TikTok has exploded in popularity over the last few years, becoming one of the most used social media platforms worldwide. As of 2022, TikTok boasts over 1 billion monthly active users, making it larger than social giants like Instagram.
With so many active users on TikTok every month, individual creators now have the chance to amass massive followings. No one demonstrates this better than Charli D’Amelio, who has grown in just over a year to become TikTok’s largest creator.
Who is Charli D’Amelio?
Charli D’Amelio is an American social media personality who has become one of the most popular and influential people on TikTok. She was born on May 1, 2004 in Norwalk, Connecticut. Before finding huge fame on TikTok, Charli was a competitive dancer. She started posting dance videos to TikTok in 2019 and quickly amassed a massive following. Her profile went viral after her dances to trendy songs gained popularity. According to a Business Insider profile, Charli’s first viral TikTok video was a quick clip of her dancing to the song “Lottery” by K Camp in July 2019 Business Insider.
Her Rise to Fame
Charli D’Amelio first started gaining a large following on TikTok in the summer of 2019, when she began posting videos of herself dancing to trending songs and sounds on the app. According to an article on Mediamister, Charli originally joined TikTok just for fun in May 2019 after seeing some of her friends using it (https://www.mediamister.com/blog/how-did-charli-damelio-get-famous/). Her early videos featured Charli dancing in her bedroom or backyard, often with her sister Dixie D’Amelio. While the dances were simple, Charli had a natural and authentic quality that resonated with viewers.
One of her first viral hits was a video of Charli dancing to the song “Obsessed” by Addison Rae, where she does some playful moves like lassoing and roping. As this video and others began to gain traction, the TikTok algorithm started promoting Charli’s content more and more due to its high engagement. According to an answer on Quora, Charli was strategic about capitalizing on trending sounds, songs, and dances on TikTok during its period of rapid growth in 2019 (https://www.quora.com/Why-is-everyone-obsessed-with-TikTok-star-Charli-Damelio). Her follower count skyrocketed, gaining over a million followers in under 3 months. Fans were drawn to her charisma and the sense that anyone could learn and replicate her dances.
Her Massive Following
As of March 2023, Charli D’Amelio has over 150 million followers on TikTok, making her the platform’s most followed creator by far (Charli Dʼamelio Net Worth 2024 – Equity Atlas). To put this in perspective, she hit 100 million followers in November 2020, meaning she gained another 50 million in just over 2 years. Her massive following is more than double the next biggest TikTok star, Khaby Lame, who has around 79 million followers.
D’Amelio’s huge fanbase on TikTok outpaces followings on other platforms. On Instagram, she has around 49 million followers, while on YouTube she has 11 million subscribers. But her fame originated on TikTok, where she rapidly built her initial audience doing dance trends and lip-sync routines.
Various factors contributed to the rapid growth of her follower count, including duets with other top creators, consistent posting, leveraging trends, and cross-promoting content. But ultimately, her fun and relatable personality allowed her to form strong connections with fans.
Her Most Popular Videos
Charli D’Amelio is best known for her dancing videos on TikTok. Some of her most popular videos include:
Her first viral hit was a video dancing to the song “Obsessed” by Addison Rae. The video received over 5 million likes. In the video, Charli does a few simple yet catchy dance moves in her bathroom. Her facial expressions and energy helped make the video go viral.
Another hugely popular video was her dancing to the song “Renegade” by BigMali. Her Renegade dance moves took TikTok by storm and many other users started copying her dance. The video has over 50 million likes.
She also went viral for a dance to the K Camp song “Lottery.” In the video, she does some fast leg work and energetic moves that captivated viewers. The video has over 40 million likes.
One of her most-liked videos, with over 70 million likes, is a duet dance she did with her sister Dixie to the song “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd. The two show off their dance chemistry and skills in a fun sibling duo.
Charli has mastered the art of creating short, captivating dance videos that spread widely across TikTok. Her energetic spirit and facial expressions allow her personality to shine in her videos.
Other Platforms
In addition to her massive following on TikTok, Charli D’Amelio has amassed huge audiences across other social media platforms as well. On Instagram, she currently has over 45 million followers, making her one of the most followed people on the platform [1]. Analytics suggest her Instagram follower count grows by over 200,000 followers per week [2]. She is also rapidly growing her presence on YouTube, where she has over 10 million subscribers as of early 2023.
Beyond the raw follower numbers, Charli engages consistently with her fans across platforms by posting daily vlogs, dancing videos, Q&As, and collaborations with family and friends. Her massive multi-platform presence has established her as one of the most influential Gen Z figures in social media.
Business Endeavors
In addition to her massive social media following, Charli D’Amelio has leveraged her fame into several business ventures. She has launched branded merchandise, partnered on a reality show, and signed numerous lucrative brand deals.
D’Amelio sells her own line of merchandise including clothes, accessories, and other items emblazoned with her name and related phrases. According to Zac Johnson, her merchandise collaborations with Fanjoy and Hollister have been incredibly successful, showing the demand for items associated with the young star.
She also starred with her family in a reality show called “The D’Amelio Show” which streamed on Hulu in 2021. The show provided a behind-the-scenes look at her life and boosted her fame. As reported by Ben Munson, the show was Hulu’s most watched unscripted premiere.
D’Amelio has partnered with brands like Dunkin’ Donuts, Pura Vida Bracelets, Hollister, Morphe Cosmetics, and others for sponsorship deals. She often promotes these brands to her followers. According to Zac Johnson, these deals have earned her millions of dollars before she was even old enough to vote.
Controversies
Charli D’Amelio has faced some backlash and controversies over certain videos and incidents. In November 2020, she posted a YouTube video with her sister Dixie and parents eating dinner with personal chef Aaron May. In the video, Charli complained about not reaching 100 million TikTok followers yet. This led to major backlash and accusations of her being ungrateful and spoiled. According to Latestly, the video resulted in her losing over 1 million followers on the platform.
Another controversy arose when Charli posted a TikTok dance video to the song “Lottery” by K Camp in June 2020. Many people found the video to be insensitive given the protests going on at the time over George Floyd’s death and Black Lives Matter. As reported by The Tab, Charli apologized and took down the video, saying she “should have been more considerate of the lyrics.”
Impact on Culture
With over 142 million followers on TikTok alone, Charli D’Amelio has had a massive influence on culture, beauty standards, and dance trends. Her rapid rise to fame as a 15-year-old showcased a different kind of influencer – an approachable, girl-next-door type who felt relatable to millions of teens.
D’Amelio popularized short, easy-to-follow dance routines set to trendy music. Her causal style of dancing in everyday settings made TikTok dances feel accessible and spurred millions to attempt to recreate her moves and film themselves dancing. As noted by The New Yorker, “Someone like Charli, a girl from a normal suburban family who has achieved this dream with TikTok, becomes an idol. Unlike influencer culture, which can feel aspirational and inaccessible, Charli’s success feels attainable.”
With dance challenges and trends going viral via copying D’Amelio’s routines, she sparked new dance crazes that shaped pop culture. D’Amelio also impacted beauty norms by showcasing a natural, effortless style at a young age rather than heavy makeup or filters. Her laidback fashion and confidence boosted body positivity and influenced how teens wanted to dress and look.
As the face of TikTok, D’Amelio paved the way for many other young influencers. Her popularity and relatability established TikTok as a launch pad for Gen Z influencers and culture. Even as she’s moved beyond TikTok into TV, business ventures, and other platforms, Charli D’Amelio’s impact through TikTok alone has shaped much of Gen Z culture.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Charli D’Amelio has achieved enormous success on TikTok in a very short period of time. She gained over 100 million followers on the platform in less than 2 years, making her the most followed content creator on TikTok. Her dances, personal life updates, and collaborations, especially with her sister Dixie, have resonated with fans globally. Despite some controversies, Charli has managed to maintain her popularity and expand her brand into other business endeavors. Her massive following and influence on TikTok culture as a young teen is a remarkable accomplishment worthy of recognition.
