If you’ve spent time on the ‘extra-girl’ side of Tik-Tok, you would’ve probably stumbled upon Dalia Cromwell aka @the.extra.girl‘s videos. Within 6 months of being on TikTok, Dalia has amassed over 1.4 million followers and 55 million likes and has also created her own signature style – the backseat of a convertible, a pair of extra AF shades and the soundtrack ‘You’re dead to me’ playing in the background.
Truly *iconic*.
Cosmo ME sat down with the TikToker and social media star to discuss all things ‘extra.’ From the mindset of being extra, to the days when you’re feeling down. This is how Dalia deals with it…
On her first viral Tik-Tok
“I had a bad date once and I went ranting on TikTok about not caring about relationships anymore and that blew up. I had been putting so much effort into other concepts but the one video that I posted after a bad date was what people loved and resonated with the most.”
“It came from realizing that at the end of the day if you have yourself and if you know that your intentions are pure, you are never losing someone else”,
@the.extra.girl Love u guys
On the ‘Extra-Girl’ mindset
“I was bullied badly in school and whenever I tried to do something cool, everyone would always tell me that I was not confident enough and that I did not have the ability to do it. That is when I created this alter-ego and made up this extra version of myself. I started wearing coloured suits to school and fur jackets when everyone else dressed ‘normal’. My idea was that if I created this most extravagant version of myself, what can anyone say? What people say does not get to me anymore. I am harsh to myself and I am my biggest critic. I never ask for people’s opinion.”
“If I were not bullied, I would have never grown in my headspace. It was a blessing in disguise.”
@the.extra.girl want me to help u ? my gram will link the podcast dropping on Spotify this week. FINALLY ##theextragirlmindset
On how she picks herself up on a bad day
“I always tell myself to think for the future than now. Whatever you do now will help you become a better version of yourself for the future. Working out, reading, completing my assignments are all small tasks I do which I know will pay off later. You’re just one piece of content and one job application away from your dream job.”
On dating and non-negotiables
NEVER accept the bare minimum. “You really have to look at people’s actions. I no longer care about what someone says. If I don’t see it in the form of actions, it does not matter to me. When I was younger, I used to worry more about if I was liked more than if I liked someone but not anymore. When it comes to dating, I’m completely against changing who you are to fit the likes of someone else.
You need to know when to set your boundaries and stick to them – it’s not about playing hard to get but it’s about respecting the values that you have and protecting your energy. I do believe that you always need to be nice, but not in a way where you let people take advantage of you.”
On heartbreaks and bouncing back
“I prefer working on my career before getting into any sort of relationship because a glow-up is not something that needs to happen after a heartbreak. You should be working on yourself before and even during a relationship. So whenever something doesn’t work out for me, I know it’s just a direction to me. I always tell people, when something bad is happening to you, something good is coming too.”
On growing your Tik-Tok account
“You need to be authentic. Try to do something that no one else has done before. TikTok is a discovery app. Push out a lot of content and find out what goes viral. Figure out what people like and add value to your content. It is always people that jump on an app and take that first risk that benefits the most. I love Addison Rae. I am a huge fan of hers. I admire where she’s come from and how far she’s gone.”
Her message to young girls
“Your mindset is the route to all success. Don’t be afraid to be obsessed with yourself – not in a narcissistic way. You have to be a good person but make sure you’re proud of yourself and own who you are. When you are young, you are worried about what people would think but that will only change if you get out of your comfort zone and do things that scare you.” We completely agree, self-love is our first love.
On The Extra Girl Mindset Podcast
“My podcast is called ‘The Extra Girl Mindset Podcast’. I share a lot of my personal stories about being bullied. I want my audience to listen to it and think about themselves as the main character and realize the only person that matters is yourself.”
You are the main character, kween.