Real-Life Merman Is Living The Fab Life We've Always Dreamed Of

Move over, Ariel. There’s a new mermaid in town ― actually, he’s a merman.

Eric Montel, who lives in Atlanta, Georgia, is a professional merman who performs under the name Rasta Merman Blix. And, yeah, we feel you ― we’re now considering a career as a merperson as well.

The 24-year-old, who even wears a gorgeous silicone tail, was recently featured in a video from YouTube star Davey Wavey.

While Montel’s life is just goals, he’s also spreading an important message. As someone who doesn’t fit the typical profile of a mermaid from a Hollywood film ― that is to say, white and female ― Montel wants people of color to know that they can be whatever the hell they want to be.

“I want other people [who] look like me to know that our skin shouldn’t be what stops them from following their dreams,” he told BuzzFeed News.

Montel is available for hire at special events and parties. When there’s water around, he can show off his merman moves. Judging from the video above, he’s a total expert at swimming ~flawlessly~ while wearing his tail. Seriously, when he swims, we just want to shout, “Yaaaas.”

Ultimately, being a merman is more than a job, according to Montel. When he slips on his tail and dives into the water, he feels completely “at peace,” he says in the video.

His experiences as a merman have also taught him a lesson that, frankly, we all should follow.

“Be like the ocean, just be free. Follow your own current, love yourself,” the merman says in the video. “No matter what anybody says, if you want to wear a tail, put on a tail and be a mer.”