The future is (definitely) young, sophisticated, and female! Multimedia maven Dai Time is proving just that. At only 19 years old, this uber-successful, social butterfly has become a legend in the making on the journalistic front, moving stories of today’s biggest stars through the microphone or at the editor’s desk of her very own magazine. With her commanding tone and magnetic flair, Dai Time is a prolific figure of Generation Z, with no choice but to be seen and heard beyond the bright lights and barricades.
Born and raised in the Peach State, the Atlantan earned the applause of many when she gained worldwide notoriety for her breakout song, “My TuTu,” at the tender age of six. The bop (ultimately) turned into a best-selling children’s book, which went on to be regarded as a powerhouse in youth literature. Following the viral hit’s celebrated unveiling, Time carried the momentum with her succeeding singles, “Hair Bows and Skates” and “Best Friend,” igniting a movement in music that kids bumped to the beat of all over the globe.
The Georgia-bred sensation’s innate shine–on and off the track–instantly made her the coolest in the crowd, as her then-growing fanbase solidified her as the new girlie on the grid to look out for. However, through her stint as a rising artist, she realized her voice was no longer to be used at the pulse of the hottest dance record. Instead, it had a more purposeful meaning, laced with the ability to make an echo in higher places. Be it through a digital impact from life’s lenses or engaging on-camera conversations with Hollywood’s heroes and heroines, Time grew fascinated with her potential to leave a vocal imprint outside of a melodic landscape.
Through media correspondence, the Southern Belle rediscovered her knack for digging deeper and unraveling the unknown, covering major events in the industry from the 2010s leading into the 2020s. In 2017, at only 11 years old, she launched Dai Time Magazine, a quarterly online and print publication that sheds light on adolescent and teen culture. From there, Time displayed her versatility (even more) by starting her production company, DT Entertainment, at 16, and even landed her own Snapchat show, It’s Dai Time. The report-style web series, which is now in its sixth season, sees the Los Angeles transplant delivering the juiciest A-list news.
With an impressive log of celebrity interviews under her belt–flaunting everyone from NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal to actress Jada Pinkett Smith–Time is a self-made household name. So much so that she’s singlehandedly dominated the internet through content creation, deeming herself a giant in the influencer space with over one million followers across her platforms collectively.
Currently, an entrepreneur and journalism student, Time is sheer confirmation that age truly is nothing but a number, and anything is accomplishable if you simply just… do it.
We recently had the amazing opportunity to catch up with this beautiful genius. Check out our Dai Time interview below!
Mega Influencer Dai Time on Growing Up in the Limelight, Being a Positive Voice for the Youth, & How She’s Maintained a Healthy Relationship w/ Social Media
Parlé Mag: One of the things I find commendable about you is that you’re multifaceted. You have such a long résumé at such a young age. You’ve written a book, administered your own magazine, done music, red carpets—so many amazing things. And you mentioned in another interview that you actually started out doing competitive dance and cheer!
Dai Time: Yeah! I did.
Parlé Mag: So, do you have like an entertainment-based background, or was this something that your parents just saw in you from a young age?
Dai Time: Yeah, you know, honestly, I feel like me being a part of the entertainment industry was just kind of something that I chose to follow.
Parlé Mag: Okay.
Dai Time: I’ve always been super-duper active indoors. I grew up with a lot of allergies, so I was inside all the time, and I kind of fell in love with trying different extracurricular activities. And this was a really big part of my life, especially when I was in elementary school. So, I was doing like competitive cheer, competitive gymnastics, [and] I did ballet. Eventually, I started taking piano and singing lessons, which kind of opened up that new world of being an artist and like artistry. That was honestly my first introduction to being a part of the entertainment industry, and, now, this is where I’ve wound up! [laughs]
Parlé Mag: Right! [laughs] You released your single “My TuTu” at six years old, I believe.
Dai Time: Yeah!
Parlé Mag: So young! [laughs] And then you followed with “Hair Bows and Skates” and “Best Friend.” As a kids’ artist, would you say that pressure came with keeping up that lifestyle?
Dai Time: You know, for me, I don’t think it was much pressure because I was just having a good time, honestly. I feel like I looked at artistry as just something fun that I was doing in my spare time. So, you know, you can very clearly see that in my music. You can hear that in my music I was just having a fun time. I don’t think there were any expectations, but I did ultimately find out through actually being an artist that that wasn’t necessarily what I wanted to continue to pursue. I knew I liked it for that moment, but I knew that in the long term, it wouldn’t be something that I was interested in continuing to pursue and like truly passionate about. But I am super grateful for my time that I spent doing music and being a part of that aspect of the entertainment industry because I was able to find something that I really, really love, which is like being an influencer and hosting and the media correspondence side of things. So, yeah!
Parlé Mag: That brings me to my next question. After the viral songs–well, sort of around that time–you started doing correspondent work. So, what sort of ignited that career path for you?
Dai Time: Yeah! If you ask my mom, she will literally tell you that I’ve always been such an inquisitive child. I was always asking questions, and I was always talking. I really found pride in being super knowledgeable. So, I was always doing research [and] asking questions. I don’t know… I got asked to do a red carpet premiere, and after that, I was like, “Okay! Like, yes!”
Parlé Mag: This is it! [laughs]
Dai Time: I don’t know… I feel like it was just like a really natural kind of portion of my life. One of my first memories of being a child is when I had got this new water bottle. I love water bottles. Even to this day, I love water bottles. I had got my new water bottle, and I was walking around the house and I was using it as a microphone. I was like interviewing all my dolls.
Parlé Mag: Oh, my gosh! [laughs]
Dai Time: So, yeah, little did I know that I would actually end up pursuing journalism and being a media correspondent. But I don’t know… I feel like I’ve always had a passion for just talking… and being curious and asking questions.
Parlé Mag: Since you entered the journalism space at such a young age, did you ever experience others in your field sort of not taking you as seriously–since you were younger–or even some people [who] you may have interviewed? Did you feel like you had to prove yourself to get yourself in the door in that space?
Dai Time: Yeah! I think that that’s honestly such a good question because you don’t see a lot of younger people in these fields and me being nine years old [at the time] on a red carpet with a microphone in my hand–
Parlé Mag: Mhm hmm!
Dai Time: It was definitely a shock, to me, to be the only child on the carpet. And you would assume that it was intimidating… and, for me, it wasn’t intimidating at all.
Parlé Mag: Really?
Dai Time: Because I was just doing something that I loved. And, thankfully, I don’t think I’ve conducted an interview with somebody who was not very receptive to my young age. I do think that my interviews were actually a little bit more fun because they knew that I was so young. I remember one of my first super-big interviews was with Anthony Anderson.
Parlé Mag: Oh, wow!
Dai Time: He was super funny, and he was hilarious. He was like, “How old are you? Like, don’t you have school?” And we were laughing the whole time!
Parlé Mag: [laughs]
Dai Time: I don’t think I’ve had any bad experiences on the carpet, but it definitely was interesting to be the only young person who was out there following [their] dreams. I feel like it kind of sparked me to create my magazine and to further on create a platform promoting going out there and pursuing what you love, even at a young age.
Parlé Mag: So, do you have a favorite person you’ve interviewed or you liked them all equally? [laughs]
Dai Time: No, I cannot choose a favorite! I feel like I’m so blessed to just be able to talk to so many amazing people, and I feel like I could never just pick one solid interview because every interview is different.
Parlé Mag: Right.
Dai Time: And I try to do it like that on purpose. I’m like, “How do I feel today? Like, what am I interested in?” Because I know whatever I’m interested in, the rest of my generation is interested in.
Parlé Mag: Exactly.
Dai Time: It’s like… I know that there’s going to be, you know, a very different perspective with whatever celebrity or whoever I’m talking to on the carpet. I’m like, “Okay, I know I’m listening to this artist. Let me see who this celebrity has on their playlist.” I don’t know… it’s super fun because I’m kind of bringing my generation to the front line when I’m in these super-big places in entertainment.
Parlé Mag: Yes!
Dai Time: And it also just allows me to have fun and just see another perspective from the average A-list celebrity.
Parlé Mag: Right! And it makes a difference when you’re doing what you love, so I definitely get it.
Dai Time: Yeah, totally!
Parlé Mag: Just from watching your content, you have a very beautiful and infectious main character energy! [laughs]
Dai Time: Thank you! [laughs]
Parlé Mag: So, I’m sure as your name picked up buzz, it didn’t take long for your online presence to grow as well. I can imagine, though, with accumulating such a large platform, there have been some difficulties. So, what has been the most challenging aspect of your influencer journey thus far?
Dai Time: I feel like, as an influencer, everyone thinks that it’s just so easy because you’re just taking photos [or] you’re just taking videos. And, in reality, you have to be camera-ready all the time and you also have to kind of be okay with this vulnerability of like showing personal things to the rest of the world. I feel like I found comfort in being vulnerable online when I realized that there are other people my age, like me, who are going through the same issues and feel alone and have no one to turn to or feel comforted by. So, I feel like being vulnerable online is crazy. It’s something so crazy you experience because you’re susceptible to the world’s perception of you, which is a lot.
Parlé Mag: Yes!
Dai Time: And you just have to be mentally prepared for that. I also feel like another challenge is creator burnout. A lot of people, like creators, do not talk about creator burnout. It’s totally a real thing! Even if you love what you do, sometimes, you get caught up in the numbers, you get caught up in the comments, and you just feel uninspired to do what you love. And, honestly, it’s such a sucky time because you love posting, you love sharing content, [and] you love connecting with people across the world. [But] it’s like when you’re in that burnout, it’s like, “Oh, my God! Like, okay, how can I find the joy in doing what I love again?”
Parlé Mag: Right!
Dai Time: Yeah, I feel like, for me, those are the most common challenges that I face, but at the end of the day… I push through because I do really love doing social media, and I feel like it’s just such an amazing platform, and I’m just so grateful to have a platform like I do.
Parlé Mag: Just to expand on the first part of your answer, how selective are you when it comes to choosing what you do share with your audience while still maintaining a sense of transparency? If that makes sense.
Dai Time: Yeah! That’s such a great question. I feel like I have to be comfortable with something myself, first. And I typically just end up recording and if I feel like, later on down the line, it’s like a little bit too personal, then I won’t necessarily share it. But with my acne, per se, it took me about a year before I actually started showing my acne online. Before that, I was wearing a crap ton of makeup, which I didn’t even know how to do makeup.
Parlé Mag: [laughs]
Dai Time: I was just packing on a crap ton of makeup. I was editing my photos, using filters in videos, just trying to make sure that my skin looked super-duper clear. It took me about a year of doing that before I was like, “Okay. I’m not the only person experiencing acne. This is probably a really good time to open up and make sure that my audience doesn’t feel alone in this journey like how I did.” And so I started sharing my acne journey when I started Accutane.
Parlé Mag: Okay.
Dai Time: I had no regrets after. I was getting so many comments and DMs [from] people who were all struggling with acne. It was kind of comforting to myself to talk about something that I had been struggling with for so long. And I was so sensitive about my acne to the point [where] I would catch attitudes when people would say something about my skin. Because I feel like, oh my gosh, it was such a crazy time to have acne–especially on social media. I was getting comments like, “Are you drinking water?” [or] like, “You know if you eat apples, your skin is going to be clear?”
Parlé Mag: Wow!
Dai Time: I was like, “Are you sure?”
Parlé Mag: [laughs]
Dai Time: And I even put myself in the hospital trying to make sure that I was eating right.
Parlé Mag: Oh, my gosh!
Dai Time: I was following a vegan diet. I believe I followed a vegan diet for like six to eight months, and I ended up being hospitalized because I gave myself an allergic reaction.
Parlé Mag: Oh, goodness!
Dai Time: So, I gave myself esophagitis trying to follow a vegan regimen that I had heard about on social media… and, now, I’m allergic to soy and almonds.
Parlé Mag: Oh, wow!
Dai Time: So, yeah, anaphylaxis reaction. I feel like some things are super-personal, but I feel like I find pride in sharing those super-personal things when I know that they will be beneficial to somebody else who’s in need.
Parlé Mag: So, how did you navigate through that, being that you are in a field that does require you to be on camera? Dealing with those self-esteem issues, in reference to your skin, how did you maneuver through that weird space?
Dai Time: For me, personally, like I said, a year later, I realized that social media is really fake!
Parlé Mag: Yes!
Dai Time: Very–
Parlé Mag: superficial!
Dai Time: Yeah! Social media is so fake, and people only put out what they want other people to see. And I feel like it took me to realize that, “Okay, nobody’s skin is actually that perfect,” for me to realize that it was okay to post my skin when it wasn’t perfect.
Parlé Mag: Right.
Dai Time: I feel like that’s really how I navigated through that. And I think that it was actually comforting to be able to relate to my viewers and just relate to other people facing issues with acne… in general. Because when I was going through acne, it was like nobody had acne. Nobody’s ever seen acne before; nobody’s ever touched it. Like, they were looking at me like I was carrying around chickenpox and I was like making everybody get chickenpox.
Parlé Mag: Wow.
Dai Time: So, I feel like me being able to open up about that on social media really helped me to connect with my audience and also just be related to, which is a really good feeling, honestly. I’ve never gone back since. I try to post super-authentic content now, even when I don’t feel like it. Sometimes, I draw the line. Like, when I wake up in the morning and I look so bad!
Parlé Mag: [laughs]
Dai Time: I’m like, “Okay! Maybe I’m going to have to pick up when I look a little bit better.” But I’ve been trying to clean up on my authenticity online because I feel that it’s super-duper important to let, you know, especially the members of my generation know that we’re all going through the same thing.
Parlé Mag: Yes!
Dai Time: Even if it doesn’t look like it, we are. We have generational problems, so we’re all going through that. Especially during this time, we’re all going through mental health issues because of social media. We’re all in school, trying to make sure that we’re making good grades and getting our degrees. So, I feel like, for my generation, it’s so important–more now than ever–to be authentic and kind of help them through their issues, too.
Parlé Mag: Exactly! Because I feel like [with] social media, it makes people forget that, we’re all human. So, that’s the problem there.
Dai Time: Yeah, seriously!
Parlé Mag: And also, you know, like you said, there are people using filters, [such as] FaceTune. They don’t show the days when they got the fine lines and stuff! So, I get it.
Dai Time: No, seriously… when I had acne, my skin was literally looking like a crunch bar! Just bump, bump, bump, bump, bump. And, on Instagram, it was so clear!
Parlé Mag: [laughs]
Dai Time: It was like matte; it was smooth. I was eating the edits up!
Parlé Mag: [laughs]
Dai Time: And I don’t even know how I was editing because I don’t know how to Photoshop, I don’t know how to do any of that, but I found a way when I had acne. It’s like, [I asked myself], “I wonder who else is going through puddles to do the same thing.” So, yeah, it was definitely something that I had to change about myself and my image online after going through that battle.
Parlé Mag: As you mentioned, social media… it takes a lot of mental capacity. So, what’s something that you do to unwind that your fans may not know… when you’re not in front of the camera?
Dai Time: I love, love, love, to play The Sims.
Parlé Mag: Really? [laughs]
Dai Time: Yeah! Do you know about The Sims?
Parlé Mag: I do! I like The Sims!
Dai Time: I love The Sims! I recently built a custom gaming computer.
Parlé Mag: Okay!
Dai Time: And that’s been my latest kind of crazy venture. Oh, my gosh! Literally the best two months of my life!
Parlé Mag: [laughs]
Dai Time: The guy who built it for me hasn’t spoken to me since, so I probably annoyed him so bad calling him every single day about this PC.
Parlé Mag: [laughs]
Dai Time: But I’m so happy to just play The Sims. It allows me to kind of just take my mind off of things and relax and recharge my battery for thinking and working. And I feel like after I’ve rattled away at the game for hours and hours, I can like turn back to reality and be ready to tackle whatever comes toward me.
Parlé Mag: I love that! So, let’s talk about your Snapchat series, It’s Dai Time. How has that response resonated with you since season one? Because you’re now in season six. So, how has that response been?
Dai Time: I love my Snapchat show. It’s such a fun thing that I get to do, and it allows me to stay up-to-date on what’s happening because I really don’t be on social media like that. I try not to.
Parlé Mag: Really?
Dai Time: Yeah! I try not to be on social media like that, but when I’m working on my show, it kind of gives me an excuse to like go and skim and look into the gossip, look into the news, see what’s really happening out in the world, especially for my generation. I love that aspect. I also know that, sometimes, a lot of us are just off of our games. We disappear into school or into work, and it’s like, we come back, and it’s like, “Okay, what did we miss?”
Parlé Mag: [Like], “What happened?” [laughs]
Dai Time: Yeah! I love that my show is able to kind of fill you in really quickly. My episodes are about sixty seconds a piece. Sometimes… forty-five to sixty seconds. It depends. We’re on the shorter end because my attention span is also super short.
Parlé Mag: Mine too! [laughs]
Dai Time: Yeah, I just love that I have that short, little daily dose of the trending news and pop culture and whatnot. So, yeah, I really love that about my show.
Parlé Mag: Okay, so what can viewers expect moving forward with the show?
Dai Time: I’m posting weekly episodes. Every single week, there’s a new episode of my show! Like I said, if you are off of social media for the week or you were out [of] the country and had no service, I promise you, like, literally, if you just look at a few episodes, like two or three, [which would take] five minutes, you will literally be caught up on everything that you need to know. And I also try to make it a priority to cover important topics, too, and not just the fun ones because sometimes we need to see other things.
Parlé Mag: Right!
Dai Time: We need to see important things and work on how to change things like body hate and online cyberbullying and stuff like that, too. So, it’s definitely just a great place to get new information and important information, too, sometimes. If you’re interested in that, then, yeah! Check out my show! [laughs]
Parlé Mag: So, looking back on your career, what has been the most rewarding of it all?
Dai Time: I think that the most rewarding part of my work in the entertainment industry has probably been being able to build such an amazing support system. I’m so grateful to be able to connect with so many different people across the world, especially those who are a part of the same generation as me. I love my generation. I feel like it’s so important that we stick together, and I’m trying to just introduce Gen-Z into more spaces and bring more light onto us because we really are amazing! We’re going to shape the future. So, I feel like just being able to have a platform to broadcast my generation and all of our greatness–in addition to being able to actually go in and connect with people who are just like me–it feels so amazing! And I’m so grateful to have my platform, honestly.
Parlé Mag: Well, you’re doing a great job, I must say!
Dai Time: Thank you!
Parlé Mag: You’re recognized as the voice of Gen-Z. So, when it’s all said and done, what do you want people who may look up to you to take away from you and the mark that you leave on the world?
Dai Time: Ultimately, I just want us to go big. Don’t go home! I want us to just thrive. I want us to be creative and make [a] change, especially where the change needs to be made. A lot of us are, you know, we’re entering young adulthood, and I just want us to make an impact and be different and embrace that [difference]. And I also want us to just stick together and move as a generation, which is why I try to inspire my peers to go out. Because if we can all be, conquering entertainment or our perspective industries, we’re going to be ruling the world!
Parlé Mag: Better together than apart!
Dai Time: Yeah, seriously! So, yeah, I just want my generation to succeed. I want us to go after our dreams and really just be the change that we want to see.
Parlé Mag: Awesome! Any tips [for] someone who may want to get into influencing?
Dai Time: Yes! I say… if you are interested in being a content creator or being an influencer, I will say… you need to know your audience and think about that. For me, my audience is Gen-Z. I’m literally the perfect model Gen-Z girl because I’m literally like… I don’t know I feel like all of us just think the same. So, I feel like when I’m thinking about my content and what I’m about to post, I’m like, “Okay, what type of content am I watching? Would I watch what I’m about to post or no?” Because if I would not watch what I’m about to post, I’m like, “There’s no point in posting it!”
Parlé Mag: Right! [laughs]
Dai Time: I feel like it’s super helpful to know your audience and just kind of think about the message that you want to relay–even if it’s just a goofy message [or] if it’s a serious message. Think about your audience and how you want that message to hit them. And, for me, that’s just thinking about myself… and it’s like, “Okay, well, I’m a little bored, so I need to add a transition here or I’m going to swipe off of this video!”
Parlé Mag: Because people’s attention [spans], like we were just talking about, [are] small nowadays.
Dai Time: No, literally!
Parlé Mag: So, it’s very important to catch it while you can! [laughs]
Dai Time: [laughs] Yeah!
Parlé Mag: So, what’s next for you? Any acting gigs, new music, maybe? Another book?
Dai Time: No! No music.
Parlé Mag: Okay! [laughs]
Dai Time: I did like being an artist when I was six, but I don’t think I’ll find my way back to artistry anytime soon. [laughs] And if I do, it’ll probably just be for a joke. It won’t be to pursue a career. It’ll just be for fun. Next, for me, you can always expect new episodes of my show on Snapchat, It’s Dai Time. You guys already know the deal. Just tune in for your daily dose of pop culture [or] trendy, Gen-Z news–the whole shenanigans–and just stay tuned with me on socials. I’m posting all the time, and that’s where you can also get the latest updates about me and what’s going on. I’m striving for change this year, so, hopefully… some big stuff happens.
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