Charli D’Amelio: Who is the 16-year-old who has become the first to reach 100 million TikTok followers?
Written by News on 24/11/2020
Sixteen-year-old Charli D’Amelio has become the first TikTok star to surpass 100 million followers.
The US teenager, from Connecticut, reached the milestone after just a year-and-a-half on the social media platform despite such a huge following usually being reserved for A-list celebrities.
Known for her dance videos, D’Amelio began posting on TikTok in May 2019. Two months later, she had her first viral video.
She regularly appears with her family members, including older sister Dixie D’Amelio, also a TikTok star.
Her popularity has scored her opportunities most teenagers could only dream of, including an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and a partnership with Prada at Milan Fashion Week.
She has also struck sponsorship deals with brands including EOS cosmetics, starred in a Super Bowl advert for Sabra hummus, and agreed to be the face of Hollister alongside her sister.
The range of deals earned the 16-year-old $4m (£3m) in the year from June 2019, according to Forbes.
It also meant she moved from her hometown of Norwalk to Los Angeles.
D’Amelio’s hopes of reaching the 100 million milestone were dented recently when she received a backlash for her behaviour in a video.
In an episode of the family’s series Dinner with the D’Amelios, fans accused her of being disrespectful towards the personal chef the D’Amelios had hired.
She released a tearful video apologising for her actions after haemorrhaging around a million followers over the controversy.
Soon after, she announced she had reached 100 million followers.
Responding to the news, the teenager appeared emotional and said: “I cannot believe there’s 100 million supporters following me right now.
“That’s insane. Oh my goodness. Still can’t believe this is real.”
The social media platform congratulated her on the news and said it was “so proud” of her achievements.
“In less than 18 months, Charli has grown into one of the most recognized and beloved TikTok creators in the world,” it said.
“While we’re extremely proud of Charli and all that she has accomplished since she shared her first TikTok video in May 2019, we’re most proud of her continued and unwavering commitment to herself and the TikTok community.”
TikTok also announced it would be donating $100,000 in D’Amelio’s name to American Dance Movement, an organisation aimed at increasing access to dance education in the US.
(c) Sky News 2020: Charli D’Amelio: Who is the 16-year-old who has become the first to reach 100 million TikTok followers?
