Leila Santese has two Instagram accounts — @santeseleila (639K followers) and @lelasohnabaka (2.1M followers). At first glance, that might seem unusual, but for someone as creative and dynamic as Leila, it makes perfect sense. Online, she is best known as Lela Sohna, a digital creator whose confidence, personality, and style have captured the attention of millions.
Her two Instagram pages each show a different side of her. The first, @lelasohnabaka, is larger, polished, and full of the kind of curated photos and videos that build a strong public image. The second, @santeseleila, feels more personal, casual, and closer to her real life — almost like a glimpse behind the curtain.
For fans and followers, having two accounts might seem confusing at first. Why would a creator split her audience instead of focusing on one page? But when you look closer, it’s a smart and thoughtful strategy. Leila uses each account for a distinct purpose. One for her broader brand identity and the other for her authentic, day-to-day moments.
Who Is Lela Sohna?
Lela Sohna, whose real name is Leila Santese, born on October 29, 2000 as an Italian, is a rising digital creator known for her striking looks, expressive personality, and strong presence across social platforms. She also has two TikTok accounts: @itslelasohna (1.3M followers) and @lelasohna (7.5M followers).
Her work includes modeling photoshoots, personal style posts, and engagement with fans. Many of her posts emphasize confidence, creative visuals, and a polished aesthetic mixed with more personal and casual moments.
Unlike influencers who depend on heavy editing or exaggerated trends, Lela keeps her style simple and direct. She’s known for her natural poses, genuine smiles, and light-hearted energy. Followers often say that she feels “real,” even when her content looks polished. That balance between authenticity and visual appeal has become her signature.
Beyond her online persona, Lela also shows an interest in creativity and connection. Her captions often carry a positive message or a playful twist, suggesting she sees her followers as part of her extended online community. Whether she’s posting a casual mirror selfie or a professional photoshoot, she communicates a clear idea that confidence comes from self-acceptance.
Her name “Lela Sohna” has now become a recognizable brand. Yet she continues to use her birth name, Leila Santese, on one of her Instagram accounts because she still values the personal side of who she is.
Why Lela Sohna Might Use Two Accounts
1. Differentiate Public Persona vs. Personal Space
Many creators keep one account as their public, widely-promoted persona and another for a more intimate or specialized part of their life. In this case, Lela might use one account for large-scale content, broad engagement, collaborations or major brand partnerships, and the other for behind-the-scenes glimpses, more personal posts, or a niche audience.
If @lelasohnabaka is her “main” face, that could mean it shows her polished or high-reach content. Meanwhile, @santeseleila might serve as a more “real life” or “IRL” space (for instance, she writes “Me IRL” in the @santeseleila bio).
This split allows a creator to protect some privacy while still demonstrate authenticity. It gives fans a sense of connection without every post being overly curated.
2. Segmentation of Content for Different Audiences
Another reason to run two accounts is to serve different types of followers. Some people follow for fashion or lifestyle, others for personal anecdotes or creative experiments. Lela might use one account for her “brand” content and another for side-projects or a different theme.
As said above, @lelasohnabaka has higher follower count, likely indicating broad appeal. @santeseleila may cater to a smaller niche or casual followers who want a more “real life” version of her. This strategy enables her to keep content targeted, and allows followers to choose what kind of content they prefer.
3. Platform Management and Algorithm Strategy
Running two accounts also helps manage Instagram’s algorithm and follower growth paths. With two accounts, she can tailor each feed’s style, posting frequency and theme so that each is optimized for its own audience. It also allows testing what content works best without mixing all posts on one feed.
Moreover, if one account is built for “mass” reach and the other for community engagement, she might vary posting styles (e.g., frequent stories on one, infrequent but high-quality posts on the other). It gives her to maintain a consistent presence while keeping each feed fresh and relevant.
4. Business/Brand Partnerships vs. Personal Brand
Creators who work with brands often prefer to delineate their business-collaboration account from their more personal or lifestyle account. That way potential brand partners know which feed is most relevant. It also gives the creator flexibility: they can monetize the main account more aggressively while keeping the second one less commercial and more authentic.
Given Lela’s follower numbers, it is likely she has brand deals or collaborations. With two accounts, so she can manage such deals on one account (e.g., higher follower account) while reserving the other for more organic posts.
5. Backup or Legacy Account
Sometimes, a secondary account started early in the creator’s life grows in one direction, and later they decide to launch a “fresh start” with a new handle, new theme or new brand identity. Thus the older account remains but plays a different role. That may be the case here: perhaps @santeseleila was an earlier account (with fewer followers) and @lelasohnabaka became the main one as her popularity grew.
It’s common to keep both live because the older account holds legacy content, memories, or a special fanbase, and wiping it might feel like losing part of the personal story.
What Each Account Shows (Based on Observations)
Let’s look at what we can observe about each account to infer how Lela uses them.
@lelasohnabaka
View this post on Instagram
- Follower count: 2.1 million.
- Posts: ~181 posts as of recent count.
- Caption info: Her bio says “Your friendly miao Tiktok: 7M frens”.
- Visuals: The posts appear professionally composed, with fashion, modeling, lifestyle shots.
- Audience: Given its size, this account likely targets broad engagement and visibility.
@santeseleila
View this post on Instagram
- Follower count: 639K.
- Posts: 74 posts.
- Caption info: “Me IRL My ⇩” (or words to that effect) appear in the bio.
- Content: Appears more casual, possibly behind-the-scenes or personal life snaps rather than high production.
- Audience: More niche, possibly closer to “real life me” rather than polished persona.
What This Means for Fans and Followers
Knowing that Lela runs two Instagram accounts can change how a follower chooses to engage. Here are a few implications:
Choose Your Experience
If you follow both accounts, you get the full spectrum: the big-screen polished side and the behind-the-scenes side. If you prefer curated fashion and lifestyle, you may lean toward @lelasohnabaka. If you prefer more genuine, unfiltered glimpses, you may enjoy @santeseleila more.
It’s like having two lenses into her world: the spotlight version and the everyday version.
Understand Content Frequency and Style
Expect different posting rhythms. The main account might post less frequently but with high impact (photoshoots, brand collaborations). The smaller account might post more casually, maybe stories or quick pictures from daily life.
For someone who follows only one account and wonders why posts differ, this helps clarify why.
Engagement and Community Feeling
On the smaller account, the sense of community may feel tighter. Comments could be more personal; interactions might be closer to “real life.” On the bigger account, interactions will be more mass-engagement.
If you’re looking for a more “fan-community” feel, the account with fewer followers might be more comfortable.
Brand Deals and Sponsor Transparency
If one account is clearly used for brand deals, you might notice more sponsored posts there. It helps followers understand which feed is more “commercial” versus “personal.”
As a follower, you can decide consciously whether you want to engage with the commercial side, the personal side, or both.
Possible Risks and Things to Notice
Running two accounts is beneficial but also comes with challenges. Here’s what to keep in mind:
Risk of Confusion
Some followers might follow one account but not realize a second exists. They may miss content or feel confused if posts migrate. Clear bio links and cross-posts help mitigate this.
In Lela’s case, she appears to tag or reference one account in the other. For example, one post in @santeseleila tags @lelasohnabaka.
Maintaine Consistency
Keeping two accounts active requires effort. If one account becomes dormant or inconsistent, followers may lose interest. It’s best when both stay reasonably fresh.
From our snapshot, the smaller account has fewer posts but still recent activity. That suggests intentional upkeep.
Audience Segmentation Might Require Clarification
If you post completely different content across accounts, some followers may not understand why. A quick note in the bio or a pinned post can clarify: e.g., “For daily life follow here; for brand content follow there.”
In Lela’s case, the bio “Me IRL” for @santeseleila hints at the purpose.
My Personal Take
As someone who follows many creators, I find the dual-account strategy quite smart. It respects the fact that creators are both “on stage” and “off stage.” By having two accounts, Lela gets to keep a space where she can be more relaxed and real, while also sustaining a high-visibility hub for her bigger audience.
I also feel that for fans, this gives choice. You can engage with the version of her you prefer. Some days you want big-glamour content, other days you want a simple photo or story. Having both accounts means she doesn’t force you into a single style of interaction.
It also shows a level of maturity in how she manages her online presence. Many creators struggle with where to draw the line between personal and public. Lela’s two-account system suggests she has given thought to those boundaries.
Hypothetical Timeline: How This Might Have Developed
The Beginning of @lelasohnabaka (Around November 2021)
Based on public evidence, @lelasohnabaka was the first Instagram account created by Leila Santese, better known as Lela Sohna. The earliest post still visible on her page dates back about 206 weeks, placing it around November 2021. From the start, the content already had direction and purpose. The photos looked professional, the captions were confident, and her personal style stood out.
During this early stage, she seemed to be experimenting while shaping a recognizable image. Her poses, themes, and tone carried a mix of confidence and curiosity. Each new upload gained more attention, and it wasn’t long before @lelasohnabaka became her main creative hub, a space where she could express herself visually and reach a growing audience.
By late 2022 and 2023, the account had gained serious momentum. Her content began to balance artistry with influence, and followers responded strongly to her mix of humor, beauty, and individuality. @lelasohnabaka soon became the face of her public identity. It is the one most people associate with “Lela Sohna.”
The Launch of @santeseleila (Around April 2024)
The second account, @santeseleila, appeared much later. Its earliest visible post dates back about 80 weeks, or roughly April 2024. The difference between the two accounts is easy to notice. While @lelasohnabaka carries a polished, professional tone, @santeseleila feels relaxed, intimate, and spontaneous.
In this newer space, she posts in a more personal way, sometimes with simpler photos, softer expressions, or candid moments that look less staged. Even her captions read differently. They sound more conversational and down-to-earth as we can be closer to her everyday life.
By creating @santeseleila, Lela gave herself a place to express small details and moods without the pressure of perfection. It’s a place where her followers can see the “real” Leila Santese behind the Lela Sohna persona.
