The fact that TikTok can be the door opener into the world of stars and celebrities of this world is nothing new. From boys dancing in elevators to LipSync videos to creative DIY ideas, everything is included. What you need? A good idea, plenty of charm and an (international) fan base that celebrates and supports the content. Leo Mahalo also has plenty of TiKTok fans, but these are primarily from the USA.
The freestyle artist from Recklinghausen in North Rhine-Westphalia convinces more than eight million subscribers on TikTok of his extraordinary understanding of art: He paints expensive designer bags, sports cars or smartphones with patterns that are above all colourful, put you in a good mood and contain a little bit of comics – Remember drawings.
While his ideas are ridiculed and dismissed in his home country of Germany, the artist can hardly save himself from fans and orders in the United States. When he’s not spending time in his Creator House – an extravagant, luxurious mansion in the Hollywood Hills – he now even needs a bodyguard to be able to set foot on the streets of LA.
As Leo tells the “Bild” newspaper, the real idea behind his art is that anything can be a canvas. “There’s a total respect for branded items and my thought was to make people think about it differently,” explains Leo. And Leo’s idea bears fruit: Designer pieces and sports cars, whose prices are already in the high several-digit range, get an enormous increase in value through Leo’s creative expression.
Incidentally, the artist also “painted in” his house in L.A. and designed it according to his ideas. His dream villa is large, modern and bright. Leo has always dreamed of having his own pool with a view of the LA skyline, and now his dream has become a reality. However, the TikToker is hardly at home. He is usually on the road for assignments and lives in Airbnbs.
Celebrities are also part of the fan community, and in addition to internet stars, Mahalo has even been allowed to paint objects belonging to world stars. He recently redesigned Jason Derulo’s cell phone. The iPhone is now adorned with a colorful design with a rainbow-colored chameleon. However, Derulo did not have to pay anything for this, the deal is based on mutual profit for both sides. Meeting Jason was validation for Leo. “When I first saw Jason Derulo in my DMs I felt like I definitely did something right, that was an extreme validation for me. He said to me, ‘Take your pick, I have complete confidence and just wants your art,'” says Leo proudly.
The confirmation that Leo is now experiencing is not a matter of course for him. As he says, not everyone believed in him, people around him smiled at him for his extraordinary ideas and visions of the future. “At the time, especially here in the Ruhr area, there were many who made fun of me, especially when it came to TikTok. Because of: ‘You can’t make money with that.'” Even family acquaintances blasphemed about Leo, what for was very difficult for him – but especially for his father. At first, his fellow men are said to have made fun of how little money he earned. However, now that things are going well, he would consider himself to be something better. “Everything seems to be a problem,” summarizes Leo.
His family also had difficulties with Leo’s career at the beginning. His parents appealed to him to do something “right”. Nevertheless, they supported him in all his projects. Leo would also like to gain a foothold in Germany in the near future. He is currently looking for an apartment in Berlin, he says.
Those: “Bild.de”
