Kris Collins is surrounded by rubber ducks.
It started last summer when fans began sending her ducks. The bath toys arrived by the hundreds, then the thousands. At first it made for , but eventually the gag ran its course and now Collins is stuck living with what she figures is around 5,000 rubber ducks.
含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 know what to do with them,含羞草研究社� she says. 含羞草研究社淗onestly, I have some on my counter right now. They含羞草研究社檙e everywhere.含羞草研究社�
This is the surreal life of the Abbotsford native and TikTok star , who has become the most famous Canadian you含羞草研究社檝e never heard of.
In April 2020, Collins was stuck at home unable to operate her hair styling business in the early days of B.C.含羞草研究社檚 COVID-19 lockdown. Her brother suggested she download the video app and within days she was hooked.
Collins含羞草研究社� first video, which for living unemployed at her parent含羞草研究社檚 home, was posted April 9. She kept it up and was soon updating her feed with a new video every day.
Nearly a year later, Collins has over 23-million followers, posted almost 1,000 videos and is building a new career as a social media comedian.
And if this sounds bizarre, that someone would find stardom while locked down in their parent含羞草研究社檚 basement suite, then it含羞草研究社檚 also not lost on the 24 year old.
含羞草研究社淚f you told me this a year ago I would have slapped you across the face,含羞草研究社� she says. 含羞草研究社淏ut it含羞草研究社檚 grown. I含羞草研究社檝e created these characters and accumulated this community. It just feels like family now.含羞草研究社�
Collins含羞草研究社� timing turned out to be impeccable. Her brand of sketch comedy, which relies on simple but well-written re-occurring character, has thrived within the one-minute limits of TikTok videos that viewers have become addicted to during the pandemic.
American comedian went viral with her lip-synching of former President Donald Trump, which led to a Netflix special. found fame as a meme after posting a video of herself drinking kombucha for the first time. Even Hollywood stars such as have embraced the app.
Online personalities finding mainstream success is not a new phenomenon. Canadian launched a YouTube channel in 2010, which has led to a bestselling book and a late-night talk show on NBC.
Darren Blakeborough, an assistant professor of media studies at the University of Fraser Valley, says the accessibility of online platforms and stories like nine-year-old , who was YouTube含羞草研究社檚 top earner in 2020 with $29.5 million, are a seductive to people who want fame and the wealth that follows.
That含羞草研究社檚 easier said than done, but Blakeborough thinks Collins has found success because her comedy is genuine at a time when viewers need a laugh.
含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e all looking for an escape from whatever this is that we含羞草研究社檙e doing right now,含羞草研究社� he says. 含羞草研究社淭he thing I love about comedy is it含羞草研究社檚 not just an escape. It can be an escape, but it can also joke and critique and interrogate those things that are giving you anxiety.含羞草研究社�
Collins含羞草研究社� comedy relies on she thinks her viewers will relate to.
There含羞草研究社檚 Janet, the tired mom of precocious Riley, and Katrina, who Collins says is inspired by a tough Russian woman whose hair she used to cut. Noisy neighbour Deborah, a more recent addition, is based off an incident when Collins says her real neighbour caught her filming from the roof.
Each character also has a signature prop. Chad, for example, wears a pair of wraparound sunglasses, while the kids each have their own toques to use with a pair of tiny hands. Collins says most of the props she uses have been sent by fans.
含羞草研究社淚 had an optometrist send me like 50 pairs of recycled glasses one time and somebody just knitted me like 20 toques,含羞草研究社� she says. 含羞草研究社淚 think that含羞草研究社檚 so fun that I can use the stuff that my followers think I could use.含羞草研究社�
Her fans haven含羞草研究社檛 just sent props.
In September, Collins was doing a livestream when a fan asked if TikTok was her full-time job. It wasn含羞草研究社檛, she was still working as a part-time stylist, but that night donations started flooding in, which led to a the next day from a visibly stunned Collins.
By December she had enough income to quit cutting hair. TikTok is now her career 含羞草研究社� and it含羞草研究社檚 a lot of work.
A typical day for Collins starts with meetings (she recently started her own merchandise company), followed by time set aside to brainstorm ideas. Then she spends hours writing scripts for the videos, which she films and posts every day.
And that含羞草研究社檚 just for TikTok. She含羞草研究社檚 also started a YouTube channel and has begun streaming on Twitch as well.
含羞草研究社淚 always looked at people who did this kind of stuff and was like, 含羞草研究社楾hat含羞草研究社檚 the easiest job ever.含羞草研究社� This is the hardest job I含羞草研究社檝e ever had,含羞草研究社� she says. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 the coolest job I含羞草研究社檝e ever had, but it含羞草研究社檚 all you. You含羞草研究社檝e got to put the effort in if you want to succeed. It含羞草研究社檚 a crazy day that sometimes doesn含羞草研究社檛 end until midnight, but I含羞草研究社檓 so happy doing it.含羞草研究社�
Whereas YouTube and Twitch allow creators to monetize their channels, TikTok doesn含羞草研究社檛 offer that option in Canada.
Creators can, however, make money with sponsorship deals. Collins has worked with shoe and makeup brands and is open to more partnerships, but she含羞草研究社檚 also leery of advertising that will turn away her audience. It has to feel authentic, or she含羞草研究社檚 not interested.
含羞草研究社淚 understand a lot of creators need to make money and I completely respect that, and viewers should respect that as well. But there is a point where it含羞草研究社檚 just like, OK, are you on here to make money or are you on here because you enjoy it and you actually like doing this. That含羞草研究社檚 where I try to draw the line.含羞草研究社�
Her audience has also respected when Collins has drawn more personal lines as well.
Collins is frank about her mental health, both in conversation and in her videos. Comedy, she says, is a coping mechanism. Sometimes that makes her depression and anxiety of a video. Other times, she has filmed herself .
That含羞草研究社檚 led to with her fans.
含羞草研究社淚 have now 23-million people looking at me, waiting for things, hoping that it含羞草研究社檚 going to be good enough,含羞草研究社� she says. 含羞草研究社淚 put that pressure on myself. I含羞草研究社檝e made posts where it含羞草研究社檚 just like, 含羞草研究社楬ey guys, I含羞草研究社檓 not doing that great,含羞草研究社� and everybody含羞草研究社檚 like, 含羞草研究社楾ake a break.含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫
But until the pandemic ends, and Collins can actually meet her fans, she has a difficult time make sense of her burgeoning fame.
There含羞草研究社檚 no autograph signings, no red carpets, no obvious trappings of her success. Is Collins famous? It probably depends on who you ask, and what apps are on their phone.
含羞草研究社淚 feel like I含羞草研究社檓 just a weirdo in my basement making videos and people are enjoying them,含羞草研究社� she says. 含羞草研究社淚 think Angelina Jolie is famous. I think I am internet famous.含羞草研究社�
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| tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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