TikTok has changed how we view music. Aspiring artists now have an effective way to get their music heard, labels have a new way to advertise, and fans need to do minimal work to find artists to enjoy. However, is there a deeper trend going on?
Whether it’s Addison Rae, Jxdn, or Lil Huddy, there is an emerging trend of influencers on TikTok making the transition to pop stars.
Since TikTok’s massive surge in popularity in 2019, it has become the medium through which most people consume their content.
On other apps, they don’t allow new users with small platforms to blow up and make a name for themselves, but TikTok does. If everyone is already on TikTok, and its content form is perfect for advertising music, it makes sense to utilize it.
TikTok was designed with music integration at its core, as anybody can post their music and hope they blow up. The videos have a soundtrack, so discovery and promotion of songs are part of the user experience.
Lil Huddy and Jxdn started their careers as creators making thirst-trap content, but some started in comedy, and others do skits. In the end, they wait until they have built a dedicated fan base before switching careers to pursue what they truly want, carrying over the audience they gathered from their previous endeavor.These creators can easily clear a million streams on anything they choose to release and overshadow smaller creators with these built-in listeners.
Along with dedicated fans and guaranteed streams, having a large following makes these influencers more attractive to record labels than a standard artist. Influencers have even secured large record deals before putting out a song.
From a record label perspective, if all they care about is profiting off of the talent, why not sign those who have already done most of the work for you in terms of advertising?
Before TikTok, record labels had to find talent through much more tedious avenues like live shows, YouTube covers, or word-of-mouth. Now, TikTok provides constant access to potential stars.
TikTok stars form a parasocial relationship with their fans, allowing them to look behind the scenes of their lives. This gives fans the feeling that they know the artist beyond just being someone who makes music for their enjoyment. They create intimacy that traditional pop stars used to build only through interviews and media appearances.
Relatability is also essential from a fan’s perspective. If a fan feels like they can relate to an artist, they like them more. Take the singer known as Sombr, for example. He became famous quickly because people feel like they can relate to him. He does so by making references to niche TikTok trends during interviews, staying up to date on trends and engaging with his fans regularly.
That’s part of the recipe for building a loyal fan base these days and pop music encourages it.
Finally, converting TikTok viewers to streams is much easier than on other platforms. A song blowing up leads to increased streams on Spotify and Apple Music because users want to hear the full track. This ends up creating an endless cycle of TikTok virality. From big streaming debuts, to larger playlist placement and then eventual discovery.
As long as the current structure allows celebrities to transition from online influencers to pop stars, this trend won’t be done anytime soon. The way it’s going, it is hard to tell who is actually a comedian or an actor, and who just wants to blow up so they can start singing.
