Like our constant consumption of fast-fashion, and teen-special jargon that becomes a frequent part of our vocab for a couple of months and then dies, influencers (also known as real people) become the centrepiece of the public eye and then are tossed into the bin of last year. Whether they fall victim to cancel-culture or were lucky enough to escape the wrath of an angry TikTok comment section, it is no lie that the social-media famous celebs we hold dear eventually lose our interest at some point or another.

It is also no lie that social media is RUTHLESS. Combining angry and hormonal teens with a platform to express contempt to their upmost desire with no immediate consequence was definitely not the smartest idea, but hey, that’s already been proven a million times before. 

If you’re like me, and in the grand year that was 2020, you were turning thirteen, TikTok was pretty much your life. What else was there to do all day except give in to the endless scroll whilst munching through a family-sized chocolate bar? It was the age of TikTok dances, whipped coffee, online learning, and, of course, Charli D’Amelio.

Having just officially become a teenager, any older teenage girls were basically queens to me. I worshipped them, feeling as though they were the epitome of cool. Whilst I wasn’t a die-hard fan, in my mind the 15-year-old celeb was definitely on a pedestal far, far above mine.

The explosion of the hype-house had the youngsters of our generation in a frenzy – naturally ‘shipping’ (essentially match-making) different pairs and making a whole narrative out of it. Looking back, it surprises me that I am now older than those internet sensations. I have surpassed the age that Charli D’Amelio was when her famous duet with Move With Joy went viral and now aged nineteen, she has surpassed 151 million followers. That’s more than the population of Russia in 2023.

So why is the American star losing clout (fame)? Whilst many of us have simply grown up and become uninterested, Charli D’Amelio has also fallen victim to TikTok’s very own peripetia. With the cultural significance of the app ever-growing, the trend cycle is in constant motion. The very thing that places influencers in the limelight is also the very thing that reduces their fame to a neglected account of old videos and slowly decreasing likes.

Turning twenty in May, Miss D’Amelio’s time to shine seems to be dimming. Whilst it might feel like a stab in the gut, maybe now she can finally grasp at the chance of the somewhat-normal (thanks covid) teenagerhood that the majority of us have had.

Looking at people on a screen, its very difficult to imagine that they have intricate lives and minds that overthink and panic and worry just like you and I. Becoming a hater and a key tool in the rise and fall of so many influencers can only be the job of the public. You. Us. So step back and ‘touch some grass’, I implore you.