“Change-seeking robot with the drip” is the Instagram bio that greets the 1.9 million followers of Miquela Sousa’s — or Lil Miquela’s — profile page, some of which include the likes of Bia, Jacquemus, Rosalía, Salem Mitchell, the MOCA and many more. Miquela is a computer-generated human robot who lives in Los Angeles, likes fashion and goes to In-N-Out with her friends. If the Instagram bio and nickname perplex you, a scroll through her feed will leave you completely baffled. The Miquela franchise has acquired upwards of $125 million through brand deals, paid sponsorships, collaborations, clothing range, and, oh yeah – a booming music career. In the past four years, the 19 year-old digital It-Girl has been the face of everything from Vogue covers to fashion shows. Since posting her first “selfie” on June 9th, 2016 of her in Santa Monica with her very real bestie, Molly Soda, Miquela has sported Louis Vuitton for PAPER Magazine’s “Break the Internet” 2017 issue, has been Pat McGrath’s makeup model in 2018, has launched a clothing collaboration with High Snobiety in 2018 and has featured product endorsements for streetwear and luxury brands. An infamous one is a paid partnership with Calvin Klein, in which Miquela stands arm-in-arm with Bella Hadid, labeled with the caption “No one else can define our own truths. #MYTRUTH #MYCALVINS”. She even starred in an Instagram takeover campaign for Prada during Milan Fashion Week. Miquela can often be seen sporting her high-end designer clothes such as Chanel, Supreme, and Balenciaga and giving shoutouts to various beauty brands. Miquela also uses her platform for activism and has partnered with several charity organizations to raise money for Black Girls Code and others, and has voiced her opinion defending and supporting social causes including LGBTQ+ causes, reproductive rights, and Black Lives Matter. Her photo captions seldom indicate that she is any different from the next social media influencer, with the occasional “I am so excited I’m gonna short circuit” scattered throughout project announcement posts. Her Instagram stories feature her going “Live” at album release parties and filming YouTube confession videos. She poses next to various celebrities in her photos, such as Millie Bobby Brown and Diplo, and attends exclusive or popular events like Coachella. Miquela even seems to have a romantic relationship with model Nick Killian.
78