Neo Rivera: Online and Offline 

For the second issue of dotSpotlight we thought we’d bring in profiles from the digital creator scene. So I started to look for digital creator profiles worth ‘dotSpotlighting’. Enter Neo Rivera, our multi-platform, ever-multitasking Gen Z influencer.

I met Neo through a common friend, Giancarlo Batac, whom I consulted to see if he personally knew any active influencers in the Philippine digital creator space that I may be able to contact for an interview on dotSpotlight.  I’ve been living in Hong Kong for the past 18 years (plus 2 years in Singapore), so I’m not very up to date with the Philippine local digital creator scene.  Gian recommended a few who are all impressive with their humongous number of digital followers, but I ended up choosing Neo because he just felt like a natural fit for a dotSpotlight profile. You’ll find out why in this interview. 

ENTER MULTI-PLATFORM NEO

Neo (Neo Zamora Rivera) is a digital creator based in the Philippines with sizable followings on TikTok (332K), YouTube (19K), and Instagram (21K). But beyond the online platforms, Neo also paints, performs in theater productions, appears in screen projects, TV commercials, writes music, and occasionally hosts live events — a massive combination that immediately piqued my curiosity, and made me decide that Neo is the one (a la The Matrix) that I’d dotSpotlight.

In the past few months, Neo has remained constantly active across digital platforms while leaning further into live performance, music direction (for a beauty brand advertisement) and offline creative work. He also recently participated in A Christmas Carol at The Proscenium Theater (in Rockwell, Makati City, Philippines), returning to the discipline of rehearsals and live audiences. At the same time, he continues his paintings through his art-focused Instagram account, quietly maintaining a creative practice that exists largely outside the digital spotlight. He has also recently started helping the founder of a game card venture, which makes him entrepreneurial too.

A Q & A over a late brunch with Neo

Have you always been into vlogging and creating online digital content?

Neo: Not really! Although my interest in acting and performing for the public started when I was much much younger, it was not until after I quit being a Flight Attendant (yes I was an FA  for two years, based in Malaysia) that I went back to the Philippines in 2017 and realized that I wanted to do other things, including possibly going full-time on vlogging and theater. But technically I already started doing video blogs (vlogs) in 2015. My first one was “A Day in the Life of a Cabin Crew”. The views and encouraging responses to this video made me realize that there’s interest from the public in this type of content.

So you were an FA when you first started vlogging. When was that, and when did you leave your job as an FA to pursue it (among other creative things)?

That was in 2017. To be honest it was quite a tough decision to make, to move from a stable job to pursue the creative things that I like doing– acting and vlogging. So that year was a turning point in my life, I had to decide whether I would continue to be an FA or do the other things that I’ve always wanted to pursue. During that time I was reading a book titled “Ego is the Enemy” that made me realize every path that we take has obstacles and challenges, and reading the book inspired me to take on the challenge of leaving a normal stable job to pursue acting and vlogging.

However, it was only during the pandemic period (around 2020) that I officially considered myself as a full-on digital creator. That was the time when we had a lot of restrictions to do things outside, and so the online creator scene flourished. 

“Reading the book [Ego is the Enemy] inspired me to take on the challenge of leaving a normal stable job to pursue acting and vlogging.”
– Neo Rivera

You started young as a performer and have acting credits listed on IMDb. Was this also a path you imagined for yourself?

Neo: (laughs) Yes! I was watching “Ang TV” (a popular TV show in the Philippines showcasing emerging young talents in television) when I was a kid and I said to myself I would like to act, dance, sing, perform and earn money from it! I realized later that it wasn’t just a childish whim. I really wanted to act and perform, but my parents said I have to finish my studies first.

So I did finish my studies (a degree in Multimedia and Communications from DLSU-Canlubang, the Laguna campus of De La Salle University), and joined Star Magic in 2012. Anyway, during that time I did commercials and some shows, and even landed in CandyMag’s Cuties selection. It was all very exciting but at the same time I sort of got very overwhelmed, and decided to become an FA in 2015.

You recently appeared in A Christmas Carol at The Proscenium Theater. What does theater give you that screen or social media doesn’t?

Neo: For me, theater feeds my soul; I feel very much alive when I am acting in the theater. Theater forces you to be present. There’s no editing, no second takes — once you’re on stage, everything is real and happening in the moment. Although screen/video and theater are both forms of acting and expression, theater forces me to feel very present compared to the other medium, although I equally like both of them. I could also say that theater is more challenging for me, in terms of the discipline and rehearsals. But  I think it sharpens you as a performer.

“Theater feeds my soul; I feel very much alive when I am acting in the theater. Theater forces you to be present. There’s no editing, no second takes.”

I’ll segue to painting. When did you start painting and accepting commissioned work? Does painting/art run in the family?

Neo: It was in 3rd grade, I remember I thought I wanted to be an artist. Back then, I drew cartoon characters. You know, I was not an honor student with accolades for high grades, but I’m very proud to say that I was always best in the Arts! My mom actually has a wall dedicated for me at our home in Santa Rosa (Laguna, Philippines) decorated with many of my ‘Best in the Arts’ plaques/recognitions.

No one in the family is primarily in the art industry, though I remember my dad sketched from time to time, but no one pursued it full time.

Professionally I only started in 2024, and it was not even that intentional. My mentors in Church were celebrating something, and instead of buying them gifts, I gave them a gift of my artwork. After that, someone asked me to do an art piece, and so that’s when I started painting professionally. I do mostly textured, abstract, and contemporary art.

How do you balance all of it? You’re active on social media, you perform, you host events, paint, and sing. You even recently directed a music video for a brand advert. Which one do you actually spend most of your time on?

Neo: It would mostly be the shows but it depends on the season really, and also if I have been commissioned to do a painting. It kind of fluctuates, like a shoot for a collagen brand this month. I even directed a music video (a shoot for a collagen brand) so I spent some time on that during this period. It’s really seasonal though, so there are months when I’m spending more time on theater, then other months on painting, but the constant for me would be regularly posting on my social media channels.

And also, I just started investing this year, so I will see how it goes. This adds to the things I have to multitask. A bit on real estate, and I’m also helping the founder of an exciting new card game called Dialogue (DialogueCards).

To be honest, sometimes I feel like I am spreading myself too thin, but then I do like pursuing all of them. Just that the downside is the challenge of prioritizing.

“To be honest, sometimes I feel like I am spreading myself too thin, but then I do like pursuing all of them. Just that the downside is the challenge of prioritizing.”

Wow! Now being sort of an entrepreneur is also added to what Neo Rivera is. That’s very big of you to help a friend on his venture. Can you tell us more about DialogueCards?

Neo: Haha I guess you can say that, although the model is slightly different. We have sponsors, partners, basically people who believe in the product who can help us move it forward. Anyway, DialogueCards (“Dialogue”) is actually a Christian conversation card game made to help people move past small talk and into real, meaningful conversations. It has over 100 intentional prompts across Icebreakers, About You, Social Life, and Faith. We created it with the intention of people using it to spend meaningful and intentional time with friends, small groups, family, your team, or even your partner.

Which leads me to a question I wanted to ask: With everything that’s going on with you and with the things you want to pursue, what’s the biggest challenge for you right now? Was there a situation where you had a chance to work on something that combined perhaps two or three of them? 

Neo: It is the challenge of prioritization. There are so many things lined up that I want to do, and it really is challenging to juggle all of them. At the same time I found myself thinking whether I should just choose a few and focus on them. But then I even wanted to try doing other things (and recently a couple of investing ventures as well). Luckily I’ve managed and am managing well so far.

On the combo, yes definitely! This made me remember that in 2024, there was an opportunity where I was able to merge my interests. I did an art piece for a show we participated in, and everyone signed it. I was very happy and documented the moment with an online video,  and posted it on my digital channels. So that’s three different mediums (painting, theater, and online) in one go.

You also release music and have an artist profile on Spotify. Do you write your own songs?

Neo: I’m not actively writing music or singing now. My last released song was in 2022, but from time to time I scribble song lyrics and document melodies. Writing songs allows me to express things I don’t always show online or on stage.

Outside of what we all know you do — content creation, acting, music, and painting — are there any other hobbies? What do you do to unplug?

Neo: I love to dive. I do scuba and free diving. These activities let me unplug. Also, the vastness of the ocean and the underwater environment makes me feel humbled. I usually dive in Batangas, Negros, and Dumaguete (in the Philippines). I started diving in 2022 but I used to compete in swimming when I was in grade school, and I very much consider myself a water person. Syokoy yata ako in a previous life! (Translation: I was probably a merman in a previous life!)