What's Behind An RV Tiktok?

By: Wong Yoke Ting, Zoelle (19J10), Ellisha Chua Hui Xuan (19J10), Rachel Wee Hui Ying (19J10)

“She was intrigued by their seemingly flawless dance moves, and the catchy tune that goes ‘Renegade, renegade, renegade…’ ”

One sleepless night, Ellisha was scrolling through Youtube and clicked on a recommended video titled, “TikToks that keep me up until 3am”. The compilation of strange, eclectic clips -- from cats sitting on photocopiers to Thanos eating popcorn -- did exactly what they promised to do.

Rachel has always been an avid music fan, and one day, in the midst of searching for new music to listen to on Spotify, she chanced upon a song which had a very catchy tune. It was called "ROXANNE" by Arizona Zervas, and she couldn't stop playing it on repeat for several days. She later found out that it was a trending song on Tik Tok, and this piqued her interest in this platform that could possibly introduce her to many new tunes from many different genres.

Zoelle was on the bus, scrolling through her Instagram feed on a Tuesday afternoon when she came across three videos reposted through the TikTok app, set to the clip of “Lottery”, by K Camp on her Instagram stories. All three videos consisted of people dancing to the same set of choreography, but each with their own unique interpretation. She was intrigued by their seemingly flawless dance moves, and the catchy tune that goes “Renegade, renegade, renegade….”. She couldn’t get the lyrics and dance moves out of her mind the entire bus ride, so she opened Youtube and typed in “Renegade TikTok videos”. The search led her directly to compilations of TikTok videos and opened her up to a new world - TikTok.

“Our attempt to look for stars led us to a galaxy.”

Our fascination with TikTok inspired us to investigate the TikTok stars in RV. Our attempt to look for stars led us to a galaxy. J12izcool, Jun Yu, Jia Hao… to name a few. We managed to contact them and they agreed to give us insight into their rise to fame.

“Their TikTok videos were not accurate representations of who they are in real life, and we were wrong to judge them so quickly...”

Before meeting J12izcool, we were nervous. From their TikTok videos, they seemed like a bunch of rowdy boys and we did not know what to expect. However, when J12izcool entered the interview room, they really lived up to their name. They were just a group of boys who just wanted to have fun! Throughout the whole interview, they were super down-to-earth and cooperative. This goes to show that their TikTok videos were not accurate representations of who they are in real life.

To find out more about their creative process and rise to fame, watch the following video!

“Nonetheless, it is always the passion to spark joy that keeps me going.”

When we first chanced upon his TikTok videos, Junyu from 3B seemed like an outgoing, confident dancer who was not afraid of putting himself out there. After sharing an afternoon with him, we found that his vibrant online persona belies an introverted nature.

How did you feel after you gained recognition on TikTok?

I definitely felt really happy because many people genuinely liked my content, especially after I put in effort to think of storylines or learn a dance. After I gained recognition, I got to know more people, especially some of the TikTokers that have had much more recognition in Singapore. I am also happy when I am able to spread joy to people through my dancing or creating content.

What made you start creating TikTok videos?

I started making TikToks when the hype had only just started in Singapore. Compared to Instagram, where there is immense pressure to appeal to people's aesthetics, TikTok feels more carefree, and everyone is casually posting without the need to look fashionable or presentable. TikTok feels like a place where I can post funny content easily and have it reach more people easily due to the nature of its algorithm (being more focused on user-engagement).

Have you ever put in effort only for a post to flop?

Yes, definitely. There are many videos that have flopped despite me putting in much effort to think of plots and filming them. Nonetheless, it is always the passion to spark joy that keeps me going, especially for the few friends who show their support whenever I post my TikToks. The thought of being able to create and spread joy makes me want to continue making TikToks even though sometimes I really feel like giving up.

“Replying to [hate comments], feeling angry and making a huge fuss out of it, would just be giving [the haters] the attention they want.”

Have you ever received hateful feedback?

Yes. A LOT. But I believe it really depends on how you see it. For me, I took the hate comments with a pinch of salt because replying to them, feeling angry and making a huge fuss out of it would just be giving them the attention they want. Normally, I will reply with a savage comment or take it down. It is more difficult to deal with hate in real life though. While it wouldn't be extreme hate, it was more of teasing that could actually hurt someone's emotions. For example, people would imitate my TikToks, with a not-so-good intention, or sometimes ridicule me. People even go to the extent of taking photos of me randomly and discreetly, at their own discretion. But ultimately, all this is inevitable, and you just have to deal with it, though it doesn't mean it is right to do so.

“It is definitely inevitable that some people will judge you for your TikToks, just don't let it affect you too much.”

Behind The Scenes of Jun Yu and Mr Nazri's collab!

Were you afraid of the judgement that you received at any point?

Yes. Before, I used to be more carefree and did not really care much about others’ opinions. However, ever since a few of my TikToks blew up, more and more people in school know about me. It troubled me how some people might perceive me to be who I portray myself to be in my own TikToks. On TikTok, I may seem to be a chill and goofy person, but in school, I am rather serious about my work. Ever since I've gotten attention from my schoolmates, I am more worried about how I present myself in real life and on TikTok. It is definitely inevitable that some people will judge you for your TikToks, just don't let it affect you too much.

Any advice for aspiring TikTok stars?

It is definitely not easy to become famous on TikTok. Nevertheless, if you have passion (and if the algorithms favour you), you will definitely attract likes too. Fame may not be everlasting, but if your goal is to create casual content and spread joy, you will definitely go far. Jiayou!

Watch the video below, to see Jun Yu collaborate with Student Editorial’s very own teacher-in-charge Mr Nazri to create an exclusive TikTok video!

“I started doing them for fun, but after a while I got addicted.”

One of the first in RV to have a taste of TikTok fame, Jia Hao from 20J14 treaded the uncharted waters of this platform, gaining unexpected recognition along the way. What was this journey like for him?

What made you want to start posting TikToks?

My classmates started creating TikTok videos, and they invited me to join in, so I started doing them for fun, but after a while I got addicted.

How did you feel after you gained recognition on TikTok?

Initially, I felt happy and wanted to create more TikToks, but after a few days I no longer felt anything.

Just how much recognition did he gain? Swipe to get a walk-through of his rise to fame!

On the flip side, did you ever put in effort only for a post to flop? What motivated you to continue?

Yes, and to be honest nothing really motivated me to continue, it was mainly the fun that drew me back, when I got bored sometimes.

Have you ever received hateful feedback?

Yes, I received a few hate comments but most of the other comments were positive.

Were you afraid of judgement at any point of time?

Before I started, I wasn't really afraid of judgement, but I have to admit that after gaining recognition, I was a little more conscious. However, it got better after a while, especially when things died down a little.

Do you have any advice for aspiring TikTok stars?

Honestly, I am not sure, but one way might be to follow the trendy hashtags.

From our interviews, it was apparent that these RVians were more than just the 15-second glimpses that the popular app gives us.

J12izcool’s TikTok journey reiterates how online personas can be vastly different. To make people smile, Jun Yu stepped out of his comfort zone on the Internet, sometimes at his own expense. Jia Hao’s TikTok journey reminds us that sometimes, things come when you least expect it, and a spark of spontaneity can be the start of something great.

Each and every one of us excels in our own unique way, and maybe it is sometimes worth it to have a go at something you have always wanted to do.