These TikTok-ers are rising to musical fame — one viral video at a time.
The savviest users know how to spin social media soundbites into real careers. Take Tai Verdes, a former Verizon store worker who just sold out his first tour. For a few lucky musicians, showing off their talents on the app has led to building up a fanbase, releasing singles and booking TV appearances.
Below, more up-and-coming virtuosos who are making the leap from TikTok to stardom.
Caleb Hearn
The 21-year-old from North Carolina is a music sensation on the app, where he’s amassed 1 million followers. The singer-songwriter — who is lauded for his lyrics as well as his vocal stylings — loves putting his own creative twists on hit songs, such as a version of Olivia Rodrigo’s chart-topping single “Drivers License,” but “from the guy’s perspective.” Another take, “from Olivia’s dad’s perspective,” shows off his comedy chops. With several ballad-like singles and an 11-track debut album, his discography is already promising, featuring songs about falling in love, dealing with the loss of a childhood friend and going after big goals.
Fatima Diakité
The 24-year-old songwriter who lives in Brooklyn and goes by the stage name “TimaLikesMusic” has gained more than 20 million views on similar platform to TikTok, Instagram Reels, by singing short verses while playing the piano. Fans adore her relatable content — she’s sung about everything from the awkwardness of social interactions, to how to properly wear a face mask, to the frustration of getting only one sauce packet with her fast food meal. “I love music, I love film and I love making people laugh,” Diakité said during an appearance on “The Kelly Clarkson show.” “The most rewarding part of it all is people DMing me, telling me, ‘You know, I was having a bad day, but when I saw your video it made me laugh a little.’” She has a single out on both Spotify and Apple Music, titled “Black Joy” — it’s all about celebrating the skin that you’re in and loving yourself.
Christian Shelton
Christian Shelton has been showing off his angelic vocals on the app since the start of the pandemic. The 20-year-old singer from Las Vegas, who has over 800,000 followers, specializes in covers of iconic pop and R&B records — a video of him singing a few lines of Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Put Your Records On” has more than 8 million views. Shelton caught the attention of employment website Indeed earlier this year and he was featured in a commercial for the company that played during the 2021 Super Bowl. The spot was heartfelt, with Shelton covering Andra Day’s “Rise Up” over a montage of struggling Americans attempting to find work during the pandemic. He’s also recognized by the app as a Black TikTok Trailblazer: a tribute created for Black History Month to “celebrate Black excellence and honor the Black community on TikTok.”
Henry Platt
Platt, 22, a recent University of Pennsylvania grad and self-described “nice Jewish boy,” started using TikTok at the height of quarantine. Platt, who missed singing with his college a cappella group, Counterparts, decided to give the app a shot, sharing riffs and covers of pop hits. It quickly became a creative outlet for him to write and produce his own music. “Everyone was in their rooms with nothing else to do,” Platt told The Post. “I wanted to connect with people who were in the same boat.” His success on the app led to the release of his debut single “Take a Number,” an electronic pop song that shows off his impressively high-pitched runs and harmonization skills. A few months before Platt started using TikTok, he competed for $60,000 as a contestant on an episode of Netflix’s “Sing On!”, where he belted out country classics and came in third place. You might recognize his older brother, Tony Award winner and “Dear Evan Hansen” star Ben Platt.
