Anna Sitar

Photo Credit: Edyta Sitar

Anna Sitar (@annaxsitar) is a content creator radiating good vibes and positivity. After growing up in Marshall, Michigan, the entertainer moved to Los Angeles to receive her Master’s in Film and Television Production. It’s that same drive for creative outlets that has fueled her career as a TikTok star. She makes the videos that she wants to make: reactions, duets, dances, vlogs, comedy...you name it, she’s done it. Sitar values creating content that is enjoyable for everyone, a formula that has certainly paid off in recent months. Since her videos have been receiving views in the hundreds of thousands, the creator has earned herself a coveted blue check, 1.7M followers, and over 125M likes.  If you haven’t already been seeing her a lot, you better get used to her; she’s not slowing down anytime soon. We recently spoke with Anna about how she started making videos, her favorite types of videos, and more!

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Anna Sitar and I am a content creator on TikTok as @annaxsitar! I currently live in Los Angeles, CA but I grew up in Marshall, MI; a small town of 7,000 people in the south – central area of the mitten. After high school I moved to Kalamazoo, MI for my undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering at Western Michigan University. I made the most amazing memories there with people who still hold a special place in my heart. After graduation I knew that I needed a career in something with more creativity which prompted my move to Los Angeles to get my Master’s at Loyola Marymount University in Film and Television Production. Outside of school, I am often taking photos with friends, going on adventures around the city, or creating content for Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok!

Did you have any specific plans or ideas when you joined TikTok?

No! I initially used the app as a fun little way to pass the time. I had just moved to LA, I didn’t have many friends yet, and I was started a long-distance relationship with my boyfriend. I thought making videos could be a fun hobby in my free time and a way to make happy, positive content! I started with the simple trends and audios in the app and it just continued to progress from there!

Favorite song right now?

This is always the HARDEST question! I genuinely listen to every style of music, but I especially love country music in the summertime. Recently I have been listening to “This Bar” by Morgan Wallen the most!

Your content jumps around a lot in terms of tone and theme. What are your favorite types of videos to make?

It definitely does! I have always just made content that I am in the mood for; I just make what makes me happy! My favorite content has always been the videos surrounding relationships. Whether it’s “I don’t want it”s, “get with it”s, or recreating conversations with my boyfriend, I love the lighthearted videos!

Amassing 1.4 million followers is no easy feat on such a huge platform. To what do you attribute your success as a creator?

Something that I have always been cautious of is remembering what the goal is. Initially it was to make myself happy, and in doing so, I have been connected to a community of people who strive for happiness and good memories and positive vibes. I attribute all of my success to staying true to making what I love; the second you start to stray from that idea and making what other people just want to see, you lose yourself and your authenticity. I have always tried to just post what I feel and enjoy the most and I think my friends can see that in my content as well.

How has the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic affected you, both as a TikToker and in your personal life?

The pandemic actually had an extremely positive impact on my TikTok. Being stuck at home allowed me to make much more time for content and creative ideas seemed to be flowing while I was sitting at home! I left university in March to move back to my parent’s house for quarantine with 300K followers on TikTok. Since then, I have grown to 1.4M. It was unbelievable but I really enjoyed my time alone and availability to connect more with my community! In terms of my social life, that has been much more of a struggle! I am an extrovert so it can get a little lonely, but I’m so lucky to be around family and thankfully living in an age of digital media and facetiming. I had lots of plans to travel this summer and it’s so sad that I have had to cancel, but I’m hoping for the virus to clear up soon and my number one priority right now is for everyone to be safe!

What inspires you to make content?

I am most inspired from interactions in my daily life that make me smile; memories from my childhood, interactions with my boyfriend, and discussions that I have with myself in the shower. I continue to make because it makes me happy and positivity is contagious. It is the most rewarding to receive messages on Instagram about how happy my content makes my followers and helps them see the best sides of life.

Who would you choose if you could collab with any TikToker right now?

This is such a tough choice. There are so many incredible creators who are so talented and who I dream of making videos with them! I grew up loving Liza Koshy (@lizzza); she was one of the first creators I followed back in the Vine days! I also adore Gabby “Gibby from iCarly” on tiktok (@gibz_). I am so thankful to have made really great friends with her and we are hoping to meet up once it is a little safer to travel since we live in different states! She spreads such a positive message of being a powerhouse woman and encouraging confidence so many girls!

If you could add any feature to the app, what would it be?

Definitely a better way to organize the audios that I save to my favorites! I will sometimes save a sound with potential and come up with an idea for it later. I’m constantly losing sounds in that folder so it would be nice to be able to keep track of them!

Anything special planned for the future?

There are so many amazing things coming in the future. I have been working on my merch line which has lots of new creations coming soon (available at annaxsitar.com). I am so excited to be moving back to LA in the next few months and continuing another semester of graduate school along with having the opportunity to be back in the city and hopefully collaborating with other creators once I’m back! I’m really hoping to keep creating positive videos on TikTok and continue to expand my work into Instagram and YouTube. I am so thankful for the community I have and just being able to stay connected to amazing individuals!