Nicholas Fearn, known online as The Diva Supreme, says social media has helped him embrace his identity, challenge perceptions of autism and pursue a new career in mental health nursing
A NEATH content creator who launched a TikTok account to showcase his colourful home has celebrated his first year online after attracting more than 150,000 followers.
Nicholas Fearn, who grew up in Resolven and now lives in Cilfrew, created The Diva Supreme account in May 2025.
What began as a place to share photographs and videos of the apartment he shares with his husband quickly developed into a wider celebration of fashion, humour, confidence and individuality.
The 29-year-old has since accumulated millions of likes and views, with dozens of his videos watched more than one million times.
Nicholas said: “I started my TikTok account because I had been following a few interior design accounts for a while. When my partner and I started redecorating our apartment, I wanted to show it off to the world.
“My account was originally dedicated to interiors, but then I started showing off some of my new clothes and posing in them.
“People would call me a ‘diva’, which prompted me to change the account’s name to The Diva Supreme. It just stuck.”
Nicholas, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of 14, also uses the platform to discuss his experiences and encourage other people to embrace their identities.
He said he never expected the account to attract such a large audience.
“I never imagined that my account would reach 100,000 followers or that my posts would get millions of views,” he said.
“I just wanted people to see my home because I’m so proud of it. I also wanted to show others that, despite autism, you can still have a nice home and do great things in life.”
One of his earliest viral videos explored the bullying he experienced while growing up and the confidence he has developed as an adult.
The slideshow began with a photograph of Nicholas as a child before showing more recent images of him posing in his apartment. It received around seven million views and 1.6 million likes.
Nicholas said: “It felt amazing to be seen for once because I experienced a lot of bullying as a youngster and felt like an outsider for much of my childhood.
“I think so many people connected with the post because I was being vulnerable and honest. I was showing others that it’s okay to be you, regardless of what other people might think.”
He describes The Diva Supreme as a platform based on empowerment, whether through interior design, fashion or being open about his life.
Nicholas said: “I want to show people that the key to happiness, at least in my opinion, is embracing your authentic self.
“Some people may question why I am, as a man, always wearing leopard print or pink. But it makes me happy, and it’s my life.
“I spent many of my earlier years trying to fit in, to no avail. Now I’m doing things that bring me joy, and I’m much happier as a result.”
Nicholas said his videos are generally unscripted, with much of their humour coming naturally from his personality and everyday life.
His husband also plays an important role in producing the content, often filming videos, taking photographs and helping decorate their home.
“My husband has been extremely supportive,” Nicholas said.
“He’s usually the person behind the camera, and he’s also the one who paints and decorates the flat for me. I’m pretty good at choosing and putting different pieces of décor together.
“I wouldn’t be able to do this without him. We’re a team.”
Their cat, Azul, is another regular presence in the videos and frequently appears during unboxings and other posts.
Although most of the response has been positive, Nicholas said becoming well known online has also exposed him to trolling and abuse.
He said: “As an openly gay man expressing his feminine side through fashion, that obviously brings hate as well as admiration from people who respect the fact that I’m being my authentic self.
“But they’re not saying anything I haven’t heard before. Being bullied at a young age has definitely made me more resilient as an adult.
“I’m certainly not going to let a few trolls upset me or stop me from using social media.”
Nicholas has also built a successful career as a journalist, with work appearing in national and international publications including the Financial Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, Forbes and the New York Post.
He said the achievements were particularly meaningful after feeling that some teachers had written him off during his school years.
“Some of my best clippings are on the wall in my spare bedroom,” he said.
“They are a visual reminder that I did well despite what people told me when I was younger.
“For me, social media isn’t about ego. I want to show others that you can go far in life even when people doubt you and there are obstacles in the way.”
Nicholas recently began studying for a mental health nursing degree, having started the course in April.
He said his experience of autism, mental health difficulties and writing about disability had inspired him to pursue the new career.
“By training to become a mental health nurse, I hope to combine the theory and clinical experience gained through my degree with my own first-hand experience to help other people,” he said.
“I had my first placement recently, which I really enjoyed. I’m excited about the future.”
Nicholas said the confidence he developed through TikTok helped him apply for the course.
He added: “I don’t think I would have had the confidence to pursue a mental health nursing degree without social media.
“I had followers who told me they were autistic and also worked as nurses. That inspired me to pursue this path.”
After passing 150,000 followers, Nicholas marked the milestone by buying a bottle of wine.
He plans to continue growing The Diva Supreme alongside his studies and encouraged other aspiring Welsh content creators to take the first step.
“Just take the plunge and publish your first post,” he said.
“Don’t worry if it doesn’t go viral. Social media is very random. You can put a lot of thought into one post and it doesn’t perform well, while something you upload on a whim suddenly takes off.
“Just be yourself and enjoy the process.”
