International trailblazers Gary Grey and Mary Senn became global sensations through building the content group XO Team. They are the largest content house in the world with over 100M+ followers across all platforms and are reimagining the American Dream.
From humble origins in Eastern Europe, the dynamic duo shot to internet fame with their multi-media efforts as creators, producers and entrepreneurs before taking their craft to the next level by creating their own music label, XO Music Label. The XO team is a talented group of creators, producers, actors and musicians who have touched every industry, leaving their 10.3M YouTube subscribers and 39M TikTok followers loving their versatility. One of their latest music videos, Reason was recently released and already has over 15M views.
On a warm day in LA, the XO team took some time out of their crammed schedule to speak with Harper’s Bazaar about how they transformed into the world’s fastest-growing content house, what it feels like to obtain global recognition and more.
HARPER’S BAZAAR: Not many people can make it in such a big city like Los Angeles. How long has XO Team been in Los Angeles and how have you continued to grow XO Team?
MARY: We absolutely love California for its warm weather but LA’s vibe is really unique. This city became our home since we moved here a year and a half ago. LA is really a magnet for creative people in so many different areas. We have already added new people to our team and our presence here will continue to expand.
GARY: LA also gives tons of opportunities for networking. In the last 6 months I’ve met more people than ever before.
HARPER’S BAZAAR: How did XO Team begin and how is it continuing to grow?
GARY & MARY: The XO team was created on April 3rd, 2020 right at the beginning of the pandemic. We knew we wanted to have a team of people who would take over the world so we held quite extensive castings to only pick the best talents.
At first, we were worried since everything was in lockdown and we literally just announced the creation of our team (which got us 100K followers on TikTok on the very first day). We transformed our office into a creative space and invested heavily into renovations right before Covid hit. However, we then found a perfect 7,500 sqft house and all moved in while also shooting content. We became really popular and got collaborations with multiple celebrities who came over once lockdown restrictions were lifted.
After that, in September 2021 we decided to move to LA for the purpose of introducing our team to international markets. More than 50% of our audience is from the US so it was our dream come true. We now have a team around the globe as well as a team of American influencers and content creators so we are moving closer to our goal every day.
HARPER’S BAZAAR: How are you navigating growing your fan base in a different country?
GARY & MARY: Just a year and a half ago we only had Russian audience since we were primarily based there. However, our videos quickly became viral and we started getting recognition all over the globe, so we decided it was time to aim higher and focus on a new market. One of the main challenges is the language barrier. Not all of our bloggers speak English. But we’re striving to get everyone to learn the language as it will give many more opportunities for growth for our team.
HARPER’S BAZAAR: It’s really incredible how you and Mary have been able to build XO Team as a brand but also as a media house to build other brands. What are some of your favorite brands to work with?
GARY: I really enjoyed our collaborations with Coca-Cola & Levi’s – we even went to Coachella with Levi’s a few years ago. As for my personal aspirations, I am a fan of Nike so I’d be thrilled to work with them one day.
MARY: I’d love to work with beauty and fashion brands – Two Faced, Victoria’s Secret or a high-end luxury fashion house like Louis Vuitton.
HARPER’S BAZAAR: Mary, it’s rumored you are interested in expanding into the modeling industry, what inspires your love for fashion and who do you want to walk for?
MARY: I’ve been modeling since I was 7 years old. I started by working with smaller brands in my hometown and my career just grew from there (I even did a campaign where I was on billboards in Paris). Now my goal is to become an inspiration for different fashion brands and take my modeling career to the next level – to the runway shows. I really love Louis Vuitton & I’d absolutely love to walk for them one day.
HARPER’S BAZAAR: How does XO Team think about using social media to promote and ensure that your coverage is diverse and inclusive?
GARY & MARY: Our goal has always been to have a diverse team & have a fan base all over the world. As we started to grow and get more followers, we knew we had a certain responsibility to showcase different cultures, challenges and promote certain values in everything we do. This is exactly what you can see in our videos – we believe that all people are equal and need to unite. We are also currently present on all major social media platforms and as the technology world shifts so will we because we want to be up to date.
HARPER’S BAZAAR: XO Team is one of the only global content houses harnessing influencers from the United States, Russia, and others. Do you have anyone on your team from Vietnam?
GARY & MARY: We do! Her name is Chana – she is based in Moscow but she has Vietnamese origin and she speaks the language as well. And we have a significant fan base in Vietnam too – Chào mọi người!
HARPER’S BAZAAR: Tell us about your AI member of the team named ENNY who lives in the metaverse.
GARY: We are always aiming to be unique and do something no one ever did. One day, Mary had an idea to create a 3D character which would’ve been an animated version of herself. As a huge fan of Pixar, I was immediately on board. However, we live in the Web 3.0 era & the idea transformed into something greater and that’s how ENNY was born.
Working with bloggers and influencers is great but creating an AI team member has its advantages as well – not only is it far more progressional but it also gives an opportunity to create its personality exactly the way we see it. We have big plans for ENNY – we want to make her our mascot and are already planning merchandise, gaming, etc. Who knows, we might create our own Disney!
HARPER’S BAZAAR: Gary, your latest music video Reason has also been a viral hit on YouTube, with more than a million YouTube Shorts using it as a sound, and 19 million views and counting on its official music video. How are you harnessing the power of those views and translating them into gaining fame in America?
GARY: The first important step was to start making content in English, especially since we’re now also based in the US and are really diving into the industry. We actually weren’t even planning to make a video for Reason but its tremendous success was so mind-blowing that the idea just came to our minds naturally.
We shot the video in 2 days and wanted to promote the happy vibes by dancing and singing all together. We got really inspired by the success of our 1st track so we’ll keep creating more and we’re also planning to have a US tour in the near future – stay tuned!
HARPER’S BAZAAR: If XO Team had to give people who want to do what you do, be influencers and create content, what advice would you give them?
MARY: I want everyone to know that there’s literally nothing impossible. We only live once, so it’s important to live your life the way you want to, love yourself and don’t be afraid to try something new.
GARY: Lots of people ask what they need to get started or how they can build a career as an influencer/artist. All you have to do is take action, not give up when things get hard and keep working towards your goal every day.
HARPER’S BAZAAR: Have you ever traveled to Asia? If so, where did you go and what did you like about it?
MARY: No, we have never been but it is one of my dreams. I love getting to know other cultures, and it’s fascinating to get to know the cultural uniqueness and values.
HARPER’S BAZAAR: What elements of the Asian culture inspire XO Team’s content, fashion style or daily life?
MARY: What I love about Asia is their music industry – it’s my main motivation as an artist. They give the world a fresh cultural look.
HARPER’S BAZAAR: How does it feel knowing you have cultivated such a large, global fan base?
GARY & MARY: We feel proud and responsible at the same time – we can influence people all over the world but in a great way. Our main goal remains to be an inspiration, to motivate our followers and make them happy. This is what makes us happy and really sets our purpose in life.
HARPER’S BAZAAR: What are XO Team’s goals for 2023?
GARY & MARY: In 2023, we’re planning to really indulge in music. We really want people to hear our voices and grow our audience. On a global scale, we want to show our uniqueness and promote our values.
**Team Credit **
Models
Mary Senn @marysenn
Gary Grey @artistgary
Dasha Dzhakeli @dzhakeli
Elsarca @elsarca
Gage Bills @itsgagebills
XOTEAM @the_xo_team
Photographer: Igor Malakhov @igor__malakhov
Stylist: Anastasia Znova @anastasia_yourstylist
Make up: Mkrtchian Rimma @ririface
Hair stylist: Armine Mnatsakanyan @___armistylist
Retoucher: Foxi Kris @foxikris
Showroom
Maison Privee PR @maisonpriveepr_la
Barollo Italy @barolloitaly
Charles & Ron @charlesandron
Joseph Auren @josephauren
Weisheng Paris @weishengparis
Shoes 53045 @shoes53045
Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam
