SKULLY BRANDON

Your videos have reached millions of people online. What do you think it is about your style that connects so strongly with audiences?

I love what I do and I feel like my audience enjoys watching me be myself. Combining dance moves, skits, and fashion into my lifestyle and vlog posts makes my content very unique from other creators. They never know what crazy thing I’ll be up to in my next post. Haha!

From Instagram and TikTok to modeling for brands like Dior and Philipp Plein, how has social media shaped the opportunities you’ve had in your career?

I would say social media has played a huge part in my success and has given me modeling, acting, and brand partnership opportunities for many years now. Instagram and Tiktok gave me a  place to show off my creativity and skills. These platforms have become somewhat like a resume of what I can do and bring to life. Dior was one of my first fashion brand deals, ever. They reached out directly on Instagram for a partnership. I was shocked! Philipp Plein, Von Dutch, Mitchell & Ness, and many other clothing brands reached out for paid partnerships with me after watching one of my ‘Rate my fashion’ tiktok videos. So yup, social media has played a big role in my career!

You’re known for your spontaneous videos. How much of your content is planned versus completely in-the-moment?

I would say 50/50. Half of my videos I’m just out somewhere and an idea hits me at the moment. I could be walking down the street and see something random and all of sudden I’m looking for somewhere to sit my tripod. Sometimes I already have pre-planned content that I came up with days before. Usually it’s still very random though. I like to be somewhat unpredictable.

Winning the 2025 WEA award for Best Viral Video must have been an incredible milestone. What did that recognition mean to you?

It felt amazing to be recognized and win an award for the first time ever, for my creativity. We talked about my content being spontaneous earlier. Well the video that won the award was a random video I came up with while getting dressed for a Halloween party! I thought to myself, “A disco video would be funny”. I filmed the video in a couple minutes and uploaded it to Tiktok and Instagram. The next day it had already gone viral and I woke up to the video having over 1 million views on Tiktok and over 600 thousand on Instagram! A few months later I got an email saying my video was nominated for an award! My friends and I celebrated every day up until the awards show and especially the night I received it!

You’ve also done acting work in campaigns and films. How does performing on camera for a scripted role differ from creating content for your own platforms?

It’s a huge difference. Kind of like learning a whole new thing. I assumed the transition would be easy due to my creative background, but I had to start from the bottom just like everyone else. A very humbling experience. I’ve worked hard at it to earn the roles I’ve booked in films and commercials. I had to go from the freedom of creating my own vision and being myself to learning how to make someone else’s vision come to life and be the character they’ve created. Being on set is a very different experience compared to what I’m used to but I’m happy with my progress so far and I’m loving this new adventure!

Modeling for major brands often comes with its own challenges. What’s been your most memorable fashion or brand collaboration so far?

Since I already make lots of fashion content, transitioning to modeling has been pretty easy for me. It feels very natural being on set for photo shoots. I would say the Von Dutch campaign will always be the most memorable collaboration to me because they gave me full creative freedom on set. I was able to set up the props, clothing, and backdrops however I wanted to and the production team followed my direction. Very rare something like this happens.

With such a huge online following, how do you stay authentic and avoid feeling pressured to fit into trends?

Trends are great, but that won’t get you fans who tune in every time you post. Over the years I’ve learned that staying consistent to the specific type of content you post will keep you relevant regardless of what’s trending. Consistency over clout-chasing.

You’re actively involved in charities like Habitat for Humanity and Toys for Tots. What inspired your commitment to giving back?

I’ve had my own struggles in the past. Nearly homeless and hungry at one point. I know how it feels and thinking about how others are feeling that same feeling of fear and hopelessness every day drives me to help others. Especially children. I plan to start my own charity in the future once I have the means to do so.

How do you handle the balance between your online presence and your personal life?

Over time I’ve figured out that it’s best to keep my personal life and public life separate. I like having two different lives and being able to jump from one to another whenever I want. I rarely post personal business or family members on social media. It’s more peaceful that way and I like my privacy.

Looking ahead, what new projects or goals are you most excited to pursue in the next chapter of your career?

I’m excited to really dive into modeling and commercial work! I want to be on a billboard, TV commercial, or in a store by 2026! I’ve made it my main goal. My acting goals are leaning towards action movies and possibly stunt work in the near future. My goal for social media is to start doing long-form videos on YouTube.