Cover Small Laude wears Carolina Herrera gown and Tiffany & Co High Jewelry Schlumberger Bird on the Rock brooch

Social media sensation Small Laude speaks about her journey to fame, what keeps her grounded, and how faith and authenticity are essential in life

“I had no idea it would be like this,” admits mega-influencer Marissa “Small” Eduardo Laude who still can’t believe her phenomenal rise to fame in the vlogging sphere. With 1.5 million subscribers on Youtube (as a comparison, Kim Kardashian has 1.96 million), almost half a million followers on Instagram, and more than 2 million likes on TikTok as of writing, the former stay-at-home mum is a big (pun intended) deal in a world that, until recently, was completely alien to her. 

Like many others of her generation, vlogging—or creating video blogs— was uncharted territory for Laude, and navigating its labyrinthine depths was daunting in the beginning. Sure, she had seen her daughter Alison write a blog that she started at age eight, and she had Facebook and Instagram accounts, but that was the extent of her social media exposure. That all changed in 2019.

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“My friend Karen Davila introduced me to vlogging; she encouraged me to try it,” Laude, who is in her 50s says. The next thing she knew, Davila, a renowned broadcast journalist, sent a production team to her home supposedly to film the first video to be released online. But as the team was capturing footage of her beautiful Ed Calma-designed residence, her closet and, essentially, her private space, it dawned on Laude that she was not ready to expose her personal life to the public. Not yet, at least. “I told Karen, ‘I’m not ready [for this]’,” she recalls. So, the shoot packed up and the video was shelved.

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Above Small Laude wears Puey Quiñones dress and Tiffany & Co High Jewelry Diamond Vine drop earrings in platinum, Single Daisy brooch and Swirl ring
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Above Laude wears Puey Quiñones dress and Tiffany & Co High Jewelry Schlumberger Zinnia brooch an Swirl ring

It took her another four months to finally convince herself she should try again, and off she filmed her first-ever YouTube video on her own, shooting the opening frame aboard an aeroplane headed to Los Angeles, being very much her natural self. Her authenticity resonated frame after frame—and people paid attention.

That first video became a hit, garnering thousands of views from all over the world. But more motivating than the views was the comments section, which was peppered with touching reactions from her viewers like “So real and true”, “You inspire us, and “Such a happy pill”. These comments inspired her to keep going; and her eponymous Youtube channel was born. “Viewers can read you. You can’t fool them,” she says, emphasising the importance of being genuine as a content creator; she feels this is was why the viewing public instantly clicked with her.

Her YouTube channel led to a lifestyle show on cable television titled It’s a Small World which aired in 2021, several big-ticket product endorsements, and a presence on other platforms, including TikTok. “I don’t even do TikTok because I feel it is not [appropriate] for my age, but there was once a brand that used a video of myself disinfecting my home using their product, and that TikTok video reached 17 million views. It’s amazing,” she says. Having started with a lean team composed of herself and her household help (including the popular Yaya Nic), Laude confesses she now commissions about eight staff to handle her TikTok account alone, an entire production team to do her video and editing, and a team that takes charge of her social media accounts and endorsements.

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“It [fame] could go to my head, but what keeps me grounded is that I know they are the reason why I am here today. I am their happy pill"

- Small Laude -

Laude is, by nature, the bubbly and vibrant member of her family, and was the loud, mischievous one of four siblings in her youth. “My siblings are serious [and reserved]. My sisters are quiet and studious,” she says, referring to sisters Alice Eduardo and Melba Eduardo Solidum and brother Joel Eduardo. “I was also the valedictorian in school, but I was noisy and stubborn,” she says laughing, adding that she would always get into trouble in St Paul’s, a Catholic school managed by nuns under the Sisters of Saint Paul. “I’d get suspended or be asked to stay in front of the flagpole. The nuns would call the attention of my Ate Alice [for my wrongdoings]. Melba would always tell me, ‘Small, please stop!’ and my parents would reprimand me,” she says. But these experiences taught her the importance of learning from her mistakes. “I accepted it when they got mad at me because it was my fault.”

Despite being something of a troublemaker, people in her hometown loved her and could see her heart of gold for they could see her golden heart—so much so that they urged her to run for office. “People in our town were encouraging me to run for mayor. I also considered the idea of running for congress, but my family, especially my mum, was very much against it,” she explains.

Read also: What's the T? Catching Up With Small Laude

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Above Laude wears Vania Romoff dress and Tiffany & Co Flame ear clips, Fringe necklace and Swirl ring

I'm happy with what I have. I want to enjoy life and be remembered as a good and kind person who gives happiness

- Small Laude -

But while her time in the public eye perhaps seemed ordained, and while people around the globe appreciated her and her craft when her vlog took off, it was a different story with her husband and children—at least in the beginning. Her businessman husband Phillip and children PJ, Timothy, Michael and Alison were not the type to enjoy the limelight; the sudden attention was too much for them to handle. “Alison told me, ‘Mum, please don’t do it because I’ll get depressed. Can you do it in four years’ time?’; and I assumed she meant ‘Do it when I’m out of school’. She was very embarrassed,” Laude says. This reaction worked both ways, and the star recalls an instance when she cried with frustration that her daughter couldn’t see how important this was to her. Her sons, meanwhile, refused to appear on camera.

So why continue? Laude says, “I want something I can do on my own. I want to do something meaningful. I want to earn my husband’s respect.” It was something she had been praying hard for, and which God granted at the perfect time. “I had never worked in my life. I was so dependent on Phillip, my in-laws, my parents and Ate Alice,” she says, elaborating on how her husband was an excellent provider to her and their children. But for her, having a source of income which she works diligently to earn, garners her family’s respect—and respect for herself. Today, Laude happily shares, her family supports her a hundred per cent.

With the trajectory of her popularity, however, comes the price of fame: lack of privacy. “I cannot go out anymore [the way I used to]. Fans follow me or ask for a photo,” she says. But she is grateful to her fans, and gladly interacts, given the chance. “It [fame] could go to my head, but what keeps me grounded is that I know they are the reason why I am here today. I am their happy pill, so I cannot be suplada [snobbish]. Philip always reminds me of this.”

To thank her one million YouTube subscribers, Laude held an exclusive meet and greet, which coincided with her birthday, 1 Million Laughs with Small Laude. “There were so many people who came; some flew in for the occasion. It was getting out of control, so security pulled me out at about 8pm. Phillip saw the people outside and told me: you must go out. You owe it to them,” she recalls. She went back onstage and interacted with about 400 more people who had been waiting to take a photo with her, not minding that they finished past midnight. “We never expected this. I had goosebumps knowing these people lined up to see and be with me.”

Laude also gives back through initiatives like Small Saturdays, a feeding programme she and her husband started during the pandemic, and by offering help to those in need of assistance paying medical bills. She exercises caution, however, and makes sure she extends support to those who are really in need. “We do thorough background checks to ensure help will go to the right people,” she says.

 

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Above Laude wears Puey Quiñones dress, Aquazurra shoes and Tiffany & Co High Jewelry Schlumberger Bird on the Rock brooch and Swirl ring
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Above Laude wears Zimmermann outfit and Tiffany & Co High Jewelry Flame ear clips and Swirl ring

As the saying goes, “With great power comes great responsibilities.” Because of the broad range of her audience, Laude is always mindful about the content she produces and the language she uses. “Children, people of all ages are watching my content, and it is my responsibility to be careful,” she says, recalling the best piece of advice she received from her sister Alice: “Think before you speak”; and that from her dear friend Davila: “Do what you feel is right.” So far such care seems to have protected her from online trolls and critics; perhaps it also helps that her tagline says: “Of course, no bashing. It’s for fun”, which primes viewers that her only intention is to bring good vibes.

With everything she has now, one wonders: is there anything else she wants in her life? Laude says she is always praying for guidance and wants to have a positive impact on those around her. “I’m happy with what I have. I want to enjoy life and be remembered as a good and kind person who gives happiness. Nothing is permanent, no matter how famous you are,” Laude says, and heads off again to inspire millions of people in her own “Small” way.

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Credits

Photography  

Franz Navarrete

Styling  

CK Koo and Leanne Ledesma

Jewellery  

Tiffany & Co

Production  

Timothy Chow

Content Direction  

Anton San Diego

Location  

Studio 2000 and National Botanical Gardens, Singapore