Influencer Aleksejs on creating the character Auntie Svetka and moving to the countryside

Riga-born Aleksejs Stepanovs, known online for his content with 52,000 followers on Instagram and 79,000 on TikTok, began his career focusing on fashion topics. Today his content mainly covers gardening and rural life, but he gained widespread affection through self-deprecating videos in which he portrays the character Auntie Svetka, bringing nostalgic childhood scenes to life that many viewers recognize from their own lives.

From city stress to rural life

Aleksejs says city living caused him stress, which led him to move to the countryside, where he now grows tomatoes and courgettes, though his true passion remains flowers. Owning a plot of land had long been his dream, and he is glad he finally took the step.

A sense of responsibility for followers' mood

The content creator explains that over more than a decade online, he has worked to maintain a positive and cheerful image despite the often toxic nature of the internet. He considers this his responsibility, aiming to make people in Latvia smile more in their daily lives, even on days when things are difficult for him personally. His content touches not only on lighthearted topics but also on issues relevant to society, which he tries to address through humor.

He admits that filming content is sometimes hard, but he reminds himself of his purpose and the meaning behind it. His humorous videos touching on topics that resonate with viewers' struggles have received strong engagement, with followers sending him pictures of themselves smiling, which makes the process easier.

Almost no negativity

Asked about negative comments, Aleksejs says he receives surprisingly few — mostly he gets love and smiles rather than criticism. He suggests this may be due to how he has built his audience, deliberately avoiding the creation of negativity.