Teen Charli D’Amelio has built quite the fan base on TikTok by dancing and networking with the onslaught of young creators on the most downloaded app in the world. However, recently she’s been usurped as the most-followed Tiktok account by a Senegalese-born 22-year-old living in Italy doing mostly silent reactions.
Khaby Lame’s rise to fame was quick and shocking but not at all unwelcome. Lame carved himself a place creatively in a space that has been dominated mainly by white creators. People like Addison Rae, Charli D’Amelio, and Loren Gray frequently take the top of the popularity charts. Finally, seeing a Black creator nailing the number one spot is welcome and thrilling.
Lame was pitched into prominence by utilizing TikTok’s popular duet feature. He made his name by hilariously reacting to overcomplicated life hacks. The dichotomy between the life hacks and Lame’s silent and simple facial reactions is both funny and creatively well-done. Although this is how he started, Lame’s more recent content is branching out; he’s expanded his comedy to more extended skits and collaborations with other TikTok users. Lame’s growing popularity was even boosted by a trending hashtag: #khabytonumberone.
@khaby.lame #duetto con @foodies you are a genius#learnfromkhaby #learnontiktok #imparacontiktok ♬ TWINNEM – Coi Leray
In an interview with CNN, Khaby Lame spoke about his inspiration for his content. “I came up with the idea because I was seeing these videos circulating, and I liked the idea of bringing some simplicity to it,” Lame said. “The type of gesture came by chance, but the silence didn’t. I thought of a way to reach as many people as possible. And the best way was not to speak.” He described.
“Maybe because my facial expressions are funny and they make people laugh, this simplicity makes people laugh, and I love it,” Lame expressed. The TikTok star capitalizes on the fact that feelings are universal, and he connects with a broader audience by overcoming language barriers.
