By John Hayden

For influencers, losing 50,000 Instagram followers is bad for business. But for Jules Liesl it was good for her soul.

The South Florida native gained fame as a model for Maxim, a magazine many people look at for the pictures, not the articles. She then took it all down from her social media and started from scratch. Now, she’s a singer living in California and working to make it in the biz. She talked with OutClique about changing herself and changing perceptions.

John Hayden: Just a few years ago you were cruising along with a solid modeling career boosted by lots of followers on social media. That’s a risky move.

Jules Liesl: I was modeling for Maxim, not very positive. I started growing my page really fast in 2014. In 2018, I started to transition into a new Instagram, a new platform for myself, and a new identity. When I transitioned, I lost a ton of people on my Instagram. Literally, I lost 50,000 followers because I deleted everything to restart. Those were people who weren’t there for me. They were there for my body. I wasn’t discouraged. I was like, whatever. I’m on to better things now. Leveling up. It wasn’t an issue. I didn’t care.

JH: You lost a lot of people, but even more new fans found you and you’ve found a more satisfying life.

JL: Gaining followers that actually support what I’m doing and not just following me because of my body, they’re good people who are interested in what I do for a career rather than looking at pictures of me half naked. Transitioning into new fans was interesting, but it definitely took a lot of time for new people to follow me. I got better fans who are involved and want to be a part of it, not just looking at my pictures.

JH: That has to have improved your self-image and overall state of mind.

JL: I’m happy right now. I wasn’t a year ago, or two or three years ago. Now I’m very happy and I feel like everything is looking up for me. When you’re doing really well, all this energy comes in and tries to bring you down. I’m trying to push against it.

JH: Now you’re a singer and songwriter. I just listened to “If I Were a Genie.” It’s playful, sexy, and fun.

JL: I like Middle Eastern men, they were my inspiration. I’m obsessed with Disney, so I wanted to do a take on the movie Aladdin.

JH: You have a condition where you ‘see’ colors around things, even ideas?

JL: I have Synesthesia, which is a condition that causes a person to visualize colors, and this song is the color purple. So, I incorporate that in the sound. Some people might be able to hear or see it, which is cool.

JH: You talked about having better fans, and you seem to make personal connections very easily. Why are they important to you, and why are you important to them?

JL: My goal is to be relatable and accessible. I want to be a friend to people, not just someone they look up to. I want to be friends, go out to lunch, and be there for them. People online can feel lost, lonely, depressed, have anxiety, and feel like they don’t have anyone. People message me a lot that they don’t have anyone to talk to and I’m like ‘What’s up? Let’s get it together. I’m here for you!’ I also try to have a relationship with people who follow me and my career. They’re literally supporting me, they love me, and they’re giving me nothing but love, so why wouldn’t I want to have a relationship with them? When people meet me in person, I remember names and details about them.”

JH: You’re living in Hollywood, California, but South Florida still claims you as one of its own. When you make it back, what are your favorite places?

JL: I’m from Palm Beach Gardens, was born in Fort Lauderdale, and grew up in Boca. I used to go to The Gardens Mall. I love Juno Beach and the Jupiter Lighthouse.

JH: Any plans to tour around Florida?

JL: I have a lot of friends there that are doing music too. I think it’d be really cool to go around Florida touring with them.