Meet Vestia Sterling

Today we’d like to introduce you to Vestia Sterling.

Hi Vestia, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
So I was born in Madison County, Ohio into a very large family. My dad is a native Ohioan and my mom is from Lima, Peru. Growing up I was told I was a wild card, I loved going against the grain. The thing that all of my family would say I love doing is proving people wrong. My dad is an artist at heart and that rubbed off on me.

I started withdrawing then painting, and after that sewing. Then during my preteen years, I started to do makeup myself in private. My main focus was covering up the acne that puberty was instilling in me. After about 2 years of doing very natural makeup on myself, I told my parents I was wearing makeup.

I am so fortunate that both of my parents were accepting and encouraging of it. At that point, I knew I wanted to go further, but I didn’t know how. One day when I was fourteen, I was on my Instagram scrolling through the explore page when I saw the most beautiful woman on a show called RuPaul’s drag race.

I figured out the women’s name was Kayta Zamolodchikova, and she was a drag queen. At that moment I knew I wanted to do drag queen. At the young age of 14, I started to do drag in my childhood bedroom. In the following years, I started using my previous makeup, sewing, and drawing skills to further my drag persona. During my freshman year I heard of this thing called the career center, and they were offering a cosmetology program.

After getting subdued to the program I went on to further my skills and hairstyling which I am most known for to this day. After graduating high school in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, I started to work at a salon doing hair professionally. I did hair for a few months and it was a great salon and a great opportunity, but I knew I wanted to explore my passion for makeup which was my first true love.

After leaving the salon and being unemployed for a few months I started my TikTok page two years ago at the age of eighteen. My passion for drag was reignited after starting my TikTok page I felt like I had a way to express my drag because I was not old enough to perform at the clubs yet.

I posted myself doing my makeup and styling my hair for my drag looks and I grew a little bit of a following.  I could not believe people were interested in my drag, and when my first video hit 1 million views I just couldn’t believe 1 million people saw my face, I was in shock.

A few months ago this year, I did my first performance at a club. I never felt a greater feeling than when I was on stage performing. That leads us to the present where I have an ever-expanding TikTok page where I sew, style hair, do my makeup, and do other activities that have to do with beauty.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I am so fortunate to have such an amazing excepting family, which has made my journey so much easier than maybe some other queer artists. I am a person who suffers from severe anxiety and OCD. Having social anxiety I have a hard time talking with people and getting myself out there.

With the help of my parents and step-parents have helped me through that anxiety. They drive me and go to every single performance that I have. Drag has also been a way for me to express myself and relieve my anxiety, I call it my therapy. It gives me the confidence to be my true self.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have my Ohio cosmetology license, which allows me to work as a professional hair and makeup artist. Can I see before when I first graduated high school with my cosmetology degree I worked at a salon for a time? After learning so many things about hairstyling I wanted to learn more about makeup artistry, so I took a job at a Makeup store.

I currently work out as a professional makeup artist. Other than that I spend the rest of my free time doing drag. When I am not on the clock I’m usually making Tiktok videos, sewing, or hair styling. I am most recognized on my TikTok page for hairstyling videos. I also post my drag transformations on my page which I am very proud of I collect every single look into a portfolio so I know what I want to do in the future and always have something to reference.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
The biggest supporters in my entire journey have been my family. Ever since I was born they have told me to do what I love and that I will never be unhappy. I could have asked for a better family. I have a very large blended family with four parents and 9 brothers and sisters, and I know each one of them is my biggest fan.

They all came to my first show and all the other queen told me how lucky I was. I need to shout out my mother, she has been there for everything. She goes to every single one of my shows and all the other queens know if I’m going to be there she will not be far behind me. I love my entire family so much.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @vestia_sterling
• Facebook: @Vestia Sterling
• Tiktok: @Vestia_Sterling