Tila Tequila Then and Now: Evolution of former MySpace queen-turned-reality star over the years
Tila Tequila: Singer, MySpace queen, and the 'hidden bride of Christ'
Nguyen Thi Thien Thanh, widely recognized by her stage personas Tila Tequila, Tila Nguyen, Miss Tila, and Tornado Thien, was once the undisputed monarch of MySpace and a star of reality television. Her journey over the years has been nothing short of transformative. In the mid-2000s, she skyrocketed to fame on MySpace, where her daring photos and captivating posts earned her millions of followers, making her the site’s most popular user. Capitalizing on her online popularity, Tila Tequila made a successful transition to reality television with MTV's 'A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila,' a bisexual-themed dating show that further boosted her fame. Recently, she has turned to YouTube to share her religious convictions and experiences, referring to herself as the "hidden bride of Christ." Let's explore her evolution from a social media sensation to a YouTube evangelist.
Tila Tequila's journey from 2001 to 2005
At the age of 19, Nguyen was spotted by Playboy scouts and given a chance to model. She relocated to Southern California and was highlighted as Playboy’s Cybergirl of the Week in 2002. She established a band called Beyond Betty Jean, where she showcased her talents as a singer and songwriter. Following the band’s dissolution, Nguyen honed her vocal abilities in recording studios. She subsequently became a member of Jealousy, a band that published several songs online before disbanding. In 2003, she participated in VH1’s 'Surviving Nugent.' Nguyen joined Myspace in 2003 after being kicked off Friendster, per Entertainment Weekly. In 2005, she introduced TilaFashion.com, a bespoke clothing line for both men and women.
Tila Tequila: MySpace Queen to Reality star
In 2006, Nguyen launched a new website, TilaZone.com, which offered a variety of content for use on MySpace and other social networking sites, including layouts, widgets, and clipart. A 2006 profile by Time magazine highlighted her influence on the platform. It noted, "Pre-Tila, your MySpace friends were mostly people you actually knew. Post-Tila, the biggest game on the site became Who Has the Most Friends, period, whoever they might be," calling her the "Queen" of MySpace. Tequila began 2007 with the release of her debut single, 'I Love U', and her first EP. However, she faced legal issues with The Saturday Team, leading to her music being removed from most retail platforms. The year's highlight was the launch of her reality TV show, 'A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila', which premiered on MTV on October 9, 2007. The show was more than a replica of 'The Bachelor,' featuring 16 men and 16 women, keeping Tila's bisexuality a secret until the first episode.
Tila Tequila rebrands herself 'Miss Tila'
In 2010, Tequila chose to revamp her persona and adopted the new stage name of Miss Tila. She released her first single under this alias, 'I Fucked the DJ', and also an edited version named 'I Love My DJ'. To promote her new EP, she embarked on a tour, and in August 2010, she performed at the Gathering of the Juggalos, a music festival initiated by the hip-hop duo Insane Clown Posse. During her performance, she was subjected to a barrage of rocks and bottles among other items. Following this incident, she pledged to pursue legal action against the event's organizers and promoters, MTV Newsroom.
Tila Tequila and controversy
In 2013, she took a controversial turn when she started using her social media accounts to post antisemitic comments. She even wrote a personal blog post named, 'Why I Sympathize With Hitler Part 1: True History Unveiled', where she professed to be the reincarnation of the Nazi leader, per Tablet. On a personal note, Tequila started a relationship with musician Thomas Paxton Whitaker in 2013, but it ended due to his financial issues. She announced her pregnancy on her Facebook page on April 18, 2014, and welcomed her first daughter on November 16, 2014. In August 2015, Tequila participated in the sixteenth season of the British reality TV show 'Celebrity Big Brother.' However, she was asked to exit the show on the second day after the producers discovered her controversial comments and pictures. She later expressed regret for her previous remarks, attributing them to her struggles with depression and substance abuse, per Toronto Sun.
Twitter shuts down Tila Tequila's account
On November 19, 2016, she attended an alt-right National Policy Institute conference celebrating Donald Trump's election, hosted by white supremacist Richard B Spencer, and uploaded images of herself making a Nazi salute on social media. One was tweeted with the words "Seig heil!" [sic] and a raised hand. Twitter terminated her account on November 22, 2016, per Washington Post. She later joined Gab.
Tila Tequila claims she was 'never bisexual'
There are others who doubt the authenticity of the first reality show. Tila verified the rumors in 2018 in a since-deleted YouTube video. "As a matter of fact, I was never bisexual," said Tequila. "The truth comes out. I was never a lesbian, I was never gay. It was all gay for pay. When I was filming that reality show, I had a boyfriend for the entire two seasons." She gave birth to her second child, a daughter, in September.
Tila Tequila is 'the hidden bride of Christ'
Currently, Tequila seems to hold some quite concerning beliefs, as per Suggest. Despite her Instagram account being deactivated for hate speech, she dedicates a significant portion of her time to preaching on her YouTube channel, where she professes to be "the hidden bride of Christ." Her channel name titled 'QUEEN ESTHER' has about 6.36K subscribers. On October 12, she posted a video apologizing for her "past actions" explaining that she was "under severe demonic possession." "I don't want my the past the counterfeit you know me the Tila Tequila clone, I don't want that clone to give y'all like a bad idea about Jesus," she said in her video.