SKITTLES: BUILDING WORLDS FOR THE MISFITS & DREAMERS

Mayor of Joyville and Advocate for Creativity

INTERVIEW BY: EMILY ARAUZA

NOVEMBER 26th, 2025

In a digital world overflowing with aesthetics and alter-egos, few creators manage to build an entire universe, let alone one people genuinely want to live in. But Skittles, better known as Skitz, Sugar Rush’s #1 style icon and the self-appointed mayor of Jollyville, is of course beyond being just another content creator. He’s an architect of joy. A designer of safe spaces. A storyteller whose colors, characters, & community orbit around something deeper: the belief that being yourself is not just allowed, but celebrated.

From Decora hair artistry to world-building that blurs the line between fantasy and identity, Skittles has crafted a place where misfits feel seen, kids feel understood, & creativity rules the land. In this conversation, we break down the universe he’s created, the inspirations that shaped it, what was his genesis, and the legacy he hopes to leave behind.

Skittles: “My name is Skittles. I also go by Skitz. In my community, I’m known as Sugar Rush’s favorite style icon and the mayor of Jollyville. I’m a TikTok content creator, style icon, model, and also a Decora hair artist.”

Emily Arauza: “Your whole introduction is a world in itself—Skittles, Skitz, mayor of Jollyville. I want to understand the architecture behind that. What’s the origin story? How did this persona take shape? Walk me through how you built that universe.”

Skittles: “Well, I’ve been Skittles since 2016. Skittles is a persona based off my love for colors, sweets, and cartoons. Skitz, the word itself, is half of Skittles—it’s another persona I ran with as a character in a short film I was creating in 2022. The character was based on a rockstar who dealt with loneliness and emotional imbalances in everyday life. He had a spiky wig and often wore blazers with sweater vests. Jollyville is my community I’ve formed through TikTok. It’s all about pushing positivity and influencing youth and individuals to be themselves and the best versions of themselves. Bringing all the outcasted and misfitted kids together and creating a safe space for them because I felt like I could relate to them. Before I even had a fan base, I wanted a community—something to bring everyone together. But the main world is Sugar Rush. The best way to break this down is by viewing Sugar Rush and the state and Jollyville as the city!”

EA: “I really love that concept. Everything you just explained shows how much thought and heart you put into what you’re building. Skittles and Skitz feel like real parts of you rather than just characters. And the way Sugar Rush and Jollyville came from wanting to create a safe space for people who feel different is honestly really meaningful. You can tell it comes from a real place. How old are you, by the way?”

S: “I never usually bring my age into a conversation because many people like to use age as something that determines how much knowledge you may have. Just because I’m young doesn’t mean I haven’t experienced things or have the same knowledge as someone who’s older. So I often tell people 98,000 on a good day. They’ll be able to Google it soon or they’ll get it from Famous Birthdays soon.”

EA: “That makes sense, and honestly I get it because people always assume I’m older because of what I do. So I understand why you handle it that way. I want to ask who inspires you creatively? Who helped shape the world you’re building?”

S: “Creatively, who inspires me is my community and all the people in that community—whether they’re an adult, a child, or one of my kids in my Discord community. Anytime I’m creating, I’m thinking about them—how they would react or how my ideas would impact or inspire them. The Discord community especially is the apple of my eye. Being a fan and watching the artists and creators maneuver with their fanbases helped me build my world and become more community-based in a digital aspect. The movie Wreck-It Ralph definitely inspired my world, more so Vanellope von Schweetz—she was truly the definition of Sugar Rush. I truly understand that I’m nothing without the people who support me, so everything I do is for them.”

EA: “That’s really beautiful. I can tell your community means everything to you, and the way you create with them in mind is why your world feels so alive. I love how intentional that is. What originally got you started on all of this? What was the moment that made you begin building these worlds?”

S: “I’m a huge fan and stan of Tyler, the Creator. WOLF (2013) is my favorite album ever, and that was my introduction to world building and bringing worlds together. It was told as a storyline; it had a certain color palette. Everything was executed based on what he felt went together—the chords, the transitions, the camp theme. It was all so beautiful, and it changed my life forever. Essentially, all world building is just bringing things you’ve thought about and viewed in your mind into reality.”

EA: “I can see that. Turning the things in your mind into something people can actually step into is such a powerful skill. Looking forward, what do you want everything you’re building to turn into? What’s the end goal for the world you’re creating?”

S: “As far as the end goal, the story will never end because the goal is to create and build something that’ll live forever. I want this to turn into corporations and empires. The goal is to keep my childhood version of myself happy and to keep building on my childhood dreams. Any dream that I want to achieve, I’ll make sure I do it times 1,000,000. In easier terms: be the greatest version of myself, constantly create, and build a world that’ll never be forgotten.”

EA: “That’s incredible. The way you’re thinking about legacy and constantly pushing yourself to be the greatest version of yourself is inspiring. How do you want to be remembered?”

S: “As far as remembrance, I’d like it to be for how fearless I am, my dedication, creativity, work ethic, and most importantly, positivity and the influence I’ve laid upon millions of people. Being myself and creating for myself—but then again, how you’re viewed and remembered is up to the people. It’s their job to do the commentary; it’s my job to create and do my part so they can do the talking.”

EA: “That’s such a solid mindset, and I admire how you focus on creating and let people interpret the rest. I want to hear more about another side of you—what’s your journey been like with modeling and working as a Decora hair artist?”

S: “The journey with modeling officially started because I just love getting dressed and taking pictures. I’m not really big into the model world anymore simply because I love being a free spirit and doing what I love, but I’m still classified as a model. Now, as far as being a Decora hair artist, I’ve had long hair for a minute now, and as of early 2024, when I started transitioning into a more Harajuku-Decora type style, I began decorating my hair much more. It’s my crown. It inspires me to get fresh. I love my hair and the idea of changing it. It’s how a lot of my supporters discovered me in the first place, so I just try to treat my hair as art.”

EA: “I love how your hair is your crown and your art. It really shows who you are. With modeling and all the attention that comes with it, how do you stay true to yourself and your vision?”

S: “I’m a firm believer in God. I believe every opportunity and gig I’ve gotten is a blessing, and I must remain humble and be grateful. If you’re not humble, then God will humble you. Stick to the plan and the goal; never forget why you started in the first place.”

EA: “Yes, I believe in God as well, and I feel the same way. Staying humble and remembering why you started is everything. What’s one lesson you’ve learned through this journey that you think everyone should hear?”

S: “Don’t do anything for numbers or views. Create for yourself. If you’re doing what you’re supposed to do, you’ll be discovered. Do it because you love it, not because you want clout. There’s a difference between being a star and being famous. The journey is a long road—it gets tough, it gets lonely—but you’ve got to really get in that field and grind to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Your time is gonna come if you’re working hard. Stay ready!”

EA: “I love that. Creating for yourself and staying true to your passion over chasing clout is such an important mindset. The way you talk about embracing discomfort and trusting the process is inspiring. Before we wrap up, is there any advice you’d like to give? I know it’s similar to what I just asked, but just in case. I really appreciate talking to you and I love your outlook on life.”

S: “Some advice I’d love to give is to stay jolly, stay positive. Even if you’re sad, find something to be happy and positive about. Don’t allow bad days to become bad years. Smile more and often. Sad songs don’t chart the top long, so be happy. Do everything out of love. If you’re lost about something and don’t know where to go, go wherever the love is coming from.”