I first heard of TikTok in 2020.Most people got to know about TikTok three years because that was when the company got its popularity.
TikTok’s rise to become one of the best and most popular social media platform is incredible and inspiring. It use to be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, and then TikTok happened. The first users on the TikTok platform are those making money and getting the fame. Their hard-work finally paid off. For example, Ghanaian TikTok influencers namely Asantewa, Wesley, Nana Ekuah, among others are paid by brands, companies, musicians etc to promote their product.
What made TikTok stand out is their uniqueness. The platform brought a different vibe and it got people excited. The main template of TikTok is music and dance, comedy, and video sharing. Another unique thing about TikTok that I personally love is the fact that, the trending or discovery section of the platform is the same across countries. For example, if you have a song trending and TikTok creates a hashtag for you on the discovery, it appears in every country. That is why a Ghanaian musician will see his or her song being used and shared by Indians, Americans, Mexicans, among others. This one feature on all countries by TikTok has really helped many to get their music and business in front of a huge audience.
TikTok is now the number one music discovery platform. I advised upcoming musicians last year to make TikTok a priority when drawing a strategic plan for their music project. The good thing with TikTok music projection is about the fact that the platform does not care if you are a big or upcoming artist. Actually, majority of musicians who have had global songs through TikTok have been upcoming musicians in their respective countries. Ghanaian singer Gyakie got her first popular song through the TikTok platform. Gyakie had started gaining a bit of momentum in the Ghanaian music industry but everything changed for the talented musician when TikTok users in Nigeria, Ghana, and many other countries started vibing to her song ‘Forever’ on the platform. Within two months, the song had become a global song. She became not just a big artist in Ghana but an international arts is within a short while after the global song. The remix which featured Omar Lay also sparked more numbers in addition to the millions she already had across the globe.
TikTok again made a star out of Nigeria when it created a hashtag for ‘love nwantintin’ by an upcoming artist from Nigeria. Love Nwantintin is still topping charts on Billboard World music charts. The song was literally bigger than the artist such that majority of people who vibed to the song TikTok knew the music and not the artist. This was because the musician was an upcoming musician.
I love what TikTok has done for musicians especially the upcoming ones across the world. It is making stars of talented musicians who had no hope of making it in their own countries than to talk of getting international recognition. Another upcoming artist making waves across the world is Pheelz with his global hit ‘Finesse’. The song finesse is one of my favorite songs at the moment.
The fact that owners of TikTok also pay most of its users is a big plus for them. Aside YouTube, TikTok is the only platform which pay its creators just for creating projects. TikTok influencers are now getting thousands of dollars every month. It started as a hobby for them but it is now a source of income.