‘I’ve actually become the bull in the china shop’: Poet laureate Amanda Gorman on her sudden fame

Poet laureate Amanda Gorman said she is still struggling to come to terms with her new-found fame after her performance at Joe Biden’s inauguration.

Gorman, who made history as the youngest known inaugural poet, told Porter Magazine the ceremony felt like she was reciting it for family because it was a “very limited crowd”.

But despite the millions of fans she gained overnight and Oprah Winfrey forewarning her “this moment will change your life”, the 23-year-old said that she was still surprised by the attention.

“I had a bet with one of my friends about how many new followers I might get. I was like, ‘a hundred thousand max’. I looked afterwards and it was millions,” she told the glossy magazine.

Reflecting on her new-found celebrity status, Gorman said she feels the most striking change for her is the lack of anonymity.

“Finding out how to be a fly on the wall, when I’ve actually become the bull in the china shop, is new,” she added.

But she credits her family as the people who keep her “grounded”.

While her performance led to an abundance of praise from high-profile celebrities including John legend, it also helped to draw attention to her as a rising fashion star.

Gorman looked amazing in her sunshine-yellow Prada coat and matching red headband while speaking at the podium at the event.

She said her choice of styling was to “celebrate her black heritage”.

She added: “I made the intentional choice to wear my hair natural, to wear braids, to wear a headband as a point of pride.

“I love clothing that feels young and vibrant and hopeful, but also thoughtful and pensive.”

Since the inauguration, Gorman has been asked to co-chair the Met Gala 2021 which is one of the biggest fashion events of the year.

Admittedly the poet revealed receiving the invitation felt like “Cinderella going to the ball” and explained Anna Wintour took the time to ask her personally over Zoom.

The 23-year-old will be co-chairing alongside Billie Eilish, Timothée Chalamet and Naomi Osaka.

Gorman is also set to release her new books soon.

Change Sings is a children’s book that will be released in September and The Hill We Climb is a poetry book titled after the piece she wrote for the inauguration which will be published in December.

* To see the full interview, read PORTER at https://www.net-a-porter.com/porter/article-8c0f9a627b5b9eb4

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