Michelle Dee shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Michelle, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me depends on my mood and headspace. On good days I’ll wake up early, go to the gym, make breakfast, run errands, and work on my thesis (which I am very behind on). My favorite days are when I’m creating, whether that’s getting ready, finding a studio or location, and shooting photos for myself or with friends, because everyone deserves a seat at the table. Busier days can mean working with brands, creating promotional content, modeling for everything from e-commerce to lifestyle to just-for-fun shoots, and attending events like red carpets, influencer gatherings, and other outings. I also try to make time for streaming and for my spiritual practices where I feel the most connected.
Other days, depression makes it hard to get out of bed. I used to feel like not being productive meant wasting the day, but now I am learning to give myself grace and find balance between creating, growing, and resting when I need to.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Michelle, the girl behind The Wicked Lady, a space where beauty, fashion, gaming, photography, spirituality, and mental health intersect. The name comes from Sailor Moon, where Wicked Lady is the English dub name for Black Lady, the future adult form of Chibiusa who is consumed by darkness and loneliness. She convinces herself that no one loves her and falls into a shadowed place, something I deeply resonated with. In the story, she is brought back into the light with the love and support of those around her, and that journey of reclaiming light from darkness felt powerful and healing to me.
This idea, that creativity can be both beautiful and transformative, shapes everything I do. My work blends gothic and whimsical aesthetics, modeling from e-commerce to lifestyle and fun shoots, event coverage from red carpets to gaming conventions, personal storytelling, and spiritual practices rooted in energy and nature. It is a mix of eerie, playful, raw, and uplifting. Right now, I am balancing graduate school and my thesis with brand collaborations, building my community, and creating content that invites people to feel seen, aligned, and creatively free.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
What breaks bonds between people is often a mix of miscommunication, unspoken hurt, and the walls we build when we feel unseen or unheard. Sometimes it is pride, sometimes it is fear, and sometimes it is simply growing in different directions without realizing it. I have learned that isolation and assuming the worst about someone’s intentions can turn small cracks into deep divides.
What restores those bonds is vulnerability, patience, and the willingness to listen. It is choosing to show up even when it is uncomfortable, being open about your own flaws, and giving the other person space to be human too. Love in all its forms, whether friendship, family, or romance, can heal a lot when it is paired with empathy and effort. For me, the most meaningful connections are the ones where both people acknowledge they are imperfect but still choose to try.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I stopped hiding my pain when I realized that keeping it locked away was only giving it more control over me. For years I thought I had to appear strong by pretending everything was fine, but all that did was make me feel more isolated. I began sharing my struggles with mental health, heartbreak, and self-worth through my art and my platforms, and that honesty opened doors I never expected. People connected with me more deeply when I was real, and I learned that vulnerability could be a strength.
Using my pain as power meant turning it into something that could help others feel less alone. I am reminded that my experiences are part of what makes my work meaningful. I still have difficult days, but now I see them as chapters in a bigger story rather than something to hide.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies in the content creation and influencer space is that you have to present a perfect, curated version of your life at all times. There is this constant pressure to make everything look effortless, when in reality a lot of work, planning, and sometimes struggle happens behind the scenes. Another lie is that trends are the only way to grow, which can lead people to lose their individuality in the process. There is also the idea that success is only measured by numbers, sponsorships, and brand deals. While those things can be important, they are not the full story. True impact comes from building a genuine connection with your audience and creating work that feels authentic to you, even if it does not go viral. The industry often forgets that audiences connect most with humanity, not perfection.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I am fully present in a moment and not worrying about what comes next. That can be sitting quietly in nature, grounding myself and feeling connected to the energy around me. It can be creating something purely for myself without thinking about algorithms or outcomes. It can also be spending time with friends who make me feel safe and understood, where laughter comes easily and nothing feels forced. Peace for me is not about the absence of chaos, but about finding calm within it. When I am aligned with myself, my values, and the people I care about, even the busiest or most uncertain days feel lighter.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thewickedlady.net
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/thewickedlady
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/thewickedlady
Image Credits
Lindsphoto
Miko Aquino
Angel Varela
