It’s hard to find a girl above the age of 14 who doesn’t know who Alix Earle is. The University of Miami alumna grew a following of 6 million followers on TikTok and 3.2 million on Instagram.
From her iconic “Get Ready With Me” videos, her drunk antics and other videos providing insight into her life, the New Jersey native has cornered a market that many influencers haven’t been able to reach.
She’s real.
There’s not much that’s relatable about Earle. She looks like a Barbie doll, she was raised in a wealthy family that was somewhat in the public eye and went to one of the craziest party schools in America.
Earle creates content based on her unique life but makes it relatable.
In the same way now-billionaire Taylor Swift can keep writing songs that make you feel like you’re reading you’re own diary, Earle knows how to make people want her takes and her stories. Which in turn makes you want her clothes and her makeup.
Most people likely can’t relate to having an NFL wide receiver pining after them, but they can relate to meeting the right person but not being ready for a relationship.
But it’s not just her personality and genuineness that should be cited for her rise to fame. There’s more to why her career is the most sustainable of any influencers that have risen out of TikTok: Earle is an intelligent girl.
Her alma matter, The University of Miami, is an excellent school. Even with its party school reputation, the school boasts a 19% acceptance rating and U.S. News ranks the school 67 nationally.
She graduated from their business school with a marketing degree and opened her scholarship there.
In an interview with Howard Stern, Earle was asked why she stayed in school if she was making all this money having these opportunities. She responded that as a marketing major, everything she knows and needs to know to enter this field relies on what she’s learned in her college classes.
It was this response that shifted the way I viewed Earle entirely.
We often view influencers as ordinary people who struck the lottery. With the amount of content creators who drop out of school, that career doesn’t have the reputation of being the smartest in the entertainment industry.
But Earle knows who she is, and she knows what she can do. You don’t see her putting out merch, doing random brand deals or trying to start a music career just because she can.
When she started a podcast, I admit doubted her, but it was a huge success.
In fact, “Hot Mess” debuted on Spotify podcast higher than late-night hosts “Strike Force Five,” “NPR News” and even Joe Rogan. Yeah, she took over number one.
She is a natural storyteller who feels like a close friend telling you about her day.
There’s an entertaining comfort about her rhetoric. She has structure, but it feels natural. Her wit is on full display.
Earle has discussed her relationships, meeting her roommates, rushing a sorority and even struggling with an eating disorder. She’s been funny, sincere, exciting and convincing.
There’s something about Earle’s career that makes me believe she has longevity and a bright future. She hasn’t rushed into anything and that makes the chance of embarrassment or failure less likely.
We can compare Earle to the D’Amelios. What can that family do to maintain a hold on the public?
Neither sisters’ music has taken off. They have brand deals galore, but can that be upheld if they cannot sustain the public’s attention as the years go by?
The “D’Amelio Show” isn’t really that entertaining, not enough to be a reliable fallback to keep the family in an A-list range.
Earle has hinted at her family getting a reality show and considering her interesting family life, it could draw in older generations, similar to how “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” took the world by storm.
Earle is more than a sensation. She can talk about her public life without being seen as a drama starter. She’s been the influencer “it girl” for almost a year without facing any real fatigue from her followers and has expertly navigated any near scandal with ease.
I’ve stopped doubting Earle and believe she is changing what being an influencer is in real-time. She is entertaining because she doesn’t get more private; she knows what makes her the person to follow and despite her growing fame, she’s been able to stay the same.