You may have seen his videos. You may have seen his stunts. You may even be following him on Instagram or YouTube.
His name is SOLOFLOW and he is the 18-year-old “Extreme Acrobatics” sensation that has been making millions of people here in New York and around the world in awe each and every time he posts a new stunt video.
The Levity Ball just had to speak to the the young star who celebrities and others can’t get enough of, who is putting all those Cirque Du Soleil-type people and shows to shame with what he is up to now and how he’s influencing a new level and generation in extreme acrobatics.
When did you first discover that you could do (extreme) flips and acrobatics?
When I was 9 years old I saw videos of people flipping, running on walls and jumping between a buildings. This inspired me and I trained for a whole summer with the goal of doing a standing flip. I never stopped training and I guess I’ve gotten pretty good.
What did your parents think when they started to see your insane videos and stunts?
Like any parent would be, they were worried I’d get hurt but luckily they were always supportive of me. The big breakthrough was when I finally convinced them to get a trampoline.
As someone who grew up in Boston, are you a fan of New York City, or you don’t get into rivalries?
I’ve never been big on organized sports, but of course am a Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots fan. New York City is awesome, I love visiting there.
What are some of your favorite places to flip around at while in NYC?
I shot a video with Jordan Matter in NYC which was really fun. Times Square was probably my favorite location. My favorite stunt for that video was doing a flip off of a yellow NYC taxi.
With extreme acrobatics, where do you see your career heading in the next few years? What is one stunt you really want to try?
Right now, for me, it’s not about doing the hardest stunt or breaking records. I like perfecting the moves I’m well known for like doing flips off tall objects. That said, for me it’s more about using flipping and body movements as a form of art. Flipping is just my lifestyle – both literally and metaphorically.
How have you been keeping yourself in shape and sane during COVID-19?
To stay in shape I make sure I’m active everyday. Some days that’s going out and doing flips, other days it’s doing push ups and curls with a set dumbbells that I have. In terms of sanity, I motivate myself to constantly keep my mind busy and channel my energy towards creative content and fashion ideas.
What is your advice to others who want to try doing flips and tricks like you do?
No matter what it is, flipping or not, my advice is to always follow your passion and chase your vision for what you want to do in life. Don’t let others deter you from doing this. No one, not even myself, knew where flipping would take me or where it will take me in the future but I just keep following my passion.
How important is social media these days in building a brand and personality like yours for others to see?
Social media is key in providing a way to connect and share your ideas and creativity with people all over the world. For me, I really try to focus on being my true self, being authentic and not worrying about the rest.
What’s the first thing you are going to do after COVID-19 lockdowns end?
I love traveling and experiencing new places so I’m hoping to plan some cool trips once it’s safe to do so. I have family in Hawaii so I always have a great time going there.
And final question: What do you want to be remembered for when people look back at Soloflow and what you did/do?
I want to be known for being comfortable being different. This applies to me both physically in the flips and acrobatics I do as well as in my mindset. I try to always think outside the box and not let what is known or expected limit my thoughts or creativity.
Follow all his tricks and more by clicking here!
