: So do you think you're going to drop out?
Matthew Contreras: Oh yeah!
Alicia: Oh that’s so real
Alicia: What's the best advice you can give someone trying to pursue an online career?
Matthew Contreras: Be consistent! Like post every day just be CONSISTENT!
Alicia: Cool cool
Matthew Contreras: Also don’t be embarrassed! just do it!
Alicia: real real
Alicia: Ending off the interview I wanted to say thank you for letting me interview you, do you have any future plans? More traveling, more skating content, or starting to be more active on other social media platforms?
Matthew Contreras: I just really want to get into YouTube more
Alicia: Youtube.. Yeah, that makes good money.. You should