- In a recent interview with
Complex 's Chris "Speedy" Morman,Jason Derulo shared his secrets to success onTikTok . - The short-form video app, he explained, plays to his creative strengths and gives him an opportunity to be more authentic with fans.
- Derulo's TikTok fame, however, requires work: he previously set a goal of posting four to six videos per day.
- Like many viral TikTokkers, Derulo experiences his share of online trolls, but he urges creators not to live their lives trying to please their online critics.
In addition to releasing chart-topping music, Jason Derulo has used his time in quarantine to become the undisputed "King of TikTok." The singer and songwriter has consistently gone viral for participating in app-wide challenges, attempting to make the world's largest pancake stack, and repeatedly pretending to break his front teeth. In a recent interview with Complex, Derulo opened up about his success on the app and how he's managed to effectively connect with his audience via short-form video.
TikTok, Derulo told Complex, plays to his creative strengths and allows him a new level of authenticity with fans.
"I'm able to show who I am, whereas [with] other apps, I didn't thrive as much because I couldn't show me," he said.
@jasonderulo Which are you?
♬ The Prowler - Daniel Pemberton
@jasonderulo ♬ original sound - jasonderulo
Derulo says consistency is key
Being crowned the "King of TikTok comes with its pressures, but Derulo says he's using the opportunity to elevate up-and-coming-talent.
"I decided to just wear that crown and just be a leader and support the young creators, the early creators that don't have huge followings."
Indeed, Derulo frequently duets and comments on videos from creators using his music.
@jasonderulo ##duet with @dontaikaory have you tried our ##humanflagchallenge ???@jenafrumes ##icederulo we love fails too
♬ TALK DIRTY. Jason Derulo - jasonderulo
Ultimately, he told Complex, he enjoys being able to easily give some creators their start in the
"Just to be able to reach out and do something without even noticing [its impact] its pretty cool — to give [creators] an opportunity," he said.
His advice for surviving the entertainment industry and maintaining TikTok fame? Consistency.
"You just gotta do the work," he said. "One song is amazing but you gotta keep coming back."
Those hoping to turn TikTok into a lucrative career should look no further than Derulo for advice — he says he makes "far more" than $75,000 per video.
How TikTok differs from Instagram and Snapchat
Understanding TikTok, Derulo explained, means recognizing it is a fundamentally different app than other popular platforms.
"It's more of a community," he said. "I don't think Instagram has that, I don't think Snapchat has that."
Beyond a sense of community, TikTok has an algorithm that favors a high volume of content, requiring extra effort from creators.
@jasonderulo Almost died doing this @marshmellomusic collab @maxymaxmax
♬ Be Happy - Dixie D’Amelio
"When you're on Instagram, you post at a specific time and you're like, 'This is my good time. This is the time when I get the likes.' On TikTok, it's about posting repeatedly," he explained, adding that he set a goal to post somewhere between four and six TikToks a day.
@jasonderulo Tiktok made me do it @marypapageorge
♬ Fergalicious - Fergie
Ignoring the trolls
Like any popular TikTokker, Derulo faces his share of online trolls — some of whom, Morman pointed out, consider his TikToks to be "corny."
While Derulo joked about tapping into his background in boxing to "knock out" any critic who would insult his TikTok presence to his face, he said that ultimately, he "doesn't care" about online comments.
"People that troll like that don't have anything better to do with their lives," he said. "These people don't matter."
Moreover, he insisted, creators can't dictate their career paths based on the noise from online critics.
"You can't live your life tryna please a blog site," he said. "You really gotta live your life for yourself. And you gotta find out what it is that works for you."
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