When Maddie Hill was a teenager, cruel bullies made her life a misery.
But instead of letting that difficult time define her, the 23-year-old from Orkney instead used the experience as the motivation behind her influencing and acting career.
Today Maddie is one of the biggest influencers in the country with just under one million followers and 37.4 million likes on TikTok.
“It’s absolutely insane,” laughs Maddie.
“After one of my videos went viral, my world has flipped overnight.
“Since then I’ve got to work with some of the biggest brands in the world and so many doors have opened for me.”
From Orkney schoolgirl to TikTok sensation…
Maddie’s inspiring influencer story begins in Birsay, in Orkney’s West Mainland.
“I had an amazing childhood,” says Maddie.
“I look back with such fond memories.
“Orkney is known to be such a safe place so you can be free and explore.
“My mum Sam has always been my best friend so we would go on adventures together with my granny Cindy.”
Born performer…
From an early age, Maddie, who attended Stenness Community School, loved to perform.
“I always knew I wanted to be in the entertainment industry,” says Maddie.
“I’ve always been performing in musicals and I loved dancing, acting and singing.
“But I never had any role models to look up to as I’d never seen anyone from a small island community or a small remote part of Scotland in the entertainment industry.”
Maddie’s bullying ordeal…
At the age of 11, Maddie and her family moved to Kirkwall where she attended Kirkwall Grammar School.
It was during this time that Maddie started to get bullied.
“I had a good couple of years in secondary school at the beginning but unfortunately it went downhill,” says Maddie.
“I suffered a really bad injury at dancing where I snapped tendons in my feet so I ended up on crutches for a year.
“So I ended up being bullied in that last part of high school.
“It was a big struggle for me, especially living on the island as it can make things like that seem more intense because you see these people everywhere you go.”
Bullying had an impact on Maddie’s mental health…
As a result, Maddie ended up leaving school at the age of 15.
“I had to get away from that because it was really starting to damage my mental health,” says Maddie.
“I was definitely a bit lost for a few years after leaving school.
“But I then got a few different jobs including at the local sports centre, and I also got a job meeting and greeting people when they disembark cruise ships.
“I also worked in a hair and beauty salon and in a hotel.”
Building back her confidence…
Slowly regaining her confidence, Maddie says signing up for an art course was a game changer.
“My mum pushed me to do this art course and it was the best thing she could’ve done for me as it was brilliant,” says Maddie.
“Your parents really do know what’s best for you.
“So I went and did this course and I completely blossomed.”
Back to her happy-go-lucky self, Maddie decided to set up a page on TikTok, the video sharing social media platform.
“One of my friends on the art course encouraged me to set up a TikTok page because I was good at make-up,” says Maddie.
Maddie’s life changed overnight…
Just a few months later, in March 2020, one of Maddie’s videos went viral.
“It was just one week into lockdown when one of my videos, a make-up transformation, got three million views overnight,” says Maddie.
“I woke up the next day and I couldn’t believe it.
“It felt both weird and exciting.”
Caring for her beloved granny
During lockdown Maddie was a full-time carer for her granny, so TikTok became her outlet.
“I was also looking after my granny at the time who had been diagnosed with dementia and had moved in with us, so I was her carer,” says Maddie.
“Covid and lockdown was a horrendous time so for me, being at home, I was able to focus on my TikTok and escape a bit.”
Maddie’s star is on the rise…
Within a year, Maddie had 100,000 followers on TikTok and was signed by a management agency.
Since then, Maddie has worked with some of the biggest brands in the world including the tanning brand Bondi Sands as well as JD Sports and Huda Beauty.
Her influencing success has also opened many doors.
“Lots of doors were opening for me and I was scouted for the BBC The Social,” says Maddie.
“They wanted me to create content around Orkney and promote the Highlands and Islands.
“It has been amazing to work with them.”
‘Acting is my ultimate goal’
Maddie’s influencing career also enabled her to go to drama school in Edinburgh where she now lives.
“It provided me with a source of income which meant I could move to Edinburgh to go to drama school,” says Maddie.
“Since leaving drama school I’ve been building up my acting portfolio.
“I love influencing but my ultimate goal is acting.”
‘I want to be a role model’
From short films and commercials to podcasts, Maddie’s acting career has also taken off.
“I’m actually due to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year which is exciting,” says Maddie.
Reflecting on her journey so far, Maddie is proud of what she has achieved and hopes that she can inspire other young people to never give up on their dreams.
“I want to be that role model for people in small island communities and show that anything is possible if you put your mind to it,” says Maddie.
“You don’t have to be a nepo baby to be successful in the entertainment industry.”
For more information about Maddie, check out her TikTok page.
If you enjoyed this story, you may also like:
Interview: Inverness radio star Diane Knox is living the American dream
Conversation