Only two years into her full-time influencer journey, Dubai-based Annabell Newman already garners millions of views a week posting content to her more than 230,000 followers on TikTok.
Through social media, the rising TikTok star shares everything from daily vlogs, lifestyle tips and tricks, couple goals content, and pranks on her unwitting fiancé.
As the world shut down in response to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Annabell — who started creating content online six years ago — opened up even more of her life to the world.
Since then, she has received the coveted blue check mark as a verified contributor and her name has often been listed in numerous publications as one of the top TikTokers to follow in the Middle East.
You end up working all the time because there is no hard line between work and home life. You put yourself out daily for millions of people to judge you and not everyone is nice
Annabell Newman,
TikTok star
As influencer marketing has become a way for companies to aim at their intended customers with pinpoint accuracy, UK-born Annabell has made a full-time profession out of it — earning thousands of dirhams for her posts.
Harnessing her online popularity, she said keeping up with her hundreds of thousands of fans is not easy, but she would not change it for the world.
“I get to live out my passion everyday,” she said.
“I am in charge of my own time, I can work from wherever I want, and most of the work I do is super fun, glamorous and exciting.
“When I am creating so much content all the time it pushes me to do more stuff and try lots of new things and places.”
Having give up the nine-to-five workday, the former digital marketer said being an onlline celebrity has more ups than downs, but it can sometimes be hard to separate work from home life.
“You end up working all the time because there is no hard line between work and home life,” she said.
“You put yourself out daily for millions of people to judge you and not everyone is nice.
“I do have to chase brands for payments at times too and the pressure to always keep achieving certain views and likes [can be daunting].”
The influencer landscape in the UAE has evolved tremendously over the past few years.
The introduction of Social Media Influencer licences and the requirement that influencers pay VAT has played a big part in professionalising the industry.
Here, Annabell shares with The National what a typical day looks like for a UAE TikTok star:
Morning
9am — Wake up and check my social media channels to see how my videos have performed overnight and gauge what content has done well.
Check my to-do list for the day, including what videos I plan to shoot and how. If I have packages sent from PR agencies, I choose my favourite bits and set them aside to share on my socials later in the day.
10am — Get ready for the day. Shower, do my hair and make-up and be ready to shoot content later in the day.
11am — I spend a lot of time checking emails and replying to agencies and brands, discussing projects, sharing ideas for future content, discussing deliverables, sharing data and insights from my social media channels and campaigns.
I also create and send invoices, chase up payments and read and amend contracts sent by brands and agencies.
Afternoon
1pm — Start posting on my social channels. Come up with a caption for each piece of content and spend some time replying to comments.
2pm — Start preparing to film. I set up a phone stand and two professional lights. I try to shoot about three videos a day to stay ahead of my posting schedule.
If the content is fashion-related I need to plan out transitions and pick outfits. If it’s a make-up video I need to pull out the products for the final look and I film each step of the application. I often have to repeat some steps to get the right shot.
If I’m posting a daily vlog, I shoot lots of clips throughout the day to give my audience insight into what a day in my life usually looks like.
4.30pm — Filming a 15-second video can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours to complete, depending on what it is. Once they have been filmed, most of my videos need to be edited. I usually transfer all my content and clips to my laptop and spend hours reeling them together. I sometimes add voice overs to my videos so I need to record these separately.
Evening
6pm — I try to go live twice a week on TikTok to chat with followers for around an hour. Sometimes I bake, do my make-up, play games or do a simple question and answer session while engaging with them.
7.30pm — Post on my social channels again. Come up with a caption for each piece of content and spend some time replying to comments. I also watch other TikTok videos to keep up with trends.
The specs: Volvo XC40
Price: base / as tested: Dh185,000
Engine: 2.0-litre, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 250hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.4L / 100km
Overview
What: The Arab Women’s Sports Tournament is a biennial multisport event exclusively for Arab women athletes.
When: From Sunday, February 2, to Wednesday, February 12.
Where: At 13 different centres across Sharjah.
Disciplines: Athletics, archery, basketball, fencing, Karate, table tennis, shooting (rifle and pistol), show jumping and volleyball.
Participating countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Qatar and UAE.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Profile
Name: Carzaty
Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar
Launched: 2017
Employees: 22
Based: Dubai and Muscat
Sector: Automobile retail
Funding to date: $5.5 million
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Power: 272hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 331Nm from 5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.7L/100km
On sale: now
Price: Dh149,000
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
RESULT
Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’
SRI LANKA SQUAD
Upul Tharanga (captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella
Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana
Chamara Kapugedara, Thisara Perera, Seekuge Prasanna
Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera
Vishwa Fernando, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
List of UAE medal winners
Gold
Faisal Al Ketbi (Open weight and 94kg)
Talib Al Kirbi (69kg)
Omar Al Fadhli (56kg)
Silver
Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Khalfan Belhol (85kg)
Zayed Al Mansoori (62kg)
Mouza Al Shamsi (49kg women)
Bronze
Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi (Open and 94kg)
Saood Al Hammadi (77kg)
Said Al Mazroui (62kg)
Obaid Al Nuaimi (56kg)
Bashayer Al Matrooshi (62kg women)
Reem Abdulkareem (45kg women)
Brief scoreline:
Wales 1
James 5'
Slovakia 0
Man of the Match: Dan James (Wales)
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Saturday's results
Brighton 1-1 Leicester City
Everton 1-0 Cardiff City
Manchester United 0-0 Crystal Palace
Watford 0-3 Liverpool
West Ham United 0-4 Manchester City
Brief scoreline:
Tottenham 1
Son 78'
Manchester City 0
The biog
Age: 46
Number of Children: Four
Hobby: Reading history books
Loves: Sports
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
