Instagram and the mystery of the 6672 likes

In January 2022, I posted two illustrations on Instagram. One depicted three female astronauts leaping through space, the other a jazz band. While many illustrators were lamenting being shadowbanned, my account experienced a sudden surge in popularity. My follower count tripled, and the number of likes and saves increased tenfold. In 19 days, 124,000 users saw my jazz musicians. 6,672 likes! Seeing this enthusiasm, I was thrilled. However, the more the numbers climbed, the more I thought, “This is suspicious.”

I ended up questioning the connection between the quality of my images and the number of likes. The algorithm must be involved! Is it due to the hashtags, the themes I explored? Why were these last two posts highlighted by Instagram?

Without being able to answer that, I like to think that my work is finally reaching the people it’s intended for. And I continue to create it as inspired by the world we live in and as I would like to see it: more creative, inclusive, mixed, equitable, and diverse.

Just three years ago, I was asked to lighten skin tones, add earrings and lipstick to a woman with short hair, or exaggerate the height difference between a man and a woman in my work. Since then, we’ve experienced unprecedented social changes. Companies know they must present inclusive and ethical values ​​to remain attractive. Now, not only do social media platforms promote my work, but more importantly, my clients have stopped negotiating over the presence of a headscarf or the thinness of a figure.

Thank you to everyone who supports and participates in these inspiring changes!