Why are celebrities joining substack?

-My POV

Lately, I’ve been watching the Substack migration with a mix of shock and curiosity. Week after week, another big name pops up in my feed. At first, I wondered what this meant for Substack- my own quiet corner of the internet.

It led me to ponder a series of questions….

Why did I join Substack?

Personally, I yearn for something deeper. Against the noise of this world, I crave a place of quiet. I want to be able to write to people who hear me speak even without uttering a word. To find my voice. To connect with people who talk real. Who feel real.

Few weeks back, I had the opportunity to read a couple of writeups about why our celebrities are joining this community and it stirred something in me. You see, we often forget that celebrities are humans first. They have feelings that go beyond a highlight reel or a viral post. Many of them possess talents much deeper than what they’re known for.

I remember when I first joined this community, I was captivated by the stories from creators like Hauwa and Tobe. I mean, I know these people! On Instagram, everything feels like a race for followers, the beautiful camera, the performance, the rich uncle and aunty vibes. But here? It’s a different world. I felt lucky to share a digital circle with people I admired, seeing them tell vulnerable stories like they were my neighbors.

Is it for the money?

Some will say it’s just another golden opportunity for them to make more money. And that may be part of it. But I believe it’s beyond that. Celebrities crave connection too. On other platforms, there is so much toxicity as we know, but that’s far from what we have here. These people have thoughts, and sharing them is often the best thing they can do. But what happens when every intention you have feels like a crime? You drop one word and the world comes rushing to devour you like a vulture waiting for your downfall.

I know how dragging and scandal spread like wildfire. But we must remember that these individuals aren’t the cause of every unpeaceful event on the internet. I believe celebrities on Substack are simply humans looking for a home for their thoughts…just like you and me.

Another question: Are we marking territories here?

I’ve also noticed some of us quoting things like “I don’t want this place to turn into Twitter now that celebrities are joining.”

But this is a community open to people of all races, socio-economic statuses, and tribes. It is not a territory to be owned. Infact, seeing these familiar faces here reminds me of one truth: all we see is not all we know. Whether someone has ten followers or ten million, that number doesn’t define their entire personality. And if we start gatekeeping out of fear of substack becoming twitter, we only limit ourselves. Substack isn’t ours to defend. At the end of the day, we’re all just looking for a place where we can live, write, and be happy.

Your faves and celebrities deserve an inner peace too. A place to share their vulnerabilities and stories without being judged for it. So instead of gatekeeping, let’s accept that we’re all humans. We all want to be heard. Not just seen.

My thoughts are a bit scattered around but here’s my POV.

In my quiet corner…It’s me, my thoughts and selfies against the world.