Simone Biles reveals the surprising relationship she has with an influencer

Simone Biles has never been shy about discussing the pressures that come with being one of the world's most recognizable athletes.

But in a recent story, the Olympic champion revealed an unexpectedly awkward relationship with an influencer that had nothing to do with gymnastics , and everything to do with hair.

Biles opened up about what she described as the “weirdest interaction” she had with an influencer a couple of years ago. The gymnast explained that she had followed the woman for some time because she admired her style and content, particularly the way she wore her hair.

The detail that caught Biles ' attention was how consistently polished the influencer's hairstyle appeared. Biles said it was always “laid to a T,” leaving her unsure whether the look was her natural hair or a weave.

At the time, Biles was particularly conscious about her own hair because of the criticism she had received online. That scrutiny had become a recurring issue throughout her career, including during major competitions.

“I didn’t really give a f**k that much. Y’all had been bullying me for so long about what my hair looked like during competition,” she recalled.

The criticism had nevertheless made Biles consider whether changing her hairstyle might quiet some of the comments. Because she already had conversations with the influencer about hair and had regularly complimented her looks, she felt comfortable asking for the contact details of her stylist.

“Girl, you need to send me your hair person contact slash Insta,” Biles recalled asking.

The response was not what she expected. According to Biles, the influencer told her, “My manager has it. I’ll have to ask her.”

That answer left the gymnast confused. She questioned why someone would not have the direct details of the person responsible for their hair.

“You don’t know who does your hair when you go to your hair appointments? You don’t have their contact or Instagram?” she asked in the video.

Biles acknowledged that she could understand someone wanting to protect a stylist's information. However, she said that was not what she had in mind.

“That’s not at all what it was, like I travel all the time, so if I’m ever in that area, let me get slay,” she said.

Rather than pursuing the matter, Biles ultimately decided that the interaction was not worth the negativity.

“But yeah, I didn’t need that kind of negativity in my life, so I unfollowed her,” Biles said.

Why hair has become such a personal subject for Biles

The incident was amusing enough for Biles to revisit years later, but it also connects to a much more serious part of her relationship with public scrutiny.

Biles has repeatedly faced criticism over her hair despite becoming one of the most decorated gymnasts in history. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, for example, she responded directly to social-media users who criticized her hairstyle.

She explained that the extreme heat and lengthy bus journey had affected her appearance before competition.

Her experiences have also shaped the way she views her natural hair. In a 2024 interview with Elle, Biles explained that she had gradually become more comfortable with her texture and the styles she could wear: “I used to worry about [my hair being considered] not professional. But I’m not embarrassed about it anymore.”

She has also spoken about growing up without learning to style her own hair, meaning professional hairstylists became an important part of her routine as her gymnastics career developed.

That history makes the influencer story particularly revealing. What started as Biles simply admiring another woman's hairstyle was connected to years of being told, directly and indirectly, how her own appearance should look.

Biles has previously argued that the scrutiny surrounding Black women's hair can become excessive. During the Paris Olympics, she famously pushed back against critics, telling them not to comment on a Black woman's hair while she was competing.

Her relationship with hair has continued to evolve away from trying to satisfy those expectations. More recently, she has also worked with K18 as a brand ambassador, with the partnership focusing on maintaining healthy hair despite the demands of training, traveling and performing.

The influencer episode therefore represents a lighter chapter in a much bigger story. Biles was not looking for anything complicated, she admired someone's hair, wanted the stylist's contact information and thought it could be useful when traveling.

Instead, the answer surprised her enough that she chose to walk away from the relationship. Years later, she still remembers the exchange.

“To this day, I still think about it, and it cracks me up, but it also like, what?” she said.

For someone who has spent much of her life under an extraordinary level of public scrutiny, the story is another example of Biles deciding which conversations deserve her attention, and which ones are better left behind.