BETHANY MOTA ~ Syahdiah Atmaladin

BETHANY MOTA

Bethany Noel Mota (born November 7, 1995) is an American video blogger from Los Banos, California. Starting with her YouTube channel, Macbarbie07, created in 2009, she rose to fame for her haul videos, in which she shows her fashion purchases via the internet. She uploads videos of outfit ideas, makeup and hair tutorials, recipes, and do it yourself ideas. She has since expanded into her own fashion line at Aéropostale.

She has gone on multiple tours, which she calls her "motavatours" to meet and interact with fans. Beth is of Mexican and Portuguese descent. She grew up in California and has an older sister named Brittany. She was homeschooled through most of her education but attended public school from third through sixth grade. Beth is one of the most popular YouTube celebrities. Beth's first haul video was in June 2009. She began her YouTube channel in order to escape the stress of bullying and rapidly gained followers, which now number over seven million. Business Insider describes her as "relentlessly upbeat and bouncy" and "a virtuoso of positivity". As hauling became more popular on YouTube, retailers began to use it for marketing, and Beth was offered free cosmetics and gift cards. Beth is ambivalent about promotional videos, but when she does feature free products, she clearly identifies the products that she has not purchased. In January 2014, Business Insider estimated that she made $40,000 a month on her videos. In order to cultivate her fan following, she purchases prizes and awards them to fans who promote her videos. Her fans are called "Mota-vators". Besides her fashion-related videos, she also maintains a more personal account, which she uses to discuss whatever interests her. In 2014, she was selected to be among the content creators in YouTube's first advertising campaign. Beth has also appeared on YouTube's web show IMO, an opinion show aimed at teenagers. She also interviewed President Barack Obama on January 22, 2015 as part of a Whitehouse initiative to reach out to a broader audience following his 2015 State of the Union Address. She has partnered with JCPenney and Forever 21, and, in December 2013, she launched a clothing and accessories line at Aéropostale, over which she retains creative control. She maintains a close relationship with her fans and incorporates their ideas into her fashion design. Teen Vogue called her style "laid-back-but-girly". New announcements are made first to her social media accounts, which Aéropostale credits with increasing interest among teenage girls. The Salt Lake Tribune described this relationship as unique, as both Beth and Aéropostale benefit in prestige from the deal, unlike traditional celebrity endorsements. As of June 2014, the retailer has yet to gain traction from these efforts. Forbes reports that the collection has delivered "high average prices and margins" but still underperformed. In January 2014, she embarked on a tour called the "Motavatour", across the United States. In March 2014, Mota reported on the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards for Entertainment Tonight. Mota also served as a guest judge in season 13 of Project Runway. On September 4, 2014, Mota was announced as a competitor on Dancing with the Stars – season 19. She paired with five-time champion Derek Hough. Mota and Hough reached the finals but were eliminated on Night 1 finishing in 4th place. On October 13, 2014, she released a single, "Need You Right Now", with producer-vocalist Mike Tompkins.