TikTok star and actress Emma Norton is used to being in front of the camera—she’s creative and personable. This charming star on the rise creates original comedy, singing, and dancing content on TikTok – she’s generated over 5 million TikTok followers, mostly during the pandemic. We know what you’re thinking--there’s so many TikTok and YouTube stars out there—what makes Emma unique and special? We’ll tell you! We went behind the camera lens to learn more about Emma’s creative endeavors, passions, and what makes her, well…Tik. (See what we did there?!)
Tell us about your childhood.
I lived near Boston until second grade, then moved back to Denver where I was born. My early childhood was a mixture of edgy Boston, regular visits to the Maine coast, and trips to New York City to catch Broadway shows. New York City is where I got my inspiration to dedicate myself to the performing arts. Now I love seeing the Rocky Mountains outside my window. It's such a privilege to indulge in something so beautiful every single day. In Denver, I grew up doing an abundance of musical theater - undoubtedly my first love! My family has been really supportive in allowing me to spend a lot of time in Los Angeles from a young age. Los Angeles is a second home where countless friends and professional opportunities lie. My plan has always been to move from Colorado to LA when the time is right!
What inspired you to launch a TikTok channel?
A little over a year ago, a friend encouraged me to try posting a video on TikTok. I knew next to nothing about TikTok at the time. I’ll admit I was surprised to get a really positive response, and that inspired me to keep posting.
How does it differ from others?
My content tends to be on the creative side. I post a mix of characters, special-effects makeup, acting, dancing, and style. I definitely jump on trends, but I always try to put my own spin on everything I do.
Tell us about your first video.
For my first viral TikTok video, I made myself up as Harley Quinn. Going viral was so unexpected, and gave me a confidence boost to pursue countless other characters. COVID-19 challenged me, and the rest of the world, beyond anything I could imagine. I can say with confidence that I wouldn’t be the artist or person I am today without taking lockdown as an opportunity to grow in my career. TikTok gave me a platform to release my creative energy and make every day Halloween for my followers.
You have a longtime interest in special-effects makeup. How does that play into your videos?
I started doing my own and everyone else’s makeup for my theatre productions. Also, I started playing with special effects makeup when I was eleven. Halloween has always been my favorite holiday, giving me the creative freedom I craved all year. It was the one day of the year I didn't have to hold back! As I got older and more confident, the limitless opportunities of Halloween made me want to pursue makeup looks beyondHalloween.
Tell us about your work with Charity Water and Brought to Reality.
Without question, the most positive outcome from building a social media platform is the opportunity to create awareness for social causes and organizations working hard to make the world a better place. Charity: Water and Brought to Reality (BTR) are two great examples.
One in ten people around the world don’t have access to clean and safe drinking water. Diseases from dirty water kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. I hope to leverage my platform to educate people about Charity: Water’s mission of providing clean water to communities that don’t have access to this basic human necessity.
BTR is a brand started to promote teens’ mental health awareness and support. Because of the importance I place on mental health myself, I’ve used my platform to spread the word about their brand. Having seen many people struggle with mental health, I want nothing more than to support and protect friends and thousands of others.
In what ways is social media amazing? In what ways is it not?
I love being able to communicate with people across the world. TikTok provides me with a platform to express myself creatively, and to entertain people while also looking for opportunities to raise awareness about social challenges and important causes.
A major issue is when content creators place too high a value on the opinions of others in determining their self-worth and happiness. I’ve seen countless content creator friends struggle when social media numbers fluctuate. They become obsessive over their numbers not being high enough. People have to realize that a number never defines your worth as an artist, actor, dancer, and beyond.
Another huge challenge is that social media allows people to hide anonymously behind their screen and harass other users. Not only that, but giving someone the ability to “like” a hateful comment only encourages their behavior more.
How can teens use social media positively to spread awareness on various issues?
I’ve loved getting involved in social causes and bringing attention to organizations committed to making the world a better place. Also, even though I was too young to vote in the 2020 election, I’m proud about my involvement in getting out the vote and raising awareness about policy issues important to younger voters.
There are probably some issues best left to the experts to debate. But there’s no question that teens should have a voice to influence greater understanding, acceptance, and kindness!
How do you deal with keyboard warriors/bullies?
Bullies come with the territory, so a thick skin is something that’s absolutely necessary. I’ve learned that as long as I feel proud of my creativity and the effort I put in, I can easily allow the words of internet trolls to roll off my shoulders. I find it’s much more powerful to thank the people who want to see me fail instead of fighting hate with more hate. It’s ironic that, by interacting with my followers, their negative comments actually bring me more success. That person decided to judge me solely based on seeing 15-30 seconds of my video. If they feel powerful by spreading negativity, then I feel sorry for that person as opposed to myself.
What are your future career goals?
My ultimate career goal has always been to act in films and TV. I’ve been working toward that goal for a number of years. Hopefully 2021 is a year when you see more of me playing characters in meaningful film/TV projects. I also hope to develop my own fashion and makeup lines. Writing music and directing are two longer-term goals on my career radar.
Follow Emma on TikTok and Instagram: emmanortss
Photographer: Tim Schaeffer Photography @timschaefferphoto
Hair and Makeup: Allison Noelle @allisonnoellemakeup