by Janina Strohbecke

There has been a recent debate over the concept of ‘clout privilege’ that emerged on social media platforms. This discussion was specifically related to social media influencer and content creator Dixie D’Amelio, who decided to launch her music career whilst continuing to make TikTok videos for her 49 million followers. During the release of her first single “Be Happy”, the controversy surrounding D’Amelio’s music was that she had, at the time, gained more monthly listeners on Spotify than notable music artists such as Frank Ocean and Tyler the Creator. While Spotify’s monthly listeners is not the best determinant of an artist’s merit, it raises questions of whether Dixie deserved to be listed so closely to these award-winning artists. So, what does this exactly mean about the music industry? Has the music industry shifted their focus onto the virality and relevancy of influencer clout?

The idea of social media creators using their ‘clout privilege’ to pursue a music career is not new. Content creators such as Lele Pons and Jacob Sartorius all took advantage of their internet fame to pave the way for the production and release of their own songs. Like them, Dixie D’Amelio utilised her huge following on TikTok to gain exposure for her music. In addition, D’Amelio’s audience are children and teenagers, a demographic that uses the internet and social media frequently, which gave her music career more initial recognition. Many criticised the popularity of Dixie’s songs and her perceived lack of talent, but I think the discussion should not dwell on whether her streams were well-earned. Instead, one should think about what the music industry is looking for. In our society, there is this culture of people supporting viral internet personas, making them famous, and thus building a market for them and creating the next music industry “standard”. So, what kind of artists do record labels prioritise and sign nowadays?

To be clear, this is not to say there is no demand for artists who are established with and solely dedicated to their music. I do think it is unfair to see those kinds of artists surpassed by influencers whose songs have gone viral solely because of their social media clout. However, in terms of business, many labels demonstrate a growing interest in personalities who are most popular right now, not the ones who are going to be popular. Reflecting on previous social media creators who released music, the popularity influencer music gains is temporary. Although I personally do not listen to D’Amelio’s music, there are many of her fans that do and will continue to support her. Though there is ethical controversy regarding ‘clout privilege’, it is understandable for influencers to release music when they are at the height of their career, where they can acquire the most attention and opportunities, and the biggest audience.

As a singer, constructing and sustaining your popularity in the music industry takes effort, passion, creativity, and originality*. Exploring this topic reveals that ‘clout privilege’ is something that seems to be short-term in the music industry. What will matter in the future for aspiring artists is the continuity of their creativity, as well as their devoted fans that will continue to listen to and support their music, and propel their careers further than the temporary effects of viral internet fame. For an influencer like Dixie D’Amelio, who has expressed a passion for music, she has to construct a path for herself to achieve future success in the music industry and not merely be demarcated by the momentary fame of her debut single.

*I want to mention that sometimes this is also not sufficient and does not guarantee a singer’s success. The recent ‘#ChangeMusic’ that aims to give Black artists bigger clout illustrates that racial inequality and white privilege is also prevalent in the music industry.

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