Daily Inspiration: Meet Nick Metos

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Metos. 

Nick, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Lip Smacker Necklaces. That’s where it all started. Kassandra [sister] and my older cousin Samantha absolutely reveled in getting me dressed up, Full heels. I’d get the crown on, princess dress, all of it. With one of those lip smackers necklaces that I would just… Devour. Like it was all over my face. All over me. There’s no way you’re supposed to eat that much lip balm. 

But I survived this long (even if my stomach lining didn’t). 

But I was just surrounded by it. My mother was just always so fabulous, and she would wake up every morning to beat her face into a masterful artwork. And Kassandra! 

She was a model starting from like childhood, you know? My sisters, my mom. They were just beautiful, it was mesmerizing. 

And Kassandra did this movie SLC Punk and then we started doing these little musicals and plays together. And obviously, there was always makeup involved and I was really fascinated by it. 

The reason I ended up putting makeup on myself was actually out of pure frustration. I was going as Scar from the Lion King and this queen who was supposed to put my face on got caught up in some other nonsense and never showed. So, I had my little “I’m the captain now” moment. 

I said, “Okay, you can sit in the corner on Halloween and cry. and do nothing, or you can Pull up freaking Pinterest and YouTube and you can and will turn this lookout.” 

So, I made myself a tail and I busted out the scar wax. 

And I looked. So good. 

And that’s when I started getting really into going live on Facebook. It wasn’t the easiest thing to manage my time. I was balancing the workload of my upperclassman years in AP And IB programs at my CATHOLIC private school with being a boy who was very quickly becoming known for putting on makeup online. 

It was so exciting my art was just being clicked and shared and shared. I’d see myself on the popular page. But my classmates would too. And I will tell you know. That relationship was not always easy. And I will leave it at that. 

In college, I managed to find myself a home in the Opera scene, where we got to just… Play. 

There’s all sorts of makeup involved in Opera. We did a Vampire Opera; Smokey eyes big hair, scars bruising. Fabulous goth gore. I loved Opera. In so many ways, it’s where I found my voice. 

But yes, I did drop out. 

(With my professors’ blessings) 

The makeup was just becoming so big, it was Everything. I remember the first person who said, “Wow that looks so good, can you do mine?” and then the first paid gig. 

And I realized this is a job. This Can be my job. Wait… this IS my job. 

In 2016 I moved to Redlands, and I was in the mix. I was doing makeup On Pixee Fox, this gorgeous living cartoon, I was doing runways, meeting all these fabulous artists, and learning about how they used their bodies as a medium. I was on set for music videos and driving for UBER. 

Yes, Gorg. It ain’t all glitz and glam. I was serving looks by day and Fat sals and doorstep drop off by night. 

But I’m Glad It wasn’t too immediate. It allowed me to keep being a real person, you know? 

This industry is all about fantasy, and it’s so easy to get swept up. When I was a pit crew boy on Drag Race. I’m telling you; you can get pretty lost in that pink room fantasy. When You’re all of a sudden being paid for being pretty, it can be easy to forget that the person driving your uber eats to you is overworked and exhausted, and underpaid and they probably didn’t forget your drink on purpose. 

And I’m not going to pretend my social media success wasn’t fast. Because it was FAST. But there was a level of gradual admission into the creative industry itself. And I am truly, grateful for the empathy I was able to gain in that time. 

And I’ve had so much success in La. I’ve made friends who are so talented, and I’ve worked on Projects that make me so proud I could burst. It’s all a process. I have some really special people around me who have helped me understand my art as just that. Art. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
HAHA Smooth? I’m a boy who wears makeup for a living. Take a stab in the dark, I’ve probably heard it. Honestly, I get so many horrible words slung at me I can’t even pull out a specific instance. And to a degree, that is a relief. I’m so grateful that they just blur together for me. Because that is NOT the case for everyone. Online bullying is taken a little more seriously now than it was when I started out, but it’s never been as easy as turning off your phone. 

Our lives are online now. If you have to shut down your social media because of predatory harassment. You could be losing your life’s work. Your portfolio, your connections, your friends from far away, your support network, your ability to seek employment. I mean faceless profiles online have every ability to absolutely rock your foundation. 

And it sucks. I don’t have an answer. I can say, “People need to have more compassion, empathy, humanity.” 

But I can’t like, make it a law. Like you can But That change is so personal emotional. It’s an overwhelmingly individual process. It feels so big. I have my fingers crossed that we the next generation stress the humanity of every kind of person to our own kids. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a Professional M U A Makeup Artist. (singer-songwriter, lifestyleguru, dragartist) 

I do a lot of things! 

There’s always gonna be a special warm hole in my soul where I keep the music video I made for my song “See Me”. That’s the place where all my art gets to come together with visual and musical harmony. I worked ages getting that wedding dress spray painted. It was so crunchy, and that wig was so itchy, and I was so mushy gushy proud of myself. 

I look back on that now and I’m just like. 

“Look at him. He was so cute. What a star. What a little hunk.” 

Now I’m a slightly bigger hunk and I’m actually feeling myself in this new season of my relationship to my craft. I’ve brought a new Creative Director on board and he’s honestly just helping me renew my love affair with the art that is makeup and music. 

I’ve been a bit, let’s say, afraid of my piano lately. But, I think, now I’m feeling, little by little, I feel a bit more free. 

And I’m ready to start being playful again. 

Who else deserves credit in your story?
OH, THE CREDIT. Where do I even start? 

Well obviously, with my parents, who’ve supported me every step of the way. Thank you for seeing me and giving me the allowances to follow an unfamiliar path. You are my rock and my foundation and the fire under my ass. Love you forever and again. 

A special shout out to my sisters: Kassandra, who is an amazing artist – @kassmetos (IG) @kassandrametos (TikTok), Melissa, and Athena, who are my loving angels 

My Dear sweet daughter Flabbergast, who always makes me laugh – @Flabbergast4eva (IG/TikTok) 

My besties Miranda (@lewmiru IG/TikTok), Amanda (a.hickey IG), Sammy (@samski14111x2 IG), Freddy (@blueperk IG/TikTok), who has really been there for me every step of the way, and finally, to my Creative Director and friend, Mr. Max, yes that’s Mr. Max. @ominousbreakfast_ (IG) who helped me fall back in love with learning and growing my art. 

And who also absolutely typed this. With me. I’m giving the answers. But dang, look at them fingers fly. 

Thanks, Mr. Max. 

You’re welcome, Mr. Max. 

I’m taking this chance to enrich my understanding of myself and my art and my connection to my audience as a content creator. And I think I’ve found the right people to help me do it. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.Nickmetos.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick.metos/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nickmetosmua
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@NickMetos

Image Credits
Mr. Max
Andrey Frazao
Aaron Tyler Soffer