Anthonny Swagg ‘cooks’ his future with his family and new goals: “People who become famous for doing ‘shows’ have to do it their entire lives (…) it is not a tactic that I use” | Body and Soul | Magazine

For Anthony Lencina, social media was the second chance life gave him to do things right. And it’s going very well!

Far from a past where he admits that he did not have a ‘good meeting’ and that almost cost him his life, the 31-year-old businessman and audiovisual creator, better known as Anthonny Swagg, has built a name in cyberspace and various platforms, where he conquers millions of followers with his humor.

That popularity led him to be one of the guests of the prestigious program MasterChef Celebrity Ecuador. Although he himself does not consider himself famous.

“Famous people from Hollywood,” he said in an interview with this newspaper, scheduled in the middle of his tight itinerary. “I am not famous, I am a public figure or a recognized person in my country and in other countries, but Justin Bieber is famous.”

These days, he is enjoying the home he has created with Leonela ‘Leito’ Granda and his daughter, Amira, who turned one year old on April 18.

How did you build your social media presence?

It has cost me a lot of sacrifice, although people don’t think about it that way. Many believe that making content on the Internet is very easy, but it is difficult and much more difficult is to maintain it for ten years. That’s why there are people who make content, it goes viral and then you don’t hear from them again and it’s because they don’t know how to build their name. But in my case, the sacrifice had its reward.

Do you feel like you found some formula to make people laugh?

I have always been about doing what comes to mind at the moment and I have always tried to adapt. When I started, I was alone and had no one to record with, and I played my characters. When I had my first partner, I started recording couple content, and when we broke up, I recorded content about breaking up with someone, and now that I have my baby, I upload dad content… So I don’t just have one line, but I I adapt and I think that is what still keeps me visible on social networks, because I take advantage of any situation and exploit it in the best way. If I had stuck with the videos I made ten years ago, I wouldn’t have the reach I have today.

And off camera are you just as funny?

Whenever I go somewhere I don’t do stupid things, but I do like to be the most visible of everyone. I like people to realize my presence, that I am there. So, I think that has made me exploit who I am on social media, because I always want people to see me. But I don’t invent a character or anything, it’s just me and I’ve always been that extroverted and clown in a good way, since I was little at parties I was the one who went out to dance when no one wanted to dance. I still do it.

With MasterChef Celebrity All of Ecuador saw you and we also know that you made a promise to Carolina Sánchez, how are you going with that?

I have already been studying at the Culinary School of the Americas for two months, Nikki Mackliff is also studying there and well, the degree lasts 16 months in total. For me it has been a bit easy because I already come with the experience of MasterChef, I learned a lot there (…). I lean more towards salt and fusion dishes, etc. I am a food lover from our country, although many will say that Peru has the best gastronomy, I believe that Ecuador stands out in South America with its dishes and can be exploited much more.

And were you already inclined towards cooking before?

For me, cooking is an art, plating is an art, and as I have always been connected to the artistic side, I have always had that great love for cooking. When I’m at home, I like to spend time in the kitchen, prepare something and have people enjoy it. So, I already came with that approach of wanting to do something with cooking and what the program did was reconfirm it.

Has being a father made you more of a homebody? How did it change you?

For me it was a little difficult, because to be honest I came from a lifestyle in which I did not have such great responsibilities, because having a baby is a huge responsibility, it is a life that you have in your hands. My biggest responsibility was to see what clothes I was going to wear tomorrow to go out or to a Show, So it did shock me a little at first.

But you did see yourself as a dad…

I always said that I want to be a dad, but I didn’t know how I was going to feel the moment I found out and, obviously, I was happy, but then I thought about the baby could get sick, where is she going to be born, do I have to have a house to give him or when he goes to study. And definitely, change my lifestyle, because they called me right now and told me ‘let’s go to the beach’ and my response was ‘ok, I’ll get ready, come see me’. There were many things that I had to change radically, but they have also served me a lot, they have done me a lot of good, in terms of health, maturity.

How would you describe Amira?

He is a little angel, he has incredible charisma. Obviously when he wants to cry, he cries, like any baby, but she’s not annoying. I think that, like me, he will have the same passion for the things he does. If I put a phone in front of her she starts blowing kisses, laughing, and she is very outgoing, very sociable. Everywhere she goes she waves hello and when she leaves she says thank you. She has an angel, she is a very sweet and charismatic girl.

What lessons or tools would you like to leave them for their future?

That things are earned, that you have to work to obtain everything you want in life and that you grow up to be a simple person, a humble girl. The best tool I can leave you is to know how to work and earn your things. And, at the same time, that she knows reality and does not live in a bubble, that she shares what she has with whoever needs it.

Would you like to have more kids?

Well, it’s not just up to me. It also depends on the mother. And yes we have thought about it, because we would plan a second baby to be prepared. I don’t want to have just one child, at least I want to have a couple.

Have you felt like leaving social networks?

Yes, but then I think why am I going to retire? If this is my job, this is my world, I can’t retire. If I leave now, I know that in two or three weeks I will have an idea of ​​a content and I will want to upload it and I will become desperate and I will feel bad. So, I’m going to continue working, but I have wanted to leave social networks on two occasions.

And you’ve never had to resort to a scandal to gain followers?

I don’t like showbiz pages. I don’t feel that it is a recognition that I like and it is something ephemeral. People who become famous for doing Show They have to do it their whole life, because if you make a Show this month and not the next, no one will see you. And there are people who dedicate themselves to that and have created their fame based on Show, but then no one remembers them, so it’s not a tactic I use.

And they’re also not the kind of stories you want your daughter to read about you when she grows up.

When my daughter has reason, I am going to tell her everything about my life and what has happened, so that every time she sees something on social networks, she is not surprised. I’m not going to be the dad who pretends to have been a perfect man. No, I’m going to tell you everything.

And what do you say about entering politics?

They called me a couple of years ago, you always get proposals. I had proposals from the Prefecture, I had proposals from the Mayor’s Office, etc., for certain cantons for certain positions (…). But I prefer not to work in politics at all and the proposals that have been made to me have been with salaries with which you can be calm, but no, I’m not really interested. Also, people are going to say that I am a influencer He thinks he already knows about politics and it would be damaging to my reputation, to my family, to my career.