The Year Of Tik-Tok

They all started out in the same way – it was just for fun. Now, they’re the three most followed girls in South Africa on TikTok. With more than three million followers between them and cash in their pockets, Chané Grobler, Witney Ramabulana and Kelly Ernstzen are making their mark on China’s breakout social-media platform. But how did they get here and WTF is TikTok all about, anyway? COSMO digital director Jaime Waddington finds out.

- Jaime Waddington

It’s Wednesday morning and we’re on set in a retro, ’70s-style Cape Town villa.

We’re on location for COSMO’s annual influencer cover shoot and I’m nervous as hell. Nervous that my title is ‘digital director’, that I’m turning 30 this year, and I’m about to do this cover interview about an app that’s infamous among Gen Zers, which I know not much about.

Imma level with you. I only downloaded TikTok a month ago and I’m still figuring it all out. As a Millennial and a digital nomad, I was confident about navigating the platform. When I first opened it up, videos just started playing. Weird, crazy, fun and strange videos of cool teens doing cool things – lip-syncing, dancing, playing tricks on each other, doing challenges … I didn’t know where to click or what to watch. I felt like my mom figuring out how to post an Insta Story. I felt old.

After doing some research and getting a crash course from an intern, I felt determined not to let my ignorance show. I was on a mission to figure out what this TikTok craze was all about, why it had become so popular, and how these women were ranked as South Africa’s most liked (and followed) TikTokers.

TikTok is described as the world’s leading destination for short-form videos. This year it surpassed 1,5 billion downloads, and its power among Gen Zers in South Africa (and the world) is undeniable. For those who need a 101, the app is centred on fun clips that are each under 60 seconds long. Sometimes they’re choreographed and scripted; other times they’re simple and spontaneous. Some popular video themes include tricks, skits, acting out South Africanisms, dancing or simply lip-syncing to songs. Creators attempt to beat their counterparts with more challenging, original and outrageous clips.