TikTok Treats, Week Of August 17th

With public safety and health at the forefront of the world’s concerns, TikTok provides a reprieve for its users to get away from the anxieties of the pandemic. For millions of creators, TikTok serves as both a salve and an outlet for catharsis. Whether users come to TikTok because they just need a good laugh, or they’re looking for a safe space to express unguarded feelings during a tough time, the TikTok community is there for them. Check out the following stories for a glimpse of ways in which both high profile artists and their fans use TikTok as a coping mechanism and morale booster.

• Once again showcasing TikTok’s ability to drive hits, last week’s Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion’s internet-breaking “WAP” video instantly resonated with the TikTok community. Dancer/choreographer Brian Eperson posted a breakdown of the video’s intense dance routine, which sparked users to create a multitude of #wap (864 million views) dance challenge videos. That in turn helped propel the song to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in record time. Highlights include a duo of pregnant women slaying the challenge, Charli D’Amelio’s mom-approved take, and even a giraffe furry getting in on the fun.

• With 2 billion views, the cathartic #HurtMyFeelings trend is re-introducing La Roux’s 11 year-old hit, “Bulletproof” to a whole new generation. Creators are using the song as the sound bed to provide an assortment of triumphant, defiant, or humorous answers to the question, “You think you can hurt me?” The trend gained more steam this week with self-deprecating posts by Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo and Iggy Azalea. Bringing things full circle, last weekend La Roux joined TikTok and posted her own resilient take.

• Speaking of catharsis, Taylor Swift’s placid break-up album Folklore has inspired everything from Jimmy Fallon picking up a ukelele for a comical cover of “the 1,” to people in otherwise healthy relationships feeling melancholy in the rain or curling into a fetal position while jogging after listening to “exile.”

• A new and improved transformation challenge has emerged on TikTok as numerous creators have taken to DJ Jadaboo’s mix of rapper Baby Keem’s song “Orange Soda” to display their varying sense of fashion. The trend consists of TikTok creators tossing a shoe from their “before” outfit in the air right before “catching” the shoe of their “after” outfit on their foot as the beat of the song drops and the viewer sees the creator donned in new, stylish garb. From dapper suits to street style to sports uniforms, TikTok creators are literally sporting it all, showing that creativity and expression are at the heart of TikTok.

TikTok creators are all gas no breaks when it comes to putting a smile on the faces of millions of users. TikTok is more than just a casual app, as the platform’s trends and challenges serve to inspire joy and provide a haven for users, artists, and creators alike. The TikTok community allows high profile artists and up and coming creators to be themselves unapologetically while users look to TikTok to find their voice and seek happiness through the music.

Check TikTok’s newsroom for more noteworthy stories: newsroom.tiktok.com