Ismeiow
Ismeiow | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Occupations |
|
| YouTube information | |
| Channels | |
| Years active | 2018–present |
| Genre | Reaction |
| Subscribers | 4.025 million (combined)[a] |
| Views | 1.29 billion (combined)[b] |
| Last updated: 16 March 2026 | |
Ismael Serafim, known professionally as Ismeiow (Portuguese pronunciation: [izˈmew]), is a Brazilian drag queen, YouTuber, digital influencer, and makeup artist.[2][3][4][5] He became known on the Brazilian internet for his artistic makeup, influenced by his years of study in plastic and visual arts,[4] as well as fashion-related work,[6] including the independent production and customization of clothes and accessories.[2]
In 2018, he created a YouTube channel focused on sharing personal experiences.[2][4] Shortly thereafter, he shifted the channel's focus to his drag persona, Ismeiow. He later began publishing reaction videos, which contributed to an increase in his visibility.[2] In 2023, he launched a second channel, titled Ismael, in which he appears outside of his drag persona; the channel went on to achieve greater viewership and audience reach than his main channel.[2]
Biography
Early life
A native of Anápolis, Ismael was introduced to the arts during his childhood. In a guest column for Sallve, he stated that at the age of eight he enrolled in a school of visual and plastic arts, where he remained for approximately five and a half years, studying art history, drawing, painting, sculpture, perspective, and charcoal drawing.[3][4] During this period, he also worked as a face painter at children's parties and celebratory events.[3]
In the same column, he noted that despite his years of study, he did not feel fully artistically fulfilled, as he considered his work insufficient. In the final year of the program, with approximately five months remaining before completion, he chose to withdraw from the course.[4] After this period, he began directing his interest primarily toward artistic makeup.[2]
Career
Ismael's first experience with online content creation occurred during his early adolescence, when he created a YouTube channel in partnership with a friend, inspired by videos on Vine. The project, however, was eventually discontinued.[2]
Beginning in 2018,[4] he started producing content independently, exploring customization, sewing, and artistic makeup.[3][2] Of humble background, he initially created content using alternative materials, such as gouache paint and glitter glue,[2][4] due to a lack of financial resources to purchase professional makeup.[2]
Despite receiving no financial return at first, he continued producing videos for approximately two years without monetization. In an interview with Capricho magazine, Ismael stated that the channel began to be monetized in 2020, earning around 600 Brazilian reais every three months.[2]
In 2022, he founded the audiovisual production company Ismeiow Video.[3] The following year, he launched a second YouTube channel, titled Ismael, in which he appears outside of his drag persona. On this channel, he publishes videos commenting on topics that gain traction on social media, in addition to sharing personal experiences. The channel reached over one million subscribers within approximately one year, surpassing his main channel in viewership.[2]
In June 2024, he hosted the Ismeiow's Open House, an event organized to celebrate the purchase of his residence,[7] located in the Morumbi neighborhood of São Paulo.[8] The program featured performances by drag queens Márcia Pantera, Natasha Princess, Shannon Skarlet, Hellena Borgys, Alyssah Hernandes, Sasha Zimmer, Frimes, and DesiRée Beck, and was broadcast live on Twitch,[9][7] with an estimated audience of 65,000 viewers.[7]
Public image
At the age of 18, Ismael began receiving greater public attention after becoming involved in a controversy with Karen Bachini,[10][11] an episode that resulted in coverage by the nationally circulated news portals G1 and Terra.[12][13] From that period onward, he was involved in other online controversies. Over time, he adopted a more reserved stance regarding this type of public exposure and issued apologies for positions he had taken at the beginning of his career.[2]
Personal life
Raised in a Seventh-day Adventist family and of humble background,[4] Ismael has openly identified as gay since the start of his online career. He publicly disclosed his sexual orientation on his YouTube channel, which led to his departure from the church he had been a member of.[2]
Filmography
Music video
| Year | Title | Artist | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | "Supostamente" | Bea Duarte | [14][15] |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Prêmio Influency.me | Beauty[c] | Won | [16][17] |
| BreakTudo Awards | Internet Personality | Nominated | [18] |
Notes and references
Notes
References
- ^ Galvão, Davi (2023-12-08). "Influencer surpreende ao revelar que é de Anápolis e mostrar motivos que o estão fazendo ir embora" [Influencer surprises fans by revealing he is from Anápolis and explaining the reasons behind his decision to leave.]. Portal 6 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2026-02-06. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Ferreira, Arthur (13 October 2024). "Ismael Serafim relembra início de Ismeiow: "muito murro em ponta de faca"" [Ismael Serafim recalls Ismeiow’s early struggles: “It was like banging my head against a wall”]. Capricho (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2 August 2025. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d e Oliveira, Evely (7 November 2025). "Ismeiow: The power to illuminate one's own destiny". Hooks Magazine. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Rosa, Ismael (2 June 2022). "O corpo como arte, por Ismeiow" [The body as art, by Ismeiow]. Sallve (In a guest column published on the blog of Sallve, Ismeiow reflects on her artistic vision and personal journey.) (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ Caroline, Austra (17 September 2023). "Conheça Ismeiow, a artista drag queen brasileira" [Meet Ismeiow, the Brazilian drag queen]. Meta Galáxia (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 18 January 2026. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ Tavares, Lucas (1 January 2024). "De Anápolis, influencers LGBTs são destaques em engajamento nas redes sociais" [LGBTQ influencers from Anápolis stand out for strong social media engagement]. Diário do Município Anápolis. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
Ismeiow conquistou seu público na internet, principalmente, por conta do talento com moda e maquiagens.
[Ismeiow gained recognition online primarily for his work in fashion and makeup.]{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c Steve, Daniel (20 June 2024). "Famosos e Influenciadores Marcam Presença no Open House de Ismeiow em São Paulo" [Celebrities and influencers attend Ismeiow’s Open House in São Paulo]. C6 Magazine (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 10 October 2025. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ Steve, Daniel (13 April 2025). "Com lista secreta de influenciadores, Ismeiow comemora aniversário em sua luxuosa mansão no Morumbi" [With a secret guest list of influencers revealed, Ismeiow celebrates his birthday at his luxurious mansion in Morumbi]. C6 Magazine (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 3 August 2025. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ Genovesi, Maria Emília (19 June 2025). "Realness Ismeiow Open House". Vimagazine (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ "Entenda a briga entre blogueiras motivada por suposta "romantização da pobreza"" [Inside the feud between beauty influencers over alleged “romanticization of poverty”]. O Tempo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 30 November 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Sampaio, Carlos Nathan (November 2022). "Em alta: entenda a briga entre a maquiadora goiana Ismeiow e a influenciadora Karen Bachini" [Trending: understand the feud between Goiás makeup artist Ismeiow and influencer Karen Bachini]. Diário de Goiás (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ "Quem é Karen Bachini, influenciadora criticada por romantizar pobreza, zombar de youtubers e humilhar funcionária" [Who is Karen Bachini, the influencer criticized for romanticizing poverty, mocking YouTubers, and humiliating an employee]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 30 November 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ "Karen Bachini: Entenda caso de influenciadora acusada de assédio moral, bullying e falas elitistas" [Karen Bachini: understand the case of the influencer accused of moral harassment, bullying, and elitist remarks]. Terra (in Brazilian Portuguese). 15 December 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ "Bea Duarte Enfrenta Controvérsias com o Lançamento do Clipe de "Supostamente"" [Bea Duarte faces controversy with the release of the “Supostamente” music video]. EntreMusic Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 1 May 2024. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Bea Duarte e Ismeiow se unem em clipe de single 'Supostamente'" [Bea Duarte and Ismeiow collaborate on the music video for “Supostamente”]. Istoé (in Brazilian Portuguese). 10 May 2024. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Laender, Katharina (21 November 2025). "Prêmio Influency.me 2025: conheça os ganhadores em 16 categorias" [Influency.me Awards 2025: meet the winners in 16 categories]. Portal Sala da Notícia (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ Carvalheiro, Marcela (18 November 2025). "Prêmio Influency.me 2025". Influency.me (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ Flávia, Kátia (10 September 2026). "BreakTudo Awards 2025: veja a lista de indicados em cada categoria". Jornal de Brasília (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 March 2026.