Matt Taylor

Matt Taylor is simply a burst of infectious comedic energy. Since his start on the app in 2019, the 18-year-old TikTok star has founded a community of his own; over 4.7 million TikTok followers return to his account for his niche, hyperspecific videos. It’s content, however, that he somehow manages to make incredibly relatable! The influencer cites everyday life as his primary source of inspiration, from FaceTime calls to experiences at work. Even after quitting his job as a Starbucks barista (once he reached two million followers), Taylor still credits a portion of his success to his customer service reenactment videos and recounting such experiences. These days, Taylor’s time is spent focusing on his bustling and quickly growing career. The biggest attribute toward his success? Unmistakable wit. And with over five million social media followers, it’s clear that Matt The Person has only just begun! We recently spoke with the one and only about how he deals with creator’s block (writer’s block for TikTokers), some of his brushes with fame, and more! Read our full conversation with Taylor below!

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I’m an 18-year-old gay, just making videos for people! I love making content (obviously), traveling, going thrifting, and watching YouTube!

What were your first thoughts when joining TikTok?

I originally joined while I was in high school and remember being bored in drama class. I made a video with my friend and it got like 3,000 views and I joked: “Dude, we’re famous!” I think that was when I got excited because suddenly being a creator seemed so accessible/possible. Which, at least at the time, was every middle schooler’s dream job.

Now, you’re all over my for you page. What demographics do you think you attract?

Well, in the beginning, I know I had a really young audience as most people do. However, as time went on and as my Instagram audience grew I think I attained a larger variety of ages! I think now, my audience (in large part) is still very young, but I’ve also been approached by people in their 20’s and 30’s which is awesome! Not old (just to clarify haha), just closer to my age!

A lot of your POVs are very niche. How do you come up with them?

To be honest, a lot of my content comes from everyday interactions I have with people. It’s so funny, cause sometimes I’ll be on a FaceTime call with someone and then a conversation we have will be, at least in part, turned into a video. I used to also get a lot of inspiration from my old jobs.

Being this niche, are you ever surprised when one blows up?

YES! I’ve been caught off guard so many times, especially with LGBTQ+ content. I think it’s in part due to the fact that I grew up in the south and it’s less common to find a lot of queer people (at least in my bubble). But there are so many people that can relate to that type of content even when they don’t fit into the LGBTQ+ community. Other than that, I feel that being a little niche has helped me attain my following. But it’s still so unreal, like I often forget how crazy it all is.

What one video do you most attribute to your success?

It’s weird, but I feel like I attribute most of my success to the series that I’ve done. The first time I really started blowing up was back at the end of 2020. I was working at Starbucks at the time, and started making “customer service reenactments.” But of course, I just had to make it weird, so I whispered the crazy interactions in a soft and calm tone. I did this for about a month and that is when I hit 1M likes for the first time, which was insane! And I think around this time was also when my audience started growing more significantly. Then in December, I made a Christmas video that did really well which is when I think I became a little more well known.

Do you have a personal favorite video of yours? A series of videos?

It’s so funny cause the majority of the time I don’t find myself funny. I feel as though it’s almost like how you “can’t tickle yourself.” A lot of times, I don’t love a video, but it does really well! However, I did do a series called “deep thoughts” which I actually enjoyed a ton! I think when I really edit a video I can always find it funny too.

Having over 4 million followers at only 18 is no small feat. How does it feel?

It’s just so surreal, to be honest. Like I forget most of the time, but then someone will approach me or I’ll just start thinking about it and be like: “Oh yeah.. this isn’t normal!” I feel so grateful, but also so confused at the same time. It’s just so odd that there are people out there that are invested in my life. I’m always so surprised at how much people care and it’s so sweet! I’ve met so many kind people along the way.

When did you start to get the idea that this may be a career of yours?

I was very hesitant at first cause it is such an odd job! There isn’t a “set way” to go about any of this, so I was unsure for a long time what to do. But I think when I quit my Starbucks job (at 2M followers) was when I started to realize that this was actually going to be a career of sorts.

Do you ever feel any pressure to pump out content?

I think there’s always a little bit of pressure, but I really do enjoy making content, so, I try to not overthink it.

How do you deal with it?

If I’m ever struggling with ideas or am just stressed in general, I honestly just run to Target! Sometimes I need to be a little distracted to ease the stress. And driving is always fun too!

Did you have to adjust any aspects of your life once you began to blow up?

I think the biggest aspect was hanging out with friends. I had already been limiting my time with people because of the pandemic, but after gaining an audience, I had to start being more intentional with plans. I love doing things last minute, but when I’m trying to put a certain number of videos out a day, I like to make sure I’m not pressed for time. That being said, I still love to stop at the thrift store with people whenever I get the chance!

What’s been the craziest thing to happen to you since achieving TikTok fame?

Ohh! The craziest thing is definitely meeting people that I look up to. I mean, not meeting literally, but it’s just so wild when someone messages me like “I love your videos” and I’m just like, “SHUT UP, I’ve been following you since 7th grade.” It’s just weird that everyone is real haha! And so many people that I’ve met are just so kind and amazing.

Any advice for someone looking to start out on TikTok?

I know it sounds so cheesy, but I think the best way to get started is to just find something you love and share that with the world. Cause if there’s anything I know since making content, it’s that there are so many people out there that are just like you, that love what you love! That’s the beauty of the internet I guess.

What can your fans expect in 2021?

Oh god! Lots of fun I hope. I definitely plan to keep creating content and hopefully improve myself along the way! There are so many things I want to do, which are made possible by literally anyone who has ever supported me. I for real cannot think of you guys enough! I‘m just trying to piece everything together right now, but as every influencer ever has said, big things are coming. (I hope at least lol)

Taya Miller

Eliana Ghen