Dubai-based Di Immi does it all, from dancing to beauty and fitness to fashion. There’s nothing this Uzebki TikToker has not tried her hand at. Di Immi has been making *major* moves in Dubai and is leaving her mark in the TikTok community. She’s killing the game with close to 995, 000 followers on her verified TikTok account and has even been displayed on the Burj Khalifa, ummmm, nbd nbd………..
Naturally, with all things uh-mazing, we at Cosmo ME decided to sit down with the incredible Di Immi and talk to her about all things TikTok, content creation and more.
Cosmo ME: Is Dimmi your real name or does it stand for something else?
Di Immi: When I first joined Instagram in 2014, I was trying to come up with a nice username. [And then] it hit me! I put my nickname (Dilya) together with my sons (Immi) [and] combined them [to make] ‘Di Immi’. Now everyone calls me Dimmi! Who knew this would happen?
C: When did you first join TikTok and why?
D: TikTok was called Musical.ly before, so technically I joined Musical.ly in 2015. I was not serious [about it], it was done more[so] out of boredom. I deleted it [soon after] since Instagram was more [on trend]. Later in 2018, I moved to the UAE where TikTok is really popular [and] I [decided to] join it again for fun! However, I [started] taking it seriously in 2020 [and now] it is a huge part of my career as a content creator.
C: Top three tips for growing your audience?
D: Most people in the UAE do not know that TikTok GCC has rules [that need to be] followed, especially when it comes to dress codes. Modesty is highly preferred such as not showing [your] bare shoulders, tummy, etc. Of course, high quality videos with good lighting are important as well. Also, I highly recommend using music without curse words since it works [better] in your favour. Now go forth and make TikToks!
C: What’s the one video you made that changed everything for you?
D: I had a character who I named ‘Mama Towel’. She had a huge towel wrapped around her head and was always acting crazy. That was my first viral video! Its been a while since I acted like her but since my son is in Dubai, I might bring her back just for him!
@diimmi Mom’s be like did u miss Mama towel Di? #foryou #fyp #moms #comedy
C: How do you deal with negativity such as bullying or harassment?
D: Honestly, I get love 99% of the time from my followers. One out of [every] 10 videos might get a negative comment but my followers defend me before I can even respond. So I’m really lucky [to have] that!
C: Do you get recognized by strangers?
D: I get recognized all the time! [Either] they recognize my long hair or my body shape, I still get approached even with my mask on! On my way to meet Cosmo, I got stopped by a few people as well.
C: How often do you post on TikTok and do you feel any pressure to consistently create content that stays relevant?
D: I love what I do so I don’t feel any pressure. I post content six days a week, every 24 hours and never save drafts. It can be tiring especially when I’m not in the mood, but once I snap out of it, I will post non-stop!
C: We noticed you post videos of your son a lot more often. Do you ever feel like you need to protect him from the online world?
D: My son and I already did the ‘Ya Salam Ya Dubai’ campaign together and we received [nothing but] love from my followers. In my opinion, the UAE is a very safe place, especially when you have a child. There are many laws that protect people offline and online.
@diimmi Hey loves – I challenge you to do this dance around Dubai for a chance to win prizes up to 30K AED! @discoverdubai #ياسلام_يادبي #yasalamyadubai
C: If you were to make merch, what are the three products you would release first?
D: I would love to create basic merchandise such as hoodies, t-shirts and accessories for kids since most of my followers are young. Considering how my own son is in the same age range, I’d like to make sure that he can wear it as well. I’ll probably start in small quantities to see if my followers like it or not and then just take it from there!
C: You’ve been posting a lot of fitness-related content lately. How do you stay motivated?
D: In the past, I would workout for my health around two times a week. However during quarantine, Aeebeh pushed me to work out six times a week! At first, it was super hard but after a while I saw amazing results [and] that really kept me motivated. Now fitness is my new addiction. Lately, I have been body-shamed for losing weight but I love my body so I don’t take it to heart. I am healthy and happy!
C: Speaking of, there’s a lot of speculation surrounding your relationship with Ali Omar (@aeebeh). Is there anything you can share with us about that?
D: If you ever met Aeebeh, you can instantly tell [that] he is a good person. When I was new in the UAE, he helped me out a lot, so naturally we just clicked and became besties. For me, there is no label with Aeebeh, we just support, motivate, respect and trust each other. Everybody needs an Aeebeh in their life!
C: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
D: I don’t have any plans to quit social media. If there are new apps created by then, I would join for sure. I’d maybe [like to] have my own business as well. As for family life, I would love to have another child so my son can have a sibling. I just want a stable income, [a] happy family and [to be able to] keep doing what I love.