Niclas Maaser has carved out a unique space for himself as both a model and a social media star. With a strong presence on TikTok and Instagram, he has enthralled audiences with his engaging content and thoughtful poetry. In this interview with MMSCENE Magazine, editor Anastasija Pavic explores Niclas’s journey from lip-sync videos to sharing self-written poems and hosting a podcast that examines deep emotions and stories.
MMSCENE EXCLUSIVES
Niclas’s journey began with simple lip-sync videos on TikTok, where he and his close friends built a substantial following. Over time, he transitioned away from TikTok to focus on content that felt more authentic to him. His Instagram became a platform for sharing his poetry, inspired by years of journaling and traveling. Niclas’s deep reflections and creative expression have resonated with a global audience, making him a multifaceted creator and a compelling figure in both the modeling and social media worlds.
For this session, Niclas is captured by photographer Julian Freyberg, wearing selected pieces from Versace, Prada, Jean Paul Gaultier, Dolce & Gabbana, Celine, Rick Owens, and Paco Rabanne.
Niclas, you’ve made quite a name for yourself on TikTok. How did you first get into creating content for the platform, and what has the journey been like for you? – This is actually an interesting question to begin with. My career on social media really started with some lip-sync videos on TikTok about four years ago, which at this point in time, I’m not doing. I mainly created content with my close friends Carlos Böttcher, Phil Soda, and Niclas Kuri. We pretty much built our following together. Over the years though, I slowly began to stop using my TikTok channel because I couldn’t identify myself with the content I was creating and had been previously associated with. I guess up to this day, I haven’t found or defined a new way to use this platform which aligns with a version of myself that I feel confident with.
As a model and content creator, you have a unique blend of visual and intellectual content on your Instagram. What inspired you to start sharing your self-written poems in your captions? – Thank you for this compliment. On Instagram, my journey was quite different from TikTok. When I started traveling around the world ten years ago, I began to journal, to write down my thoughts, emotions, and revelations. To me, sharing my poems and key insights with my friends on Instagram just felt right. Back then I didn’t have many followers, so my inspiration was to reach the people I knew personally. Over the years, writing became my main creative outlet, so I kept sharing some of my art on Instagram. As my following grew and people from all over the world texted me that my words inspired them, that motivated me to keep sharing my poetry.
Your podcast, “Eine Stimme im Wind,” explores thoughts and emotions through stories and poetry. What motivated you to start this podcast, and what do you hope your listeners take away from it? – The podcast is another result of my years of traveling. I’ve met so many interesting human beings from every corner of the world, and every single one has their own story to tell. I strongly believe that we can—and should—learn from each other. Consequently, I wanted to create a platform for these inspiring humans and try to capture their stories and make them available for everyone. My hope is to put out something meaningful.
You’ve had some fascinating guests on your podcast, like Fabien Tietjen, Chris Wascheck, and Laura Marie Soons. Can you share a memorable moment or insight from one of these conversations that has stuck with you? – You’re right, they truly are fascinating people. All of them took me into their homes and shared their personal stories and even insecurities. What comes to mind is one example with Laura, who was just 18 years old when we spoke. I remember how stunned I was when she openly talked about her time in school, where she was unfortunately heavily bullied. But the way she was able to take all that suffering and turn it into something positive, which facilitated her growth as a human being, has really made an impression on me.
Balancing modeling, content creation, and studying philosophy must be challenging. How do you manage your time and stay motivated across these different pursuits? – My time management is something I’m still working on. Sometimes I struggle with balancing the things that I do. However, when I build momentum, which in my case means creating the space in which I care for myself and do all the things that need to be done, as well as all the things that are fun to do, then life becomes pretty magical. Strength is to be found in balance. It begins with balancing my body and soul connection, my personal and professional life, and my relationships. Using a calendar, to-do lists, and setting goals is always helpful.
Philosophy seems to play a significant role in your life and content. How does your philosophical background influence your approach to modeling and social media? – The way we approach this life is always connected to our philosophy of existence. My philosophy is that as humans, we are all the same, and the biggest gift we’ve been blessed with is the time we get to experience on this beautiful planet. Working as a model and content creator provides me with amazing opportunities that I really appreciate. I love to explore new places and meet different people, and so my perspective has had a big influence on my job from the beginning. I rarely saw it as something I have to do to earn money, but rather as a path to self-realization and the pursuit of my personal dreams.
Your content often explores deep thoughts and emotions. How do you decide on the themes or topics you want to address in your posts and podcast episodes? – Whenever I create a poem, I channel themes and ideas from the current stage of life I find myself in. I rarely actively think of a topic to dissect or explore. Most of the time, I extract my thoughts and feelings from what I’m going through at that moment and then try to let it flow. Writing is very therapeutic for me, and when I manage to put my heart on paper, the result of this process is often poetry.
With my podcast, it depends on whom I’m talking to. It also depends on what the other person likes to talk about. Usually, my guest and I discuss beforehand the topics we can discover together.
The modeling industry can be quite demanding. What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a model, and how have you overcome them? – The modeling world can be very superficial, which can lead to feelings of inadequacy, such as not being good enough. I’ve felt this many times. Especially in my early twenties, I often felt like I wasn’t good enough. Even nowadays, when I don’t have a job for a while or my numbers on social media are low, I tend to feel insecure. I’d say one of the biggest challenges is to not take such external events personally and to not connect my value as a human being with the way my career is going.
Your lip-sync videos on TikTok have garnered a lot of attention. What do you think makes these videos resonate so well with your audience? – I’m not sure what it was exactly about those videos that garnered all this attention. It may just be our zeitgeist at this point. Anyway, I’m glad that some people seemed to have found joy in watching them.
Looking ahead, what are your future goals and aspirations in both your modeling career and your creative endeavors, such as your podcast and poetry? – My modeling career stopped for a while when the global pandemic started. During the first lockdowns, I started to post more on social media, which is how I became a content creator. My goal for the future is to combine these two fields and build my own brand. I’d like to have a positive impact as far as I can, so modeling is my way of self-expression, and with my poetry and podcast, I wish to share my journey and key realizations. My dream is to publish books and become some sort of coach or mentor.
Though my main goal in life is to live peacefully and appreciate the passage of time as well as I can while being surrounded by good-hearted people. To find joy in the little things and learn to forgive myself. This is my hope for all of us.
Model – Niclas Maaser @niclasmaaser
Photographer – Julian Freyberg @julianfreybergphotography
