From influencer to popstar: Why do so many make this move?

As Addison Rae once sang: “It was never enough, I always wanted more.”

This line from Rae’s breakout single, ‘Fame is a Gun’, captures the drive fuelling the ever-growing influencer-to-popstar pipeline. From TikTok stars to beauty moguls, it seems music has become the latest form of reinvention for our favourite internet personalities. As this trend floods our social media feeds, many are left wondering: is there genuine heart behind these songs, or is it just another calculated act of influencer marketing?

Releasing music offers influencers cultural relevance beyond the social media bubble, whereas other forms of expansion may confine them further into their niche

With the rise of social media, we’ve witnessed the birth of a new kind of celebrity: the influencer. Unlike traditional stars, influencers build their platforms entirely on personal content, maintaining a direct line of communication to their audience. Their fame hinges on perceived relatability and authenticity, often fostering an intimate parasocial relationship with their followers. But this kind of fame is also uniquely fragile – it depends on constant audience approval and engagement. In an era of cancel culture and rapid trend cycles, longevity is never guaranteed for the average influencer. Many influencers see their moment in the spotlight as an opportunity to capitalise on their fame while it lasts, steering their built-in fanbase toward something potentially more sustainable.

But why music?

Launching a merch line with a label lazily pasted on or formulating a makeup brand seems simpler. Yet, music has quickly emerged as one of the most effective tools for influencer branding. Releasing music offers influencers cultural relevance beyond the social media bubble, whereas other forms of expansion may confine them further into their niche. Despite our shifting cultural landscape, a music career still carries prestige. By entering the industry, influencers are catapulted onto the same cultural stage as established musical icons like Rihanna and Beyoncé. While this doesn’t mean they’re on the same artistic level, it does place them within similar cultural spaces.

For more established influencers, music is often part of a multi-faceted branding approach. In this case, music isn’t the end goal; it’s only an element within a strategic personal brand

Addison Rae is a prime example. After rising to fame on TikTok in 2019, she tried to elevate her celebrity status by aligning herself with household names like Kourtney Kardashian, as well as attempting to branch into film and fashion. Yet, she still struggled to escape her ‘Tiktoker’ label. It wasn’t until she released music that she began to be taken more seriously within pop culture spaces. Her debut album, Addison, leaned into early-2000s pop nostalgia, heavily rebranding her image and even earning her comparisons to Britney Spears. This shift gave her a semblance of cultural credibility that her previous ventures failed to achieve.

Ironically, Rae used TikTok, the very platform she was trying to outgrow, to boost visibility. Snippets of her songs were introduced on the app and went viral, garnering attention from her original fanbase and a wider audience. Similarly, Bella Poarch used TikTok to launch her song ‘Build a Bitch’ in 2021. In this sense, TikTok’s sound-driven algorithm makes music a natural next step for influencers already rooted in the platform as a pathway to mainstream popularity.

For more established influencers, music often forms part of a broader multi-faceted branding strategy. In these cases, music isn’t the end goal but one element within a larger ecosystem of self-marketing. It often serves as a vehicle for personal expression while complementing other, more materialistic ventures, such as fashion lines and product endorsements.

While starting as an influencer understandably invites scepticism, it doesn’t inherently undermine artistic credibility or intent

We’re currently witnessing this play out with Kylie Jenner, who recently announced a new song, ‘Fourth Strike,’ alongside the tenth anniversary of Kylie Cosmetics, themed around her early 2010s ‘King Kylie’ era. The timing is no coincidence – social media is experiencing a wave of 2010s nostalgia, and she, a defining figure of that time, is well-positioned to take advantage. Although Jenner describes making music as a “lifelong dream,” her background in branding suggests this decision leans closer to a savvy strategy to extend into a new cultural space while reinforcing her personal brand.

However, not every influencer-turned-popstar fits this narrative. It’s overly cynical to assume that none of this music comes from a place of genuine passion. Artists such as Troye Sivan and Conan Gray stand to disprove this assumption. Both began as YouTube creators and used social media as a launchpad for their respective music careers. While starting as an influencer understandably invites scepticism, it doesn’t inherently undermine artistic credibility or intent. Even Addison Rae, often dismissed early on as a novelty act, has shown a sustained interest in the industry, continuing to develop her sound and identity as a pop artist, speaking to at least some level of investment in the craft, not just the fame surrounding it.

Ultimately, social media is a tool. For some, it is exploited to extend influence and oversaturate the market with soulless branding. For others, it can be an avenue to pursue a genuine passion. In an age where we’re overwhelmed with marketing, it’s up to the audience to discern which is which.