The bittersweet feeling when your favorite artist blows up
The stars aligned, fates were rewritten, or maybe the algorithm just worked a little harder the day you were first introduced to your new favorite artist. There’s a level of intimacy you have when you realize you’re one of the few thousands listening to this person’s art. Their music is an open secret but there’s something so private about consuming it. Every comment section is littered with remarks of “can’t wait till they become big”, “they’re so underrated”, and “use me as a marker before they blow up.” You feel elated and at times a bit snobbish that you’ve discovered them before the establishment or mainstream public. They’re in your Spotify wrapped at the end of the year and when you get a chance you slyly slip their songs into the playlist when you’re on aux with friends. It at times feels like you’re their number one fan because no one in your immediate environment knows who they are. With all said and done you just want them to get the dues they deserve.
Then it happens…
It’s not overnight but you see the small shifts happening around. You notice one of your distant acquaintances post one of their songs on their story. Their song is playing in a trendy café. More well-known artists start following them on Instagram, their songs get added to editorial playlists on streaming services, and maybe they just got signed to a label or have management now. You feel the momentum increase with each new project they release. They’re finding success in small steps and you feel incredibly proud of them.
You start to notice one of their songs is trending. In a very modern way, it blows up on TikTok organically. It starts with a few videos here and there but by the time you blink, their song has become the background to a viral trend. The song could be left unabridged but chances are the tune had been sped up by users to fit internet culture. You’re happy for them and can’t believe you’ve been on the journey with them to this stage. However, the intimacy you once felt when listening to their songs is not quite the same.
