TikTok mega-star Charli D'Amelio has released a debut single after teasing her interest in music, and fans seem impressed
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Michele Theil
Oct 27, 2022, 23:48 IST
Charlie D'Amelio is the second most-followed TikToker on the platform.Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images
Charli D'Amelio, who has over 148 million followers on TikTok, has released her debut single.
The song, titled "If You Ask Me To," is one of the first songs D'Amelio ever wrote and recorded.
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TikTok star Charli D'Amelio, 18, released her debut single titled "If You Ask Me To" on October 26 after teasing her interest in making music earlier this year.
D'Amelio, who has over 148 million followers on TikTok, was the most-followed person on the platform until she was overtaken by comedy creator Khaby Lame in June.
The clip, which was released in early September, showed D'Amelio saying she loves performing but wasn't yet ready "to tell Dixie about music" because it was "kind of her thing."
In a statement to Insider about her debut song, D'Amelio said, "I've always loved music and performing. Once my online following started growing I was able to showcase my passion for dance, but I felt that with so many other people entering the music space there wasn't room for me."
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She added that she was encouraged by her dad, Marc D'Amelio, to pursue singing and with each session, her "love for the process grew."
D'Amelio told Insider that "If You Ask Me To" was one of the first songs she ever wrote and recorded but it immediately became her favorite.
"I tinkered with it and changed up some lyrics and production over the last several months and got it to a place that made me truly happy," she said in a statement.
The accompanying music video was directed by Andrew Sandler who has worked with artists including Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande. It received 625,000 views on YouTube within 14 hours of being posted.
A TikTok video posted to D'Amelio's account revealing the song has received nearly 7 million views, and an Instagram post received nearly 1 million likes.
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Many Instagram and YouTube comments said they were "proud" of D'Amelio for releasing the song despite knowing there would likely be critics. TikTok followers said they were pleasantly surprised by the song.
It has also received some criticism, with listeners suggesting it lacks originality and comparing it to Olivia Rodrigo's "drivers license," which was released in January 2021, and saying it's "indiscernible" from Dixie's music.
A number of TikTokers have attempted to parlay their social-media fame into music careers. Chase Hudson, known as Lilhuddy, began releasing music in January 2021, and two months later Addison Rae released her debut song "Obsessed" to mixed reviews.
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