Virality is a phenomenon many content creators seek, but what happens afterward is the reality that most are not fully prepared for. While it is no secret that “going viral” on social media can change a creator’s life, unlocked waves of brand partnerships, engagement, followers, and exposure that have turned ordinary people into cultural influencers like Keith Lee, KevOnStage, Jacki Aina, and more.
In 2024, content creator Jools Lebron joined that list when she went viral on TikTok for her expression, “very demure, very mindful.”The phrase, which garnered 8.8M views to date on TikTok and reached the likes of Ms. Tina Knowles, became a social media phenomenon and subsequently changed Lebron’s life.
“TikTok changed my life.” She said, “Maybe you should make the videos,… Because one day, I was playing cashier and making videos on my break and now, I’m flying across [the] country to host events. I feel so grateful […] I’m living my f—— dream.”
However, on the other side of the busy schedule, partnerships, speaking engagements, and more, there was a darker reality. As Lebron documents on her TikTok, mega-virality triggered her substance abuse.
“Going viral ruined my life,” LeBron shared. “Okay, it just led me to fall down a slope of insobriety that ruined my life […] I’ve gone through this many times in my life. [But] it was the only time I went through it where I had money and success.”
@joolieannie Going mega viral sent me down a path of dark moments and I’m taking control of my life again #fyp #verydemure ♬ original sound – Jools Lebron
At the height of “very demure,” Lebron recalls a man assaulting her days before a brand partnership photoshoot, which prompted her to self-medicate in order to get through the expectations of the photoshoot. And according to the content creator, there were many moments like that for her over the last year.
@joolieannie Replying to @KekesMom #fyp #verydemure ♬ original sound – Jools Lebron
In a clip from an interview with Tamron Hall, set to air on Friday, LeBron dives further into this conversation, spotlighting the duality of experiencing both the highest and lowest seasons of your life simultaneously.
“Obviously, it’s like everyone makes you seem like this is so lucky. You should be so happy that this happened,” she says before tearing up. “And it’s like, I am happy it happened. But why am I not happy? Why am I not happy? All my dreams are coming true.”
Now, LeBron is not the first content creator to discuss the downsides of going viral. On social media, particularly on platforms like TikTok, in which the algorithm can push even the most mundane videos to a wide range of audiences, users have discussed how gaining traction on a video or even building a following on their personal social media platforms has led to them being scrutinized in the workplace and even fired from the jobs that pay their bills. Similarly, the over-exposure that comes with gaining millions of views, followers and comments can have a serious impact on one’s mental health, a phenomenon major creators like Kai Cenat and Monet McMichael have discussed through the years.
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Not only does virality open the doors to thousands of opinions, which, on the internet, we know are not always kind, but it also creates subconscious pressure for content creators to perform at that same level. Just as music artists don’t aspire to be “one-hit wonders,” for some content creators, that first taste of virality can spark a similar sentiment. Creator and social media strategist, Jayde Powell, previously told Wired, “the majority of her sessions are spent talking about career-related issues, including burnout, the constant pressure to stay relevant in her field, and harassment from the public.”
Oftentimes, the discourse online can have real impacts in real life, leaving many content creators to navigate unique pressures, sometimes celebrity levels of attention, without the proper resources to handle them. This ultimately leaves the question: Is going viral really worth it?
