How often do you scroll through social media? Honestly, my screen time is not something I’m proud of and I’m pretty sure a lot of you can relate to that. We all do it and it can turn into an unhealthy obsession with a virtual reality that highly differs from what we experience in the real world. As someone whose career blew up thanks to TikTok, Dixie D’Amelio has worked her way up and has had immersive success so far. But how hard is it to break out of that labeled box filled with misconception and judgment, and to be taken seriously as an artist and entrepreneur? Barely anyone talks about it and it is neither seen nor respected for the great success story it is.
For those who didn’t know, Dixie’s love for music, theater and entertainment existed way before she was introduced to the world and power of TikTok. Growing up, she loved singing and performing but when she started posting videos on the platform, it was never her intention to grow such a huge following or for it to be a kick start into her music career. Social Media in general just gave her the opportunity to pursue her passion, but the hard work she already put in prior to that, set the base for the major success that followed. Dixie shows her true self online, she doesn’t need to be all glammed up to post a photo or a TikTok video. And that makes her extremely relatable and has attracted the young generation to her as a content creator and artist later on.
To her fans, she is more like that sarcastic friend you can laugh and joke around with, but also someone who is sweet, caring and a true inspiration in many ways. She is honest and real and what’s most important, she always stayed true to who she is despite all the hate and judgment she has received – and still is constantly confronted with – which is not easy and deserves a lot of respect. Dixie isn’t afraid to be herself and to open up about her struggles with anxiety; turning a taboo topic into an ongoing outspoken advocacy. Her being so authentic and unapologetically herself through not just her social media presence, but her music as well, is definitely one of the main reasons why her mostly young fanbase admires and supports her so much. When you listen to her lyrics, there is always a story told between the lines and in whatever place you are in your life right now, you will relate to it on some level. Especially listening to her debut album “a letter to me”, she explained:
“This is deeply personal to me because it not only shows my growth professionally and musically, but I really wanted it to represent past and present experiences that haven’t been the easiest to overcome for me”
And while she would usually promote new music releases on TikTok, she decided to let it speak for itself this time. She wants to be seen as a real artist and not just a creator on the app that tries to get her songs to blow up. Dixie shared a part of her story and by putting it out into the world, listeners were able to adapt it to their own lives.
How often are we looking for someone who understands what we’re going through, without having to talk about it? Someone’s music can be that for you. I believe, it is the storyteller behind the lyrics who creates that place of musical comfort we often seek as an escape from reality. Sometimes, we don’t wanna be happy and we don’t alway feel like we are enough. We can even feel stuck in our own minds, and that’s OK. You don’t have to have it all figured out and something Dixie has amplified in the past is the fact that everything happens for a reason and that sometimes, the worst things in life turn out changing your life for the better. With that, she sets an example for fans to not give up, to always believe in themselves and their abilities. She has been under a magnifying glass since she put herself on the internet and has received brutal comments and hate over the last few years. Did that stop her from following her dreams, turning creative ideas into successful projects or being her most vulnerable and authentic self? Never. Not only is Dixie thriving musically, but she has become an inspiring entrepreneur and role model, being only 21 years old.
And even though her followers, streams and income are rising by the minute, she always made sure to stay connected to her fans, to support them as much as they have supported her and to check up on them, when they aren’t having the best day. She treats them like family and takes them along on her journey. Isn’t that something we would love to see more often in especially the music industry? Being able to connect to your favorite artists, to tell them how much their music means to you and to know that they genuinely love and appreciate you right back. It is the best feeling to have as fans who are usually admiring their idols from an unreachable distance. A distance that should be meant for ungrateful trolls on the internet and not supportive fans who wish you nothing but the absolute best.
So before you give yourself the right to judge a self-made young woman based on a few silly videos on TikTok, ask yourself: where does this sudden anger come from? You can be successful yourself, when you put hard work and effort into achieving it. The internet is a false reality and social media is a place where you only share a portion of your life. It’s not all how it seems. Maybe try looking into someone’s life before they became what some would call TikTok Royalty, get to know them and listen to what they have to say outside of the content they post. You might actually come to the conclusion that they aren’t as bad and talentless as you thought they were.
Dixie has made a lot of her followers feel less alone and more confident within themselves. So whatever the outside judgmental world is throwing at her, her fans will always be around to shine a light on the impact she has had. They will continue screaming the lyrics to her songs that have helped them come out on the other side, with a much healthier perspective on life. At the end of the day that’s what matters, isn’t it?
ROARA Magazine 