Indiana Massara, or @indiana as she's known on social media, is a lot of things. She's a singer, actress, and model; she's been named one of Kiss FM's youngest New Next Up Artists, had 500M+ views on TikTok alone, been casted as runway model for LA Fashion Week, and starred as Rooney in the popular teen show Chicken Girls.
The Teen Magazine had the chance to talk with Indiana on her insight, story, and experience- today, get to know Indi on a brand new level.
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Journey to Internet Stardom
Indiana first shot into social media attention with her filming for the Brat TV show Chicken Girls back in 2017.
"I remember, I first had about 2,000 followers at the very beginning of the show," says Indiana, "And by the time the series ended, I had about 1.2 million followers. I filmed for the show for about 2 years or so, and it was such a crazy and amazing experience."
Her role as Rooney also was a touching moment for Indiana. "The character I played started off completely different from what she ended up as. She was a dance captain, and was almost like a follower- timid and tracing everyone else's footsteps- but in the end, she transformed into this photography-loving, self-loving, and self-discovered person. She had an attitude of "if you don't like me, that's fine, but this is who I am. I'm being unapologetically myself", which I thought was inspiring. I was incredibly proud to play a character like her, because Rooney was so strong and independent."
Affects on Personal Life
"Social media definitely has taken a huge impact on my personal life," says Indiana, "Some good, some bad, of course. It does have my personal topics out for the entire world to see when I would rather not, or having to change what I do in the daily life; social media is an incredibly personal business- almost that you are your own business- and I would say it really has shaped and affected my personal life."
Through social media, Indiana has met "some of the most incredible people and much exposure and opportunities."
She also tells us "I am immensely grateful for what I have."
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The Main Focus
"I'd say I'm well rounded, especially in aspects of music creating and acting," says Indiana, "I'm constantly working on singing and acting; whether it be me taking acting classes, auditioning (I have been self-taping auditions during quarantine), writing music, or getting into the studio when I can (socially distancing of course)."
"I'm always looking to be on more films," says Indiana, "It depends on what's on my table and what's going on, but if there was a movie genre I would love to be in, I'd be very excited to be in a horror film. I've always found it so fun and thrilling, although I can't even watch one myself. I always scream in the theatre- I'm sorry- it's terrifying!"
Return to Modeling
With modeling, Indiana tells us, "I haven't been modeling very much, though. Of course, there's the occasional Instagram modeling, but it definitely wouldn't count as a high fashion modeling. I do hope to get back into high fashion modeling one day like I used to do, but as of now, I'm more in depth with acting and singing."
Circling back to her old modeling days, Indiana tells us about her modeling ventures in high fashion: "I started walking for shows when I turned 14," she says, "I'm not sure how I really got into it, but I have always wanted to do modeling. I stopped because I felt I was a little bit too young in some ways, and I also became very busy with my acting, singing, and social media. Things got in the way, but I loved it. Every night, I got to be on stage and it was so thrilling to have the most amazing designers dressing me in the coolest outfits ever."
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Message of the Music
With Indiana's hits taking over on Spotify (where she's a verified artist) and other streaming platforms, many, including us, wanted to know: what was the message behind some of the music she has created?
"Well, many of them are about love and heartbreak," Indiana tells us, "I write my own music. Most are inspired by some of my own personal experiences and thoughts, although I do get inspiration from things not so interwined with my life."
She hopes to bring a safe space for her listeners. "Whatever you're going through, someone else possibly may have as well. I want others to know that, and hopefully relate to the music I have put out on a deep level. Especially with heartbreak, I really would love for others to know that it is okay to feel what they are feeling, and that if I can turn my pain into pleasure for them, that really makes me fulfilled as an artist. Bringing closure and a space to jam, to find happiness- that is what I would love to send through my music."
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Music Creating Vision
When creating music, we asked what vision Indiana has for the outcome of her music- what does she have in mind? "When making music, I think of the overall and general song. It's not like I'm focusing on the beat, the melody, or the lyrics on its own; I'm taking into consideration of everything. While recording, I think about how this could be visualized in music videos, what these words really mean to me, the background, the messages being sent, and what really is all of what I'm creating, It's a huge picture, and that is what I am envisioning."
"With genre of what I make that fits my theme, I definitely would say pop with an urban edge," says Indiana, "I'm not bubblegum pop, but I also am not the deep/dark either, so it's a bit of a mixture."
Indiana's Personal Favorite
We know fans love Indiana's music- but what does Indiana like the best of all the songs she has created?
"Oh, this is a tough one to answer," says Indiana, "But I think the best music I have ever made so far is actually an unleased one. I've been working very hard on it, and I can't wait to release it. The backstory is based on a really difficult time in my life,
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Role Models and Inspirations
"My parents are, of course, huge role models of mine," says Indiana, "They have taught me everything I know, such as morals in life, hard work, and so much more."
On the industry side of things, Indiana has a long list of favorites, but to name a few, she gushes, "Wolf of Wall Street- Margot Robbie. She is a queen!"
"Since my name is Indiana, there are a lot of jokes of me being like Indiana Jones," says Indiana, (hence her current Instagram bio- "Indiana... not Jones.") "I had actually never watched the movie series until recently. From there, I most definitely felt that Harrison Ford is also an amazing actor."
Having a Platform
"It's amazing," says Indiana with a nod, "But it does come with a lot of pressure. You must always be careful with what you say and how you use that platform- while making sure that you use it correctly- but it is also incredibly wonderful to have a voice and share other people's voices to be heard. I love it."
To list the best sides of social media, Indiana has a lot to name. "The pros are definitely being able to connect with millions and millions of people just at my fingertips," says Indiana. "I think it's so amazing to see people's faces when they are telling me their stories of how I have inspired them, how I helped them out of a dark time- it's incredible."
The cons aren't nonexistent, however. "There are the downsides of not being able to have personal things kept to yourself," says Indiana, "Things you want private often times don't stay that way. Also, there's the things like when going out for lunch, people are looking and staring- I do love when people come up to me and say hello though- but often times my privacy is different from most other people."
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TikTok Ban? Triller?
Indiana currently has over 3.6M fans on TikTok, but following the news of a possible TikTok ban recently, many are speculating what is to happen to the creators of the app. Many alterative apps with similar features, such as Byte and Triller, have been popping up.
Triller especially has been moving in multiple TikTok creators to the app, and Indiana also has been on the move.
"I'll miss TikTok if it ever does become banned," says Indiana, "It is such a creative and fun app where people can truly express themselves. I am on Triller and I have been building a platform there in case anything happens- I do want to be prepared- but I do hope to stay on TikTok."
Advice from Indiana
Know your worth, and know that the bad times will pass.
Hardships aren't forever, and you'll come out of the situation stronger than before.
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Goals, Hopes, and Dreams
"My goals are to ensure that what I am putting out is genuine and that it makes me happy," says Indiana, "With music, I want to show a real authentic side of myself, and in the past, I used to struggle with that- I thought I had to put on a mask and make it seem like I was this person that was happy all the time."
Upcoming: Be on the Radar
"I'll be in the film Mayfield's Game which will be released soon," says Indiana, "Be on the lookout for it! I am so excited for this upcoming feature."
Know This About Me
When asked of what she would like for others to know about her, Indiana responds, "I'm kind of an open book... But I guess I want them to know that I don't like bananas, and I'm allergic to mushrooms. Don't bring me a banana!"
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10 Quick Q's with Indiana
Where is your hometown? I'm from Perth, Australia.
What is your favorite food? Anything my mom cooks!
What is your favorite movie? This is so hard to pick, but About Time.
What is something about you that you feel people don’t really know? I can be a shy person at times.
What is a dream collaboration you would love to do? Well, it's not possible, but it's a dream of mine to work with Queen.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? in 10 years? IIn 5 years, I hope to see myself on the Billboard Charts. In 10 years? Oh, maybe just relaxing on a yacht somewhere... that would be nice!
Where is a dream travel destination of yours? I want to explore Europe, especially Italy, and I hope to get to discover more of Asia as well.
It's a bit silly, but many fans really wanted to know: how were you able to get a hold of the handle @indiana for all of your social platforms? I knew some people at Instagram, which I saw benefits from as I was well-connected especially with my social media standing- through some work, I was able to get @indiana on all of my social media!
What is a personality trait of yours that you like the most? I like to speak up on what I think and believe. I suppose that could be thought of as opinionated, but I like that about me.
What is something from your fanbase that you appreciate the most? They are all so positive and sweet. They really embrace anyone regardless of who they are, and I really love that, as I always push for positivity and love.
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Thank you Indiana for your interview!
To keep up with Indiana, be on the radar for her upcoming films, shows, and music!
Check out her social media, and be sure to follow @indiana on Instagram and @indiana on TikTok.
