Behind The Creator
Zahra Hussain is a Pakistani American Muslim content creator and VFX artist, self-described as "charismatic, chatty, and kooky." But of all of Zahra's identifying factors, growing up in an immigrant household still holds the most weight. "My dad always told me that, if you start a career, you have to find a way to only work for yourself." So throughout her life, Zahra chased
that dream-while looking to her father for inspiration.
When her dad picked up photography, she quickly picked up the hobby, too. In middle school, Zahra's fascination with photography transitioned into discovering her art form. She began teaching herself Photoshop, and after four years of practicing her craft, found a passion in video art. During this time Zahra took a three-year break from social media to really lean into discovering herself as an artist, apart from others opinions and perception. In reaffirming her passion, Zahra decided to begin pursuing it professionally.
After one year of arts college, Zahra realized that school wasn't for her; she was a self-taught learner at heart. She dropped out just when COVID hit, and began learning visual effects through YouTube. Along the way, she discovered her "whimsical, pretty, fairy-like aesthetic” - and when paired with interesting social commentary or trending sounds, this work quickly went viral.
As a one-woman show, Zahra’s goals as a creator are centered around the art itself. “I just want the audience to think, ‘this is visually stunning,’" she says. She hopes that her audience experiences the shock factor-the mere realization that one person was able to ideate, storyboard, film, and edit such a complex piece of art. For the most part, Zahra finds inspiration by scrolling through Tiktok and allowing herself to dream up sensory combinations. "I'll hear an audio, and immediately see a visual and want to bring it to life," she describes. Zahra often receives comments saying "this is TikTok Premium" and she loves that people appreciate the effort she puts into refining her craft.
Putting your art out there is a vulnerable thing-and even Zahra is not immune to this fact. But at the same time, she's learned to adapt her mindset: "Even if a video only gets 100 likes, it means that 100 people saw this video and really resonated with it. I want an audience that genuinely loves the art I'm putting out. As long as I'm proud of what I put out, as long as I put all of my heart and soul into it, the right people will find it."
In the future, Zahra hopes to give back to the community that gave her this career. She plans to offer video tutorials that break down exactly how she makes her videos, so others can follow along the same path.
For now, Zahra has loved connecting with other creators. "As a Pakistani American, you don't really see many brown TikTokers. It's been a fun journey to meet all of the brown artists online and grow into a community.” But no matter who she meets or how much she grows, one thing remains true: her dad will always be her biggest fan.