Aspiring musical artists who wanted to get attention a decade ago could audition for shows like X Factor or America’s Got Talent. Then TikTok came along. Artists like the duo Flyana Boss and the rapper Ice Spice gained overnight fame as clips of their songs formed the backdrop of viral videos. Some of these TikTok-famous artists plan to attend the Video Music Awards on Tuesday night, including Saucy Santana and PinkPantheress.
Less well-known creators are also finding they can leverage their social followings for paid musical gigs, even without a record deal. U.K.-based singer James Sharp, for instance, said he gained popularity on TikTok from an account, @thesharptwins, he shares with his twin brother Lewis Sharp. Since starting their account in 2018, the pair built a following of 5.7 million users from making dancing and comedy videos and starting trends like the “end the video when we cringe” trend.
