How Alexia Del Valle’s Latinx Roots Influence Her Content

When she joined TikTok in 2019, creator Alexia Del Valle (@lexdevalle) tried posting videos like the ones she saw going viral. She quickly realized they didn’t resonate with people; it was only when she added her own personality that she felt others begin to respond. The first post she remembers going viral is her “Latina Mom In Stranger Things” video from July 2019. It’s now been viewed 3 million times. Ever since then, staying true to her Puerto Rican identity while differentiating her videos has been her approach to authentic content creation.

“When it comes to trends, I'm an overachiever and I want to be different,” she tells Bustle. “I'll look at [a trend] and think, ‘How can I add my twist to this and leave my mark on it?’ I want to know people are going to remember, ‘OK, she did that.’” Clearly, people remember her — she has 1.5 million followers.

Del Valle’s page is a place for Latinx individuals to feel like they can relate to her skits and for others to learn about a culture different from their own. Her “Fun Single Aunt” series includes some of her most popular videos, and while the character she portrays in them was inspired by a combination of all of her aunts, anyone with a fun, single aunt can feel that their own family dynamic is represented. Ultimately, her creativity is what helps her content stand out among the echo chamber of some FYPs. Her proud Latinx roots are her North Star when she brainstorms her videos.

“Puerto Rico is a small island. We don't have much representation in present media and I love my culture. I’m so proud of it,” she says. “I want to be that voice that is able to stand up and be in mainstream media because I think there is always the issue where we're kind of separated. If you're Latina, you're interested in the Latin side [of media]. But I really want to be that person who is in mainstream media and everyone connects to and then finds out, ‘Oh, she's Puerto Rican. Let me learn about the Puerto Rican culture too.’"

Below, Del Valle shares the last internet wormhole she fell through and her most successful DM slides.

The Fast Follow With @lexdelvalle

What was the last Wikipedia hole you fell down?

Elvis Presley. I was obsessed with learning about his life. You go on this wormhole and you just don't come out.

Who's your favorite person you're following right now and why?

That's really hard. I'm going to say my friend @kodasteven. He's Puerto Rican as well and he just makes crazy, random content that's just really funny.

What's the best thing you've purchased on the internet recently?

I bought clip-on bangs because I wanted to cut my bangs, but I didn't do it. So I was like, all right, I'll just buy a couple of clip-on ones.

Is there a person that followed you that you were most excited by? And do you interact with them at all?

Yeah, recently, the voice of Kim Possible, Christy Carlson Romano, followed me. It was really random, but I was like, "Girl, I love you." We talk every now and then. She was my childhood, so that was cool.

Have you ever slid into someone's DMs? What came of it?

Yeah, I think I slid into Jessica Garcia’s DMs because she was on the show On My Block that I used to watch. When she followed me, I was so scared, but I slid into her DMs and I was like, "Hey girl, I love your work.” Then she responded and we actually met in person at a premiere. It was super cool.

What's the weirdest DM slide you've ever received?

Once, I posted this video about my height. It was a joke where I was like, "Oh, if you're going to slide into my DMs, just know I'm 6 feet tall." I remember my DMs pouring with men trying their pickup lines and the pickup lines were out of pocket.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.