‘Growing up in Monaghan, the tractors were traffic, the wellies were fashion and Sunday Mass was a social outing – it definitely kept you humble,’ says Kayleigh Trappe, laughing.
And when it comes to what she does now, the social media and television personality realises how lucky she was to have that background.
“There were no notions about anything, and you were raised to be very social and always to have manners, and to appreciate the small things. I think now more than ever, when I’m doing what I’m doing, I’m so glad that that’s my background, because it keeps me grounded.”
Kayleigh has a close connection to rural Ireland, as her mother’s side of the family are well-known chicken farmers.
“I grew up on the farm with my granny and my uncles. Any excuse to get out there to be free and just enjoy life, they’re the fondest memories I have from growing up,” she says.
“I loved being up there. It’s just so normal, and they’re just proper country folk. Granny would have the mash and the mince on, and you’d have the full fry for all the farmers coming in on a Sunday after a day’s working,” she says.
Kayleigh didn’t set out to become a voice for a generation – or a comedic force with a cult following. But through raw honesty, sharp wit, and a refusal to take herself too seriously, she’s done just that.
With over 344,000 followers on Instagram and 4.9m likes on TikTok, the social media and TV star who is best known for her incredibly accurate lip-sync videos has raised the bar for content online.
Her rise to fame has been a quick one, paving the way for opportunities such as Dancing with the Stars.
One of Kayleigh’s priorities when she left teaching was to use the extra time to break away from pure social media.
When she started making videos during lockdown, Kayleigh convinced herself it was just her and the camera.
“I blocked out the fact that people were watching, so it gave me no shame. Yes, the comments were coming in, but it wasn’t registering until people said it to me when I was out and about that they were watching,” she says.
Growing up, Kayleigh loved working with kids and decided to become a primary school teacher. For her, it was more than a passion for teaching; she also wanted to provide children with the confidence that she lacked growing up.
Self-conscious
Although she says she had a fantastic upbringing, Kayleigh was self-conscious as a child and wanted to ensure the children she taught didn’t have the same experience.
Teaching in a rural school in Monaghan, she looked after two different classes as the pupil numbers were small.
“I loved it. I still go in all the time and always visit them when I’m home. It was bittersweet leaving, because weirdly, I had no reason to leave. I didn’t want to leave, but I couldn’t juggle the two anymore [social media and teaching], and I thought, I have to strike while the iron’s hot; if I don’t give this a crack now I might never get the chance again,” she explains.
Going to her dad for life advice played a pivotal role in Kayleigh’s decision to leave her permanent teaching job and pursue a life in the public eye.
“I remember the TikTok thing was kicking off, and I said, ‘right, will I give this social media a crack?’ He told me to go and get a mortgage!
“But in fairness to him, he did pull me aside and say, ‘Kayleigh, now’s the time to grab it with both hands and go for it’,” she says.
One of Kayleigh’s priorities when she left teaching was to use the extra time to break away from pure social media.
“I knew that if I just kept making videos all the time, posting on social media, the love was going to run out if I didn’t get opportunities outside of it.
“I said I would give it a year, and if more TV, acting, and radio opportunities crept up, then I’d love that. Luckily, it happened, and now I have my social media alongside the other things I wanted too,” she says.
When it comes to dealing with negativity online, Kayleigh is philosophical: “It’s a double-edged sword, I suppose you’ve got to take what comes with it. The phrase I always use is that ‘coffee isn’t everybody’s cup of tea’. I can’t expect everybody to love what I do, but I appreciate the ones who do,” she says.
When it comes to dealing with negativity online, Kayleigh is philosophical.
Being a positive person helps Kayleigh focus on the people who enjoy her work. Wearing wigs and dressing up for skits means she can’t take things too seriously.
The inspiration for her traditional Irish mammy skits normally comes from her own mother, Angela.
“I rang mum this morning, and she was like, ‘I’m just watching This Morning here and they’re talking about cod liver oil and how it’s so good for the eyesight’ – as she puts on her glasses,” says Kayleigh, laughing, who adds that she finds Irish people in general have a great sense of humour.
Never one to let an idea pass her by, she always has her notebook with her to jot down observations.
“My brain never switches off. You’d see me in a cafe and I’d be sitting drinking my coffee, and then suddenly, there’s a big smile on my face because I just heard something or thought of something,” she says.
Kayleigh’s biggest struggle when she left teaching was the lack of routine. She finds it helpful to get out and exercise in the morning as it gives structure to her day. She discovered her love for exercise when she lost six stone in weight a few years ago.
“Growing up, I had the wrong mentality of thinking that the way I looked meant I didn’t fit in and couldn’t do these sports. I gave up on everything very easily. Not because I couldn’t do it, but because I was so self-conscious. I always regretted that,” she says.
“At the moment, I love dipping my toe in all the pools and trying to figure out – especially after the dancing – what’s the next kind of sport for me,” she says.
“I regret the time that I didn’t feel I was able to do things, but it’s because I wasn’t exploring it. I understand and empathise with anybody who is stuck in a rut, because that was me, but I overcame that. I see sport and fitness as more of a mental than a physical thing.”
Kayleigh Trappe on Dancing with the Stars.
Dancing with the Stars
On Saturday, 28 June, Kayleigh will be seeking out The Curragh’s botanically-inspired racegoers as she takes on a new role as the celebrity judge for The K Club’s Most Stylish Racegoer contest at this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival.
She’s really enjoying these experiences, including being a contestant on Dancing with the Stars earlier this year.
“The day I got the call, I woke up that morning and I said, ‘I’m doing Dancing with the Stars this year.’ I had a feeling and the call came later that day,” she says.
She had never done dancing before, but thought it would be an adventure.
“Everyone asked me, was I competitive? I was...with myself. I wanted to do myself justice. It was intense.”
But it’s acting that she has her heart set on.
“Give me a script and throw me in front of a director and a camera. I always said Derry Girls or a sitcom with Irish humour would be my ultimate dream.”
The K Club’s Most Stylish competition will take place on Saturday, 28 June on the eve of Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Day.
See kclub.ie
‘Growing up in Monaghan, the tractors were traffic, the wellies were fashion and Sunday Mass was a social outing – it definitely kept you humble,’ says Kayleigh Trappe, laughing.
And when it comes to what she does now, the social media and television personality realises how lucky she was to have that background.
“There were no notions about anything, and you were raised to be very social and always to have manners, and to appreciate the small things. I think now more than ever, when I’m doing what I’m doing, I’m so glad that that’s my background, because it keeps me grounded.”
Kayleigh has a close connection to rural Ireland, as her mother’s side of the family are well-known chicken farmers.
“I grew up on the farm with my granny and my uncles. Any excuse to get out there to be free and just enjoy life, they’re the fondest memories I have from growing up,” she says.
“I loved being up there. It’s just so normal, and they’re just proper country folk. Granny would have the mash and the mince on, and you’d have the full fry for all the farmers coming in on a Sunday after a day’s working,” she says.
Kayleigh didn’t set out to become a voice for a generation – or a comedic force with a cult following. But through raw honesty, sharp wit, and a refusal to take herself too seriously, she’s done just that.
With over 344,000 followers on Instagram and 4.9m likes on TikTok, the social media and TV star who is best known for her incredibly accurate lip-sync videos has raised the bar for content online.
Her rise to fame has been a quick one, paving the way for opportunities such as Dancing with the Stars.
One of Kayleigh’s priorities when she left teaching was to use the extra time to break away from pure social media.
When she started making videos during lockdown, Kayleigh convinced herself it was just her and the camera.
“I blocked out the fact that people were watching, so it gave me no shame. Yes, the comments were coming in, but it wasn’t registering until people said it to me when I was out and about that they were watching,” she says.
Growing up, Kayleigh loved working with kids and decided to become a primary school teacher. For her, it was more than a passion for teaching; she also wanted to provide children with the confidence that she lacked growing up.
Self-conscious
Although she says she had a fantastic upbringing, Kayleigh was self-conscious as a child and wanted to ensure the children she taught didn’t have the same experience.
Teaching in a rural school in Monaghan, she looked after two different classes as the pupil numbers were small.
“I loved it. I still go in all the time and always visit them when I’m home. It was bittersweet leaving, because weirdly, I had no reason to leave. I didn’t want to leave, but I couldn’t juggle the two anymore [social media and teaching], and I thought, I have to strike while the iron’s hot; if I don’t give this a crack now I might never get the chance again,” she explains.
Going to her dad for life advice played a pivotal role in Kayleigh’s decision to leave her permanent teaching job and pursue a life in the public eye.
“I remember the TikTok thing was kicking off, and I said, ‘right, will I give this social media a crack?’ He told me to go and get a mortgage!
“But in fairness to him, he did pull me aside and say, ‘Kayleigh, now’s the time to grab it with both hands and go for it’,” she says.
One of Kayleigh’s priorities when she left teaching was to use the extra time to break away from pure social media.
“I knew that if I just kept making videos all the time, posting on social media, the love was going to run out if I didn’t get opportunities outside of it.
“I said I would give it a year, and if more TV, acting, and radio opportunities crept up, then I’d love that. Luckily, it happened, and now I have my social media alongside the other things I wanted too,” she says.
When it comes to dealing with negativity online, Kayleigh is philosophical: “It’s a double-edged sword, I suppose you’ve got to take what comes with it. The phrase I always use is that ‘coffee isn’t everybody’s cup of tea’. I can’t expect everybody to love what I do, but I appreciate the ones who do,” she says.
When it comes to dealing with negativity online, Kayleigh is philosophical.
Being a positive person helps Kayleigh focus on the people who enjoy her work. Wearing wigs and dressing up for skits means she can’t take things too seriously.
The inspiration for her traditional Irish mammy skits normally comes from her own mother, Angela.
“I rang mum this morning, and she was like, ‘I’m just watching This Morning here and they’re talking about cod liver oil and how it’s so good for the eyesight’ – as she puts on her glasses,” says Kayleigh, laughing, who adds that she finds Irish people in general have a great sense of humour.
Never one to let an idea pass her by, she always has her notebook with her to jot down observations.
“My brain never switches off. You’d see me in a cafe and I’d be sitting drinking my coffee, and then suddenly, there’s a big smile on my face because I just heard something or thought of something,” she says.
Kayleigh’s biggest struggle when she left teaching was the lack of routine. She finds it helpful to get out and exercise in the morning as it gives structure to her day. She discovered her love for exercise when she lost six stone in weight a few years ago.
“Growing up, I had the wrong mentality of thinking that the way I looked meant I didn’t fit in and couldn’t do these sports. I gave up on everything very easily. Not because I couldn’t do it, but because I was so self-conscious. I always regretted that,” she says.
“At the moment, I love dipping my toe in all the pools and trying to figure out – especially after the dancing – what’s the next kind of sport for me,” she says.
“I regret the time that I didn’t feel I was able to do things, but it’s because I wasn’t exploring it. I understand and empathise with anybody who is stuck in a rut, because that was me, but I overcame that. I see sport and fitness as more of a mental than a physical thing.”
Kayleigh Trappe on Dancing with the Stars.
Dancing with the Stars
On Saturday, 28 June, Kayleigh will be seeking out The Curragh’s botanically-inspired racegoers as she takes on a new role as the celebrity judge for The K Club’s Most Stylish Racegoer contest at this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival.
She’s really enjoying these experiences, including being a contestant on Dancing with the Stars earlier this year.
“The day I got the call, I woke up that morning and I said, ‘I’m doing Dancing with the Stars this year.’ I had a feeling and the call came later that day,” she says.
She had never done dancing before, but thought it would be an adventure.
“Everyone asked me, was I competitive? I was...with myself. I wanted to do myself justice. It was intense.”
But it’s acting that she has her heart set on.
“Give me a script and throw me in front of a director and a camera. I always said Derry Girls or a sitcom with Irish humour would be my ultimate dream.”
The K Club’s Most Stylish competition will take place on Saturday, 28 June on the eve of Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Day.
See kclub.ie
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