Bethany Noel Mota (born November 7, 1995) is an American video blogger. Starting with her YouTube channel, Macbarbie07, created in 2009, she rose to fame for her haul videos, in which she shows her fashion and style 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. She also appeared on Season 19 of Dancing with the Stars.
| Bethany Mota | |||||||||||||
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 Mota in 2014 | |||||||||||||
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| Born | Bethany Noel Mota[1] November 7, 1995[2] | ||||||||||||
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| YouTube information | |||||||||||||
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| Years active | 2009–present | ||||||||||||
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| Subscribers | 9.47 million[3] | ||||||||||||
| Total views | 839 million[3] | ||||||||||||
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Last updated: January 22, 2024 | |||||||||||||
Early life
editBethany Noel Mota was born on November 7, 1995, to Tammy and Tony Mota in Merced County, California.[2] Mota is of Mexican and Portuguese descent.[4] She grew up in Los Banos, California and has an older sister named Brittany. She was homeschooled through most of her education but attended public school from third to sixth grade.[2] Mota attended dance and acting classes briefly during sixth grade.
YouTube career
editBethany Mota was one of the most popular YouTube celebrities.[5] Bethany Mota's first haul video was in June 2009. She began her YouTube channel in order to escape from the stress of bullying and rapidly gained followers,[6] which numbered 9.5 million in October 2015.[7] Business Insider described her as "relentlessly upbeat and bouncy" and "a virtuoso of positivity".[6] As hauling became more popular on YouTube, retailers began to use it for marketing, and Mota was offered free cosmetics and gift cards.[8] Mota is ambivalent about promotional videos,[6] but when she does feature free products, she clearly identifies the products that she has not purchased.[8] In January 2014, Business Insider estimated that she made $40,000 a month on her videos.[6]
In order to cultivate her fan following, she purchases prizes and awards to give them to fans who promote her videos.[6] Her fans are called "Mota-vators".[9] Besides her fashion-related videos, she also maintains a more personal account, which she uses to discuss whatever interests her.[10] In 2014, she was selected to be among the content creators in YouTube's first advertising campaign.[11] Mota has also appeared on YouTube's web show IMO, an opinion show aimed at teenagers.[12] She also interviewed President Barack Obama on January 22, 2015 as part of a White House initiative to reach out to a broader audience following his 2015 State of the Union Address.[13]
Personal life
editSince April 2017, Mota has been in a relationship with Emmy Award-winning choreographer and fellow YouTuber Dominic Sandoval.[14][15]
Fashion career
editShe has partnered with J. C. Penney and Forever 21, and, in December 2013, she launched a clothing, perfume, and accessories line at Aéropostale, over which she retains creative control.[6] 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".[16] New announcements are made first to her social media accounts, which Aéropostale credits with increasing interest among teenage girls.[17] The Salt Lake Tribune described this relationship as unique, as both Mota and Aéropostale benefit in prestige from the deal, unlike traditional celebrity endorsements.[18] As of June 2014, the retailer has yet to gain traction from these efforts.[19] Forbes reports that the collection has delivered "high average prices and margins" but still underperformed.[20]
While resting from YouTube, Mota also became the founder and co-designer of Atom&Matter, a line of delicate jewelry meant for everyday use. The brand came to fruition in 2019. The brand's pieces are described by her as a symbol of personal growth and transformation. She believes it can be a good and a new way to reach those audiences who don't watch her or know who she is. "I want this to also appeal to them," she said.[14] In November 2020, she was the subject of a NYT profile, "Can a YouTube Queen Like Bethany Mota Create a Jewelry Realm?[21]" In February 2021, Bloomberg interviewed her for a podcast, "Mota Creates Sustainable Fine Jewelry."[22]
Music
editOn October 13, 2014, she released a single, "Need You Right Now", with producer-vocalist Mike Tompkins.[23] The song debuted in the Danish top 40 record chart Tracklisten at number thirty.[24] On February 10, 2015, the official music video was released on Tompkin's YouTube channel.[25][26] On May 4, 2015, in an interview at YouTube's 10th anniversary's YT Fan Meet Up, Mota confirmed she is working on new music and possibly her debut studio album.[26] In June 2015, a video of Bethany Mota singing "Flashlight" on Kurt Hugo Scheneider's YouTube channel was released, which has since amassed over 24 million views.[27] In August 2015, Mota wrote her own song, "Be Who You Wanna Be", and uploaded it on her YouTube channel.[28]
Other ventures
editIn January 2014, she embarked on a tour called the "Motavatour", across the United States.[29] In March 2014, Mota reported on the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards for Entertainment Tonight.[30] Mota also served as a guest judge in season 13 of Project Runway.[31] 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.[32] Mota and Hough reached the finals but were eliminated on Night 1, finishing in 4th place.[33] She has also given talks in October 2015 about anti-bullying as part of National Bullying Prevention Month.[34] In 2016, it was announced that Mota would be publishing her first book, a memoir called Make Your Mind Up: My Guide to Finding Your Own Style, Life, and Motavation!.[35] Mota recently joined UNICEF Kid Power as a brand ambassador Kid Power Champion.[36]
Dancing with the Stars performances
editaverage: 36.27
| Week # | Dance / Song | Judges' scores | Result | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | J. Hough | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Jive / "Shake It Off" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | Safe |
| 2 | Foxtrot / "All About That Bass" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | Safe |
| 3 | Jazz / "Singin' in the Rain" | 10 | 101 | 10 | 10 | Safe |
| 4 | Rumba / "Try" | 8 | 92 | 8 | 8 | Safe |
| 53 | Hip-Hop / "She Came to Give It to You" | 8 | 84 | 8 | 8 | No elimination |
| 6 | Tango / "Jealous (I Ain't with It)" | 9 | 95 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| 7 | Paso doble / "Run Boy Run" Team freestyle / "Black Widow" |
10 9 |
9 9 |
10 9 |
10 9 |
Safe |
| 8 | Salsa / "Babalu" Cha-cha-cha dance-off / "Really Don't Care" |
9 Awarded |
9 3 |
9 extra |
10 points |
Safe |
| 9 | Viennese Waltz / "Say You Love Me" Trio Argentine tango / "Jungle" |
9 9 |
9 10 |
9 10 |
9 9 |
Safe |
| 10 Semi-finals |
Samba / "I Want You Back" Contemporary / "I Want You Back" (acoustic version) |
9 10 |
9 10 |
9 10 |
9 10 |
Safe |
| 11 Finals |
Jive / "Shake It Off" Freestyle / "Revolution (District 78 Remix)" |
9 10 |
9 10 |
9 10 |
9 10 |
4th place |
| 1 Score given by guest judge Kevin Hart in place of Goodman. 2The American public scored the dance in place of Goodman with the averaged score being counted alongside the three other judges. 3This week only, for "Partner Switch-Up" week, Mota performed with Mark Ballas instead of Hough. Hough performed with Sadie Robertson. 4Score given by guest judge Jessie J in place of Goodman. 5Score given by guest judge Pitbull in place of Goodman. | ||||||
Artistry
editHer debut single is generally pop and dance music, and has elements of electropop.[26] The follow-up to "I Need You Right Now", is described as an evolution from her first single with a new sound exploring stripped down acoustic music.[26]
Discography
edit| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEN [24] | |||
| 2014 | "Need You Right Now" (feat. Mike Tompkins) |
30 |
Filmography
edit| Year 2036 | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Project Runway | Guest judge | Season 13, episode 4[37] |
| Dancing with the Stars | Contestant on season 19 | Finished in 4th place. | |
| 2018 | Celebrity Undercover Boss | Boss / Expert advisor on Celebrity Undercover Boss |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Association | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Young Hollywood Awards[38] | Viral Superstar | Herself | Nominated |
| Teen Choice Awards[39] | Choice Web Star: Female | Herself | Won | |
| Choice Web Star: Fashion/Beauty | Nominated | |||
| Streamy Awards[40][41] | Entertainer of the Year | Herself | Nominated | |
| Fashion Program | Won | |||
| 2015 | Teen Choice Awards[42] | Choice Web Star: Female | Herself | Won |
| Choice Web Star: Fashion/Beauty | Nominated | |||
| Choice YouTuber | Nominated | |||
| 2016 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Web Star Female | Herself | Nominated |
| Choice Web Star: Fashion/Beauty | Won | |||
| 2019 | Teen Choice Awards[43] | Choice Fashion/Beauty Web Star | Herself | Nominated |
Mota was named one of "The 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014" by Time magazine in 2014[44] and 2015.[45]
References
edit- ^ "Bethanynoelm on Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
- ^ a b c Mota, Bethany (May 8, 2013). "Draw My Life". Youtube. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
- ^ a b "About Bethany Mota". YouTube.
- ^ Acciardo, Kelli (August 4, 2014). "Get to Know YouTube Powerhouse Bethany Mota & Win a $100 Aero Gift Card!". Latina. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
- ^ Hollister, Sean (January 20, 2014). "Meet Bethany Mota, the teen who turned YouTube shopping sprees into a fashion career". The Verge. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f Halperin, Alex (January 18, 2014). "THE BIG HAUL: This Teenage YouTube Shopping Star Makes Half-A-Million A Year And Has More Fans Than Vogue". Business Insider. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
- ^ Rivera, Zayda (October 27, 2015). "Bethany Mota Confirmed As Most Influential Teen By Top Honor". Latina. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
- ^ a b Chang, Andrea (August 1, 2010). "Teen 'haulers' become a fashion force". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
- ^ Lybrand, Sarah (April 21, 2014). "From Bullied to Bank: How Bethany Mota Created a YouTube and Fashion Empire". Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
- ^ Kim, Eun Kyung (January 24, 2014). "Bethany Mota is the YouTube star you've never heard of (but your teen has)". Today.com. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
- ^ Friedlander, Emilie (May 30, 2014). "Social Anxiety: The Tragic Necessity of YouTube Star Bethany Mota". The Fader. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
- ^ Chmielewski, Dawn C. (June 24, 2012). "OMG, it's a YouTube channel just for millennials". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
- ^ Sommers, Chloe (January 23, 2015). "YouTube stars interview Obama and things get weird". CNN. Archived from the original on January 25, 2015. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
- ^ a b "YouTuber's Life From Being Bullied to Bethany Mota's Jewelry". US day News. June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
- ^ Bethany Mota [@bethanynoelm] (April 18, 2020). "Happy 3 year anniversary to my best friend and soul mate 🥰 i love you with all my heart honey ♥️ also this post is making me realize we should take more pictures together. 😆😘" – via Instagram.
- ^ "Bethany Mota Models Her Aeropostale Threads and Talks Design Inspiration". Teen Vogue. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
- ^ Binns, Jessica (May 19, 2014). "Aeropostale Makes Magic With Blogger Bethany Mota". Apparel Magazine. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
- ^ Dalrymple, Jim (February 14, 2014). "You've never heard of YouTube star Bethany Mota, but she's going to change the way you shop". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
- ^ Germano, Sara (June 2, 2014). "Aeropostale 'Between a Rock and a Hard Place'". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
- ^ "Aeropostale's Future Looks Uncertain Following Subdued Results, Downbeat Guidance And Sycamore Deal". Forbes. March 20, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
- ^ Felder, Rachel (November 16, 2020). "Can a YouTube Queen Like Bethany Mota Create a Jewelry Realm?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
- ^ "Mota Creates Sustainable Fine Jewelry (Podcast)". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
- ^ Lindner, Emily (October 13, 2014). "Bethany Mota's New Song 'Need You Right Now' Proves There's Nothing She Can't Do". MTV. Archived from the original on October 16, 2014. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
- ^ a b "Bethany Mota discography". danishcharts.dk. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
- ^ Pittman, Taylor. "Bethany Mota Leads A Colorful Dance Party In 'Need You Right Now' Music Video". Huffington Post. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
- ^ a b c d Van de Wall, Virginia (May 4, 2015). "EXCLUSIVE: Bethany Mota Is Working on New Music!". J-14.com. J-14 Magazine. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
- ^ Flashlight - Bethany Mota - Pitch Perfect 2 / Jessie J Cover, June 24, 2015, retrieved March 19, 2020
- ^ Mota, Bethany (August 14, 2015). "Be Who You Want To Be | Bethany Mota". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
- ^ Peterson, Hayley (February 4, 2014). "Check Out The Insane Line Of People Waiting To See Teen YouTube Superstar Bethany Mota". Business Insider. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
- ^ Seemayer, Zach (March 30, 2014). "YouTube Star Bethany Mota Gets Celebs' Orange Carpet Beauty Tips". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
- ^ Seikaly, Andrea (June 23, 2014). "'Project Runway' Season 13 Premieres Next Month". Variety. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
- ^ Perlman, Jake (September 4, 2014). "'Dancing with the Stars': Meet the season 19 competitors". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ^ Clarke, Suzan (November 24, 2014). "'Dancing With the Stars' 2014: Bethany Mota Falls Out of Season 19 Finals". ABC News. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
- ^ Sawkar, Vineeta (October 21, 2015). "YouTube star Bethany Mota visits Twin Cities for bullying prevention campaign". Star Tribune. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
- ^ Mota, Bethany (June 13, 2017). Make Your Mind up: My Guide to Finding Your Own Style, Life, and Motavation!. Gallery Books. ISBN 978-1501154492.
- ^ "Bethany Mota: UNICEF Kid Power Champion". UNICEF Kid Power.
- ^ Turnquist, Kristi (August 15, 2014). "'Project Runway' Season 13, Episode 4: The designers suit up". The Oregonian. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ^ "2014 Young Hollywood Awards Nominees Include 'Pretty Little Liars,' 'Fault in Our Stars'". Variety. June 26, 2014. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
- ^ Hernandez, Brian Anthony (August 10, 2014). "YouTube and Vine Stars Win Big for #TeamInternet at Teen Choice Awards". Mashable. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
- ^ Hurwitz, Daniel (September 8, 2014). "Tyler Oakley, Bethany Mota, Shay Carl take home Streamys". USA Today. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
- ^ Bloom, David (August 27, 2014). "Grace Helbig, Hannah Hart To Host 4th Streamy Awards". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
- ^ "Winners Of Teen Choice 2015 Announced". Fox. August 16, 2015. Archived from the original on August 18, 2015.
- ^ Yang, Rachel (August 11, 2019). "Teen Choice Awards 2019: See the full list of winners and nominees". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "The 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014". Time. October 13, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
- ^ "The 30 Most Influential Teens of 2015". Time. October 27, 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
External links
edit- Bethany Mota at IMDb