Blog #4: The Infamous Jacob Sartorius

This week, we will be taking a look back at the hot topic of 2016: Jacob Sartorius. Although already popular on the social media platform, Musical.ly, Sartorius immediately drew attention after the release of the music video for his first song, “Sweatshirt.” Need a refresher? Here is the video that makes most lists of the most disliked videos on YouTube, accumulating over 80,000 dislikes on YouTube in its first two years.

Jacob Sartorius began as a public figure on social media at a very young age, finding fame at just 13 years old. He went viral on Vine and quickly transitioned to Musical.ly where he could focus on music by posting lip-syncing videos. At 13, he released his first song, and at 20 he continues to write and release music today. Can he shake his past reputation and gain respect as a genuine artist; or will he always be known as “the social media kid who

wrote ‘Sweatshirt?’”

At just 14 years old, Jacob Sartorius had 14 million followers on Musical.ly. He immediately sparked controversy, largely due to his immaturity and disrespect towards fans.

Although Musical.ly is no longer around, Sartorius continues to be active on TikTok, its generally agreed replacement. On this platform today, he has 23.7M followers. He shares trendy videos, and uses it to spread the word about his upcoming music. In this video, he jokes about his early Musical.ly days while promoting his newest song.

Sartorius clearly started as an influencer. However, his original intent was to use his “clout” to push him into the music industry. Growing up in musical theatre, he wanted to make music. Social media was just his best opportunity to get there.

It worked. Sartorius now has a wide discography. After “Sweatshirt,” he released his first EP, Last Text, in 2017. This included one of his other larger hits, “Hit or Miss. His third EP, Better With You, quickly followed the next year. He is now releasing many singles, with his most recent being “Makeup Your Mind,” released earlier this month.

Sartorius has often been compared to Justin Bieber, due to having many striking similarities. The most obvious is their appearance, with Sartorius clearly taking influence from the “Bieber haircut.” This particular similarity also caused Sartorius’s audience to reflect Bieber’s. Both attracted the attention of young girls. They also were both discovered online at a young age, kickstarting their long careers under the spotlight. This includes their mistakes being scrutinized online.

However, the discussion between the two have been so different. Justin Bieber is a well-respected, award winning artist. He has recovered from his younger scandals. However, most of the discussion about Sartorius has been negative. He has largely been unable to outgrow the criticism.

Despite this, he carries on, furthering his career. He has come a long way since he posted his first anti-bullying video on Vine. He acknowledges his start and even refers to himself as both an artist and an influencer.

“It's crazy, because I just want to be the best influencer I can, be the best musician I can, and just make the best impact I can.”

Is Jacob Sartorius an Artist or an Influencer?

Make sure to share your thoughts here and join in the conversation on TikTok and Twitter! Tune in next week to discuss the age of the YouTubers turned pop stars!