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First of a 2-part interview with the Hipster Mermaid herself, Traci Hines. Traci is enormously talented, incredibly hard working, and has a deep love for Disney and it was great fun to get to talk to her. I had the pleasure of doing this one in person outside the Grand Californian Hotel at the Disneyland Resort. The sounds you hear in the background are people at the pool. There was a bit more wind than I realized, too, so sorry about that.
After this part of the interview, I’ll play one of Traci’s songs that she was kind enough to share before wrapping up. And no, I won’t be playing that song—not this time, anyway.
Traci talks about…
- How she got started in performing
- When her Disney focus started
- A unique gift she had as a child
- The Disney movie that was the big eye opener for her
- Some of her main inspirations
- How the cosplay part of what she does began
- Her introduction to anime and anime conventions
- The Disney character she was compared to growing up—and the first character costume she made for herself
- What she collects
- What it was like growing up a bit different from her friends
- Voice acting
- A bit of behind the scenes about a recent Hipster Mermaid video
- Her part in the Hipster Mermaid phenomenon and how it became part of her brand
- Whether she intentionally sculpted a brand or not and how it developed
- Some of the contacts she’s had with Disney animators, The Little Mermaid directors, & more
- How she got connected with Maker Studios and what that means for her
- Other ways she’s worked for Disney
- Whether she’s an introvert or an extrovert, how that plays out in her life, and when she realized it
- How she learned to cherish the times she gets to do the things she loves to do
Find Traci:
Podcasts Spotlighted in this Episode:
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Music and voiceovers provided by Rick Moyer.
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