What began with YouTube giving us chart topping talent, such as Troye Sivan, Conan Gray and Doechii, has now spiraled into something… less curated. In the era of TikTok, it seems every content creator with a ring light and a touch of delusion is moonlighting as a pop star. The question isn’t who’s releasing music anymore. It’s who isn’t. So naturally, VALLEY had to sort through the noise and ask the hard hitting question: bop or flop?
Addison Rae: The Pop Princess We Didn’t Know We Needed
What began as a predictable influencer pivot turned into one of pop’s more compelling surprise acts. Addison Rae has traded in the choreographed seven second dances for sultry vocals and a Y2K aesthetic, that would even make Britney Spears proud. Her debut single “Obsessed” had people raising eyebrows, but it was her leaked demos and the eventual release of AR EP that had critics actually obsessed. Addison’s music may have started as a meme, but now? It’s a certified bop no question. She proved that not only could she dance to other people’s hits, but could also make them, when she made guest appearances during both Arca’s and Charli XCX’s Coachella sets this year.
Dixie D’Amelio: The Existential Crisis In A Song
Then there’s Dixie D’Amelio. Oh, Dixie. If musical mediocrity were an Olympic sport, “Be Happy” would’ve taken home the gold. It was less of a debut single and more of a melodramatic diary entry accidentally uploaded to Spotify. Most Tumblr poetry packs more of an emotional punch than this single. Since its release, her musical journey has consisted of some awkward live performances, a couple head scratching lyrics (“sometimes I don’t wanna be happy”) and a general vibe of confusion. Despite solid production, decent vocals and marketing muscle, Dixie’s transition to pop stardom feels like a flop with a bow on top. We wanted to “be happy” and love it, but this one just wasn’t for us.
Alex Warren: Putting The Hype In Hype House
If Ed Sheeran and David Dobrik had a baby, it would be Alex Warren. Initially known for his Hype House vlogs, Alex pulled a full 180 with his out of the world vocal range and soul slicing lyrics. His single “Headlights” was shockingly good, and had us asking who hurt him. With a raspy tone and vulnerable songwriting, he might just be the male influencer turned musician we didn’t realize we needed. Is it a bop? Absolutely.
Lil Huddy: Turning MCR Dreams Into SoundCloud Screams
Lil Huddy, a.k.a. Chase Hudson, dove headfirst into the pop punk revival just like it was the mid 2000s and My Chemical Romance was at their peak. While his eyeliner game might have been strong, his music? Not so much. “21st Century Vampire” aimed for that edgy, pop punk vibe but ended up feeling more like a mediocre soundcloud song, rather than a breakout anthem. For VALLEY, this song was definitely on the flop side. While fans may have hyped up the aesthetic, the sound didn’t quite match the vibe. Sorry, Huddy, they can’t all be winners.
The Influencer Turned Musician Phenomenon
So, why are all these influencers flocking to music as if it’s the next viral trend? Simple, attention is currency, and music is the ultimate extension of personal branding. You already have the followers, the aesthetic and the brand deals, why not drop a single and see what happens? Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t as we’ve seen. But as platforms continue to blur the lines between content creator and artist, expect this trend to grow louder, more curated and increasingly hard to ignore.
Tag us on Instagram, @VALLEYmag, with whether or not you think these influencers’ music has been a bop or flop! x
