In 2020, TikTok became a global phenomenon, turning people into stars one 15-second clip at a time. Loren Gray knows exactly what this feels like, though the app and herself have come a long way. Hopping onto social media at age 13, the future star downloaded Musical.ly to make lip-syncing videos.
"At first it was just me being silly, doing covers, and I loved doing it because I was 100 percent myself," she later told Uproxx. "And I would choreograph dance routines and make my friends be my backup dancers." As her follower count skyrocketed into the millions, Gray noted, "People would post reaction videos and compilations. My videos were getting featured one after the other, after the other."
Gray ruled the app for years and was a top "Muser" between 2014 and 2018, according to Insider. But despite being on top, she decided to take a step back. "I actually took a break for a little while, cause it went through this weird phase where everyone was confused as to where it was going," Gray explained of the app's rebranding into TikTok in March 2020. "I see a lot more comedy and a lot more original content. It's definitely very different and it took me a minute to get the hang of it, but I think I get it now."
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7XCpKCsr5mbwW%2BvzqZma2xgaIJxe9OhnGatnqm8rbCMramurJhivKd5y6ipnqZdnL%2BixY4%3D