The Pretty Mamas: How These 3 Aunties Are Shattering Age Stereotypes in Content Creation

It all started in the early 90s. Azizah bt Buang (Aunty Zizah), Zuraidah bt Adnan (Aunty Zu) and Rahana bt Manan (Aunty Ann) lived in the same neighbourhood and would always bump into each other whenever there were community events in the area.

In an interview with Rojak Daily, the trio shared, “We didn't know each other well but whenever there's doa selamat or weddings in the neighbourhood, we would bump into each other. Slowly, those interactions blossomed into a deep and lasting friendship."

Commenting further on their friendship, Aunty Zizah, 65, Aunty Zu, 63, and Aunty Ann, 67, who were all full-time housewives said that they now view each other as family.

The creation of The Pretty Mamas

The trio revealed that the name ‘The Pretty Mamas’ was actually the name of their WhatsApp group, which they made to talk about their food adventures.

“It was a happy accident. Aunty Ann jokingly suggested the name, saying, ‘kita kan semua cantik’ (we're all pretty) and it stuck. We use that name for our social media too.”

Typically, when it comes to anything that involves social media, many would assume it was more of a thing for the younger generation but The Pretty Mamas disagrees and said that age is just a number.

The trio’s first social media venture started in October 2024. They revealed that it was Aunty Zu's daughter who had encouraged them to create a TikTok and Instagram account.

“She helped us set it up and to our surprise, our very first video gained 1 million views in less than 24 hours. We also gained about 10,000 followers right away. It was an unexpected but delightful shock!”

You can watch their very first video down below. As of this article, the video had garnered 1.6 million views and more than 100,000 likes.

@the.prettymamas Aunty-aunty nak cuba jadi influencer boleh?? #bestfriends #theprettymamas #cafehunting #fyp ♬ original sound - theprettymamas

Further commenting on the creative process behind The Pretty Mamas’ content, the trio said they couldn't have done it without Aunty Zu's daughter. Not only does she help with creating their social media but she also is the figure behind the brainstorming of ideas to the shooting and editing of their videos. Additionally, Aunty Zu's daughter is also the one who deals with potential collaborators.

When asked what has been the most lovable part since starting The Pretty Mamas, the trio said they enjoy the free food the most as they are all huge foodies.

“It's truly a blessing to be able to eat so much delicious food thanks to our content creation. The blessings we've received have truly exceeded our expectations and we're beyond grateful.”

Challenges & family support

Of course, like many other things in life, nothing is without a challenge. The Pretty Mamas trio shared that while they are blessed with good health, they aren't as young or energetic as they used to be. Thus, keeping up with the pace of content creation can sometimes be tiring.

Not only that, they also said that since they aren't the most tech-savvy trios out there and were extremely grateful to Aunt Zu's daughter for her guidance.

The trio said that one of the most important lessons they've learned since starting this social media journey is that not everyone will love what they do. Despite receiving positive comments, they also received negative ones. However, the trio said they refused to let the negativity bring them down.

“We've learnt to focus on the love and support from our followers. Staying true to ourselves and focusing on the positive energy keeps us moving forward.”

When they were asked about how their family reacted to their fame online, the trio said the feedback had been supportive and they received cheers of encouragement for pursuing something new and fun.

Despite that, The Pretty Mamas shared that no matter who they are now, they'll always be wives and mothers. So, their mornings are still dedicated to house chores and looking after the families. Although admitting it was tiring to juggle both responsibilities, the trio credited their passion and the great company as the reason why they kept going.

The future for The Pretty Mamas

When asked about advice they would like to give to those who want to start their content-creating journey, especially for those who are around their age, the trio said to follow your passion and push aside the age factor.

“Never say ‘no’ to yourself. Whether you're young or not, if it's something that makes you happy and it's beneficial and morally right, just go for it. Don't hold back! Start creating and never stop believing in yourself.”

As for how long they’ll keep content creating, the trio admitted they don't really have a plan and just go with the flow. Nevertheless, they do hope to be able to travel overseas to create content outside of Malaysia.