Making a Splash with Zelda: An Interview with a Real-Life Mermaid
Written by Courtney Bourn
All images courtesy of @mermaidzelda
Growing up playing mermaids in the pool and obsessively watching H2O: Just Add Water and Aquamarine, visions of swishing a vibrant tail and exploring the mysteries of the ocean still cross my mind. Reminiscing on this lingering nostalgia, I aspired to interview someone who lives that fantasy many of us grew up dreaming about. I chatted with Emma Forth, aka @mermaidzelda, a content creator and professional mermaid with an audience of over 300K, to discover what it means to be a mermaid and how the magic of our childhood persists as we get older.
Courtney: Hi, Mermaid Zelda! Thanks so much for allowing me to interview you! Tell me a little bit about yourself!
Emma: Shello! My name is Emma Forth - AKA Mermaid Zelda, and I have been a mermaid for almost 15 years! I started my journey as a professional mermaid doing events and making content about 6 years ago.
C: What does being a real-life mermaid enTAIL?
E: Being a real-life mermaid can mean so many different things, but it really comes down to having a deep love of the ocean and feeling a sense of connection or belonging in the water. Then, if you add a mermaid tail and accessories to that existing feeling, you have something truly magical! Real-life mermaids often swim in mermaid tails, some of us perform at events and shows, some create their own mermaid tails and accessories, many of us have mermaid alter-egos complete with their own names, looks, and entire backstories. Many mermaids are advocates and or educators on the importance of protecting the ocean and freshwater bodies of water. The list really goes on!
C: What inspired you to become a professional mermaid?
E: I started mermaiding and acting at the age of 12, and since then, I always knew that I wanted performing to become my career. I love to entertain people and create magic for those who really need it, so I figured I might as well try to get paid to do it. I already loved creating content as well, so it just made sense to combine all my passions into one and become Mermaid Zelda!
C: Do you have any specific mermaid memories from your childhood?
E: Yes! I was very fortunate to grow up in a waterfront home and was a *bit* of a loner, so I spent A LOT of time walking on the beach, collecting seashells, and of course looking for mermaids. I always loved watching The Little Mermaid as a kid and loved The Little Mermaid 2 even more. I would swim in the ocean pretending to be Ariel’s daughter, Melody, and hoping that a sea witch would come turn me into a mermaid too.
C: How does being a mermaid reflect your self-expression?
E: For me, being a mermaid has allowed me to become someone magical and strong and fearless - someone who isn’t bothered by the mundane human things we all have to deal with. Zelda is all the best parts of me, while having the added bonus of being a magical shapeshifting princess of the sea. She’s everything that little Emma always wanted to be when she grew up.
C: Do you believe that the magic of mermaids never stops, no matter your age?
E: I ab-shell-utely believe that the magic of mermaids never stops and there’s a lot of proof when you look at the ever-expanding community of merpeople all around the world! For thousands of years, humans have been fascinated by the idea of mermaids and I don’t think that fascination will ever end. We all need something to believe in or something to bring magic to our everyday lives and the love of mermaids is able to give that to so many people.
C: What are your biggest mermaid inspirations?
E: Growing up, I was SUPER inspired by the YouTube creators who made their own mermaid shows on YouTube inspired by‘ H2O: Just Add Water’. I remember tuning into“ Secret Life of a Mermaid”,“ The 3 Tails”, and“ Fire Ice: Just Add Water,” to name a few, and I even filmed an episode of my own show when I was about 13. The idea that ANYONE could be a mermaid, not just people on TV, was the most exciting thing in the world to me, and I knew I needed a tail of my own. I don’t remember ever wanting anything as badly as my first mermaid tail.
C: What are your favorite mermaid movies or TV shows?
E: My favourite mermaid movies and TV shows are:
The Little Mermaid 1, 2, and 3
Aquamarine
H2O: Just Add Water
Siren
Pirates of the Caribbean 4
Barbie Fairytopia Mermaidia
Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch
I also like the movie Splash but admittedly have only seen it once <3
