NEED TO KNOW
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Event planning expert Nabela Nur's new series, "Nabela Nur's Hosts" ( Hosted By Nabela Noor ) was released on the Tubi streaming service last month.
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The 34-year-old content creator has become the first Bangladeshi-American in American television history to host her own lifestyle show on a major streaming service or television network.
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Noor spoke to PEOPLE about what it's like stepping onto a bigger stage and how she feels about being so often compared to other lifestyle TV stars like Martha Stewart.
Nabela Nour strives for authenticity above all else.
The entrepreneur launched her own series «Hosted By Nabela Noor» on the Tubi platform on May 20, becoming the first Bangladeshi-American in American television history to host her own lifestyle show on a major streaming service or television network. The show is a continuation of her viral social media series. «Pockets of Peace» , and 34-year-old Noor continues to teach her audience that any occasion can be special.
«"This show kind of encourages you to romanticize everyday life and make everything a little more special than you usually do," Nour tells PEOPLE. "We have more little moments than big ones that we look forward to. So make those little moments a little special.".
Nabela Nour. Photo by Neharika Nour.
Millions of her followers have been openly hoping for years to see her on a larger platform with longer videos, though Nabela Noor's dreams of her own began even earlier. She considers herself a longtime fan of TV hosts like Martha Stewart and Ina Garten. Now, with the premiere of her show «Hosted by Nabela Nur» , this influential figure will finally be able to join them on the other side of the screen.
However, Noor notes that the space she occupies on television is markedly different. Growing up, she wasn't always exposed to shows from hosts like 84-year-old Stewart and 78-year-old Garten. Noor says the lifestyle television world she grew up watching was "predominantly a white-dominated space.".
«"I never thought I could dream of a life like this. It didn't seem so attainable to me," she explains. "I never dreamed of this as a child... Nothing like this existed. This [series] makes me very happy because I hope its existence will open up new possibilities for many.".
Noor continues: «When you come to my home on this show, you see only my experience, my life experience: living in a blended family, relationships in a multicultural environment, a mother who is incredibly important to us and who also wears a hijab.».
When creating the series, Noor knew she had to be as authentic as possible, just as she does online. From day one, she rejected the pressure to create a series that represented an entire group of people or an entire culture; instead, she set the expectation that she only had to represent herself as the host.
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Nabela Nour. Photo by Neharika Nour.
«"Nobody looks at Martha [Stewart] and says, 'Martha, you represent every white woman.' I don't need to represent every black woman. I just need to be myself, and I hope that resonates," Noor says.
It's only natural that she looks to Stewart for inspiration, as Noor is regularly compared to the business magnate. She's often called the "brown Martha Stewart," and Noor considers this a great honor, and rightfully so.
«"When my audience shows me that kind of respect over and over again, I always take it as the greatest compliment because I understand what it means. I understand what it's like," the mother of two tells PEOPLE of the comparison to Stewart. "Having someone you can turn to who shares your life experiences and with whom you can connect is so wonderful.".
She adds: "Replacing her is no easy task, and I don't consider myself her in any way. I'm certainly still myself, but I understand what that means, and that's the highest praise.".
Read the original article on People.