LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Charli D'Amelio, the charismatic star of TikTok with a staggering 109 million followers, opened up about the challenges she faced in maintaining her passion for posting videos. In a candid episode of her podcast '2 Chix', which she co-hosts with her sister Dixie D'Amelio, Charli revealed that she has been deeply affected by the negativity that comes with her massive online presence.
Charli has also been subjected to relentless scrutiny of her appearance. Despite being just 16 years old, she endures relentless comments about her body, ranging from accusations of being too thin to pressure to gain weight. She has bravely spoken out, pleading with her followers to stop discussing her body in such objectifying ways. Despite her age, Charli is forced to navigate the unforgiving landscape of body shame and objectification.
'I just kind of lost the passion'
In this particular episode of '2 Chix', Charli bravely took the reins without her sister by her side. She shared the emotional toll of continuing to create content on a platform where the very people who watch her videos may not genuinely want to see her succeed. Much of the feedback she received is tinged with negativity, making it incredibly difficult for Charli to maintain her enthusiasm. As she puts it, "I just kind of lost the passion for it because it used to be really fun for me."
"It's extremely difficult to continue posting on a platform where the people that are watching your videos don't actually like, want to see you and a lot of the feedback is negative. It's very hard to do that," D'Amelio said. As a result of having such a large audience, she said, people are "ready to jump and criticize" whenever she makes an error or "something is taken the wrong way."
One of the biggest challenges Charli faced is the constant scrutiny that comes with having millions of followers. With such a massive audience, she feels that the minute she makes a mistake or if something is misunderstood, she becomes a target for criticism. This pressure to be perfect and the fear of being misinterpreted often leaves her hesitant to speak out, causing her to withdraw from public engagement. "That's why I don't speak as much besides the podcast because it's scary," she admitted.
Charli D'Amelio lost a million followers post backlash
Unfortunately, Charli has also experienced the sting of public backlash firsthand. In November 2020, she found herself at the center of controversy and lost a million followers due to a seemingly innocent video. The footage featured a professional chef cooking a meal for her family, but viewers took offense, labeling the sisters as "bratty" and "entitled." This incident served as a stark reminder of the harsh judgment and unforgiving nature of social media.
In February 2020, Charli faced another wave of mockery when she mistakenly believed the hashtag #HereForCharli was about her and expressed gratitude towards her fans for their support. It turns out the hashtag was intended for Charli XCX, who was grieving the loss of a friend. This incident highlights the constant pressure and confusion that comes with being in the spotlight, where even innocuous actions can be easily misunderstood and twisted.
Nevertheless, Charli remains determined to find her love for creating content on TikTok once again. She's working on reigniting the spark that once made it such an enjoyable experience for her. Even in the face of criticism and negativity, Charli has no intention of giving up, simply because there are people out there who still love and support her. She reaffirmed that she creates content not to please everyone, but because it brings her joy, and she hopes it resonates with those who appreciate her.
"I don't make content to make other people feel a certain way," she said. "At the end of the day, I make content because it's a fun thing that I get to do, and if people enjoy it, and they wanna be on Team Charli and support me, that's great. But once again, that's up to them."