The first female Wiggle has a surprisingly refreshing stance on girl power. HollywoodLife.com spoke to Emma EXCLUSIVELY about how she feels about being a new role model for little girls around the world.
Emma Watkins — or should we say, Emma Wiggle! — is the first ever female Wiggle to join the iconic group! It’s a title and role model position that she takes very seriously. In an EXCLUSIVE interview with HollywoodLife.com, Emma shares the input that she had in designing her costume and how the show’s fans have reacting to her new role!
‘The Wiggles’ Emma’s Growing Fan Base
Whether she’s on the television show, on a live stage tour, or meeting with young viewers from all around the world, Emma has some serious fans! She has been on the show in various forms for 3 years — she has played a ballerina, fairy, Wags the Dog, and even Dorothy the Dinosaur. Now, little girls are coming dressed to live Wiggles performances wearing their versions of her yellow costume!
It’s been quite cute and we’ve seen a lot of children come to the shows, particularly girls arrive at the shows with big yellow bows in their hair. I wear a big yellow bow and yellow bows on my shoes. So many little girls were dressed in yellow with yellow bows and variations like yellow ribbons and it’s just so nice that they’re taking it on themselves and dressing up the way they want to.
Emma Wiggle’s Iconic Yellow Costume
Emma herself had a lot to do with those costume choices. “It’s nice, being a Wiggle, you are genuinely yourself,” she told us. “I wanted to bring a part of myself to the role, which I do, and the costume reflects that.” Emma took over as the yellow Wiggle, and as she explains, it was a perfect fit for her:
I’ve worn yellow through my whole life. My school uniform was yellow, I was the yellow colored costume in all my ballet dances.
We were still curious to know if the discussion of a pink costume ever came up, a move that has marked other children’s television stars as more stereotypically “feminine.”
My favorite color actually has been pink but Kylie Minogue was an honorary Wiggle in pink and I could never replace that. But I think the colors red, yellow, purple, and blue definitely symbolize The Wiggles as a brand and it’s so iconic. I don’t think we could’ve gone without the yellow. Kids just recognize it.
But, Emma explains, she does “get a little bit of that response about my bow and skirt.”
People always ask me if that was my choice or not. When I was asked to be a Wiggle, they asked me what I wanted to wear. And I right away said a skirt because I never wear pants. It’s just not my thing. I always wear a skirt. Even when I’m wearing leggings, I have a little ballet skirt over the top. I just wanted there to be a little bit of me. And I do feel more “girly” and I’ve worn bows before — I’ve got a big collection of bows from all around the world. When I was able to put a bit of input into my costume, I was happy to add that to that costume.
Because Emma is truly herself in her role, even her adult fans are responding well to her! “When I go out to the audience during the show, so many mothers turn to me and go, ‘YEAH! GIRL POWER!’” she told us. “I think that’s nice, we’re in a society of all our own.”
Emma Wiggle: Role Model For Girls AND Boys
Emma takes her position as a role model seriously — and it’s not just little girls who consider Emma a fun new addition to the show.
I think we’re all role models for boys and girls. I do feel like it was time for The Wiggles to get a girl — and I do think Dorothy the Dinosaur has been doing a very good job up until now, she’s been there for 22 years. That’s been a really big feat on her behalf. But we’re all there to encourage, entertain and educate children as much as we can. If The Wiggles had thought they were going to be so successful, they would have had a girl initially. They started out as just a group of friends at university, they never expected to have such a following initially.
The group has grown into an international phenomenon that continues the tradition of spreading joy all over the world. Emma explains that “music, smiling, and dancing? All kids everywhere can relate to that.” The Wiggles even spread smiles at the St. Jude Children’s Hospitals – a worthy group of kids!
What do YOU think, HollyMoms? Are your kids fans of the newest Wiggle?
WATCH: Wiggle Tube — Meet Emma!
– Kristine Hope Kowalski
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