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The impact of looking like Kylie Jenner
Content creator, workaholic, mother, entrepreneur — this TikTok star knows exactly how to use her face and social media wisely.
Dec. 7, 2022
“What can I get you girls?" The Starbucks barista looks at us while we figure out what we want to drink. “One hot cocoa, please” I hear from my left. “Can I have your name?”, the barista continues. I wanted to scream out KYLIE JENNER to see the reaction of the barista, but I was more interested in what my companion would answer. “Nova” she replied. I mean… it would be crazy if she wouldn’t give her own name right? Still, I was surprised by her answer. We went to search for a spot where we could sit and talk.
Nova Ellisson, 26, tends to move through the streets with a lot of attention. Not because of her amazing sense of fashion or her following (of 188k) on TikTok. No, Nova has a face that most people recognize. The face of the youngest self-made billionaire in the world. The face of the second most followed person on Instagram. Nova is the doppelgänger of Kylie Jenner.
Instagram.com/novaxellisson
“I do get anxious when walking outside because I don’t know why people look at me. Is it because they know me from TikTok, or is it because they think I look like Kylie Jenner?” Nova expresses. “When people approach me, they do know I’m Nova, but they also always tell me that they know me because I look like Kylie Jenner. I'm grateful for my face and the opportunities it's giving me, but I actually don’t really like getting a lot of attention."
A business strategy
It took Nova a while to get on social media. “When I had Instagram, I only used it to scroll down and enjoy the content myself." Nova wasn’t into the social media game but knew that she needed to use it to get customers for the sneaker business she owned. “Besides my side job as a dental assistant, I used to customize shoes. I made shoes for different Dutch-known personalities like Joey Bravo. After that - 2,5 years ago - I decided that I needed to take this social media thing seriously and do something big."
Nova started her business Nova Clinics, where she performs non-surgical cosmetic treatments. From a business point of view, the Kylie lookalike knew that she could use her appearance as a tool to go viral on social media, expand her reach and get her business out there. "I already went viral once because of Kylie fan accounts. At the time I didn't see the point of getting all this attention, so I asked everyone to delete all their edits of me. But I knew I could do it again", Nova says. And so she did...
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"I'm grateful for my face and the opportunities it's giving me, but I actually don’t really like getting a lot of attention”
Going viral again
It is the second time that Nova Ellisson goes viral for looking like Kylie Jenner. Just like the first time, fan pages of Kylie made edits of Nova and compared her with the youngest of the Kardashian Dynasty. "I gained a lot of followers in a very short amount of time. After building my reach I decided to post content for Nova Clinics. And that worked out in my favor because all my clients booked an appointment because of my TikToks."
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With the fast rise of fame, also comes a fast rise of hate. Nova knew that she wouldn't be loved by everyone. "People think I want to be like Kylie, which is not the case. I also don't want to be called Kylie. I think I look at it from a more mature point of view. I mean, for me it really was a business strategy."
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the Kardashians
Since there is a clear resemblance between Nova and Kylie, one would think that Nova is part of the KarJenner community. Nova mentions that she didn´t really know the famous family until people commented about the resemblance between her and Kylie. "I have never watched 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians'. Sometimes I watch viral clips of the family on TikTok, but that's it. With my job as a mother, entrepreneur, and content creator, I don't really have time for that." The Kylie lookalike further explains that she does feel a connection with Kylie. "Kylie has been bullied her whole life. I do know what it´s like to be bullied. I feel sad for her, for experiencing this as well. Bullying is just not okay."
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BATTLE OF the Kylie jenner lookalikes
Just like Kylie Jenner, Nova tries not to dwell on the negative things people say about her. "I always block people immediately when they leave negative comments on my TikToks", the content creator starts. "Right now I don't get a lot of hate anymore. I think that I already filtered out all the haters." The negative comments on Nova's social media are mostly about how Nova wants to become Kylie Jenner or how the lookalike is not being her authentic self.
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But the social media comments on her personality are not the only comments Nova needs to worry about. People also started to compare her to other Kylie Jenner lookalikes. This ended up in a feud, which was picked up by different media outlets. The feud was described as an argument between the lookalikes on who looks more like Kylie Jenner. "I actually don't want to compete with other lookalikes. I am just living my life and being me. Again: I am not aiming to look like or be Kylie Jenner. So I don't know who this other girl is competing with, but it definitely is not me."
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you can't have it all
"My goal is to radiance my happiness to make others happy. That is what gives me energy. That is what makes me satisfied." Nova's future seems very bright with her ongoing growth on Instagram and TikTok. "I’m proud of myself", the viral content creator notices. Nova has managed to get the attention of Kylie Jenner and her team from Kylie Cosmetics and is currently working together with the beauty brand. "I love makeup. Working together with Kylie Cosmetics is like a dream. Not because it's Kylie's brand, but because I genuinely love the products of the brand", Nova elaborates. Besides the partnership, Nova is also focussing on helping others, supporting good causes, her business Nova Clinics, and her main job as a mom.
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And for her unique (or not so unique, depends how you look at it) face? Nova tries to be realistic: "I know that now it gives me a lot of opportunities, but I am also aware that it will not always stay like that. Some people think that I am the cheap version of Kylie Jenner, so I wouldn't be surprised if business people don't take me seriously in the future. You just can't have it all."