Kira McCaffery, known on TikTok and Instagram as @Kirawithnoe, has built a following of over 40,000 across both platforms for her humor, lifestyle, food, and overall “feel-good” content, in a world where the algorithm often feels more like doomscrolling than decompression. Not only has she built this following, but she has also capitalized on it by collaborating with major brands (including Disney+ and White Fox Boutique). Most recently, she has become the face of a new fast-food venture in Glasgow’s West End led by music figure Professor Green, PG fastfood.
It’s no exaggeration to say that Kira is one of Scotland’s most exciting emerging influencers, but what sets her apart goes far beyond the distinctive spelling of her name.
Neon Pink And Notably Unforgettable
Kira’s most viral video has over 2.4 million views, as she dances through hotel corridors in neon pink Bratz pajamas to Murder on the Dance Floor by Sophie Ellis-Bextor. And this only scratches the surface of her vibrant personality. Anyone who has stepped into a Scottish breakfast spot will know the nation’s love of rolls, whether filled with sausage or chicken salad; they are a staple from morning through to lunch. Kira is no exception. She has become affectionately known online as “the roll girl,” with much of her content centered on trying different rolls, rating them, and pairing each bite with hilarious storytimes.
My first encounter with Kira McCaffery dates back to around 2019, when we both attended a weekend theatre school in Glasgow’s city centre. Even then, her magnetic presence was impossible to ignore. She brought a level of passion and commitment to every dance and acting class that set her apart, and it was clear from the start that she was not only someone I wanted to befriend but someone destined to make a name for herself.
Absolutely Crackin
I joined Kira on a FaceTime call just before 10 pm on the 6th of April. She’s sitting with her fiery red hair in a messy bun, wrapped in a cheetah print robe, her baby pink bedroom as the backdrop, and I begin by asking where the root of her confidence comes from:
“This is a question I have had my whole life. I feel like I have gotten this since coming out of the womb.” She laughed it off with a smile.
“It is who I am as a person, but it would not be the same if it were not for my mum. She had me at an older age, so every bit of wisdom she learned was passed on to me. She has always told me, ‘Kira, this is your life, forget being a people pleaser, you are absolutely crackin.’”
Listening to her, you realize this confidence is not just something she was born with; it has been built up over time, shaped by someone who has always had her back and is her best friend: her mum. She’s a constant presence in Kira’s videos, bringing her own stream of funny anecdotes, and together they make a genuinely iconic comedic duo that TikTok can’t get enough of.
And so I ask Kira how it feels to share her relationship online with her mum:
“We think we are the funniest people, so the fact that other people may think that is quite nice as well. It’s just fabulous that my mum has even started her own TikTok now! So the fact that people can even see themselves in the pair of us is a nice feeling to know it is reaching an audience that feels good about our dynamic. It is nice to inspire somebody or something with our mother/daughter relationship.”
The Girl Behind The Algorithm
We had been gushing over the positives for more than fifteen minutes, so I wanted to shift the conversation and ask how she navigates building a platform from viral moments, and whether that ever changes how much of herself she chooses to post online:
“It’s funny, because having a viral video made me think that I should platform this, and see where it all takes me. And it has taken me to a lot of interesting places so far… for example, personality-wise, I know that I would like to be an actor” (which checks out as she is a proud History and Theatre student at the University of Glasgow) “but if my personality was my job, I would like to go into TV presenting. So I have always been very cautious of what I put out online. For example, I never swear in my videos or I never talk about anything too personal… I am very family-friendly as well. So I never limit what I put out there, but I am cautious.”
She then goes on to state: “I don’t think some people are the same person they make themselves out to be online, which is shocking because I am very much the same person online as I am in real life. So it’s funny because I may know what I want for myself in the future, but I also know that I am authentically myself as well.”
Rolls, Reels, and Reality TV
If you’ve made it this far, you will have gathered that Kira McCaffery is not someone who blends into the crowd. That is exactly what makes her such a natural fit for reality TV. She appeared on The Agency: Unfiltered season three, a BBC-run show centered on a Glasgow-based influencer agency, where a group of emerging Scottish creators competed in social media challenges for the chance to be signed at the end. It was competitive and creative, and thankfully far less chaotic than something like America’s Next Top Model.
And, to no one’s surprise, Kira came out on top:
“At that point, I had been posting on TikTok seriously for about a year and I was posting videos eating my rolls and people really liked it because I think it was normal and relatable, and it actually caught the eye of the person that was casting for the show!” she says as she takes a sip out of her silver bedazzled Stanley cup.
“At the time, I had watched series one and two, and I was obsessed with it, and loved that it was filmed in Glasgow. So when I got that DM, it was just brilliant! Filming the show was fabulous, and I don’t think I am a competitive person. I obviously like to win, but I wasn’t going into this thinking ‘I have to win this!’ I was just happy to be on telly, but I ended up winning!”
Naturally, I wanted to know how this series impacted her social media presence:
“At the time, it was a dream come true, you know… It’s really unheard of to go on a show, win, and then get signed to an agency. You usually get signed to an agency when you have thousands of followers, and I was just starting out. I remember at the time I had like two thousand followers on Instagram, and when the BBC announced that I was going to be on the show, it was like … tripled overnight.”
Building Something Bigger
But this was far from an overnight success. In hindsight, and to keep entertaining and engaging the 40,000 followers she has built, Kira has had to find new and creative ways to sustain her audience—and that is where the KiraandCo Podcast was born.
This is where Kira sits down for more relaxed, informal chats with other Scottish creators. She spoke with fashion icon Molly McFarlane in an episode that drew over 7,000 views, as well as LA-based Scottish dancer Mari Mcloud. The episodes feel just as much about her guests as they are about Kira, which makes them really easy and fun to watch. They are wholeheartedly hilarious, and Kira’s quick wit always has me genuinely laughing out loud.
“This podcast was something I wanted to do. I had met someone in the pub, funnily enough, on International Women’s Day, and my mum and I just sat and talked to this woman for hours. She ended up telling me about this studio and this producer who is up for helping people in the local area, and how I should get in touch. And then suddenly, I was filming a podcast!”
“This meant a lot to me, because this was something separate from my agency at the time. This was something that was creatively mine and independent! This was also important because if people who were watching me from the TV, and were finding my social media, they had longer form content to watch as well.”
What’s Next?
The podcast is now on a hiatus as Kira’s dissertation deadline approaches and her graduation is right around the corner. I guess the question is: what is next for @KiraWithNoe?
“You know, I believe in energy. There’s energy coming in and out, and you know energy never dies. So I believe you have to put things out into the world positively in order to get them. What’s next? I am very excited to graduate, and then travel the world with my best friend!”
“I would very much like to get a job in the radio! I have been a guest on the radio a couple of times before, and I absolutely loved it! So I am putting it out there, we are manifesting!”
Whatever comes next for Kira McCaffery, one thing is certain: she will take it on with the same infectious humor and honesty that have gotten her this far. And speaking from experience, having Kira as a friend is just as great as you would imagine. She gives the best advice, always keeps me grounded, and is exactly the same person off-screen as she is online.
We are genuinely lucky to have someone so real, so funny, and so unapologetically herself lighting up our phones, and I have no doubt this Scottish sensation is only just getting started.