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- TikTok Creator Starr McGowan on Finding Success Through the Internet and Her New Podcast
TikTok Creator Starr McGowan on Finding Success Through the Internet and Her New Podcast
by
Basmah Qazi
Instagram / @starrmcg
Over the last few years, TikTok has risen rapidly among the social media ranks. The content-creating app has everything from comedy to home decor, and with videos only about a minute long, it’s perfect for those of us who don’t have the best attention spans.
But similar to every other social media platform, with Instagram giving birth to the influencer and YouTube paying millions of dollars a year to their top creators, TikTok has also brought forward a number of talented individuals, one of them being Australia’s own Starr McGowan.
Boasting over 120,000 followers and obtaining over 3.3 million likes, the 27-year-old never thought her short, comedic skits would garner so much attention.
“I remember I had one video that blew up and it went to 10K overnight, and I was so overwhelmed. That is so many people, why did 10,000 people want to watch my videos? It’s so crazy,” she told POPSUGAR Australia. “But it’s funny because you get to all these different milestones and you always think you’re at the peak of where you’re at, but then you just keep moving forward and it keeps going. I could never have imagined that I would be connecting with so many amazing people.”
Before posting her first video, TikTok wasn’t even on Starr’s radar. At the time the only ones who were familiar with Starr’s ability to make people laugh were her closest friends and family and it was through them she took the plunge into making videos on the internet.
“I’ve always done silly Instagram stories, and my friends were like ‘Dude, you have to get TikTok’,” she said. “But I was like, ‘TikTok’s for kids, I don’t dance, it doesn’t really sound like my vibe’ but then I downloaded the app and instantly I thought, oh my God, this is hilarious.”
But with a big following also comes a lot of negativity, and TikTok is rife with people who speak their mind, most of the time, not in the nicest way. Hate comments are, unfortunately, part of the territory, but Starr says she refuses to let it get to her.
“It obviously comes with the territory but I do pride myself in staying true to my values and being responsible. I always think of myself when I was around 14 or 15 years old, and if I would speak the way a troll was speaking to me, I’d really take that into consideration in my response, that is, if I respond at all,” she said. “For example, if I get a comment on my body or the way that I look, if I feel there is a lesson that could be taught at that moment, I would 100% take that opportunity, always doing so in a gracious and kind manner.”
Being a woman in the comedy space does come with its own set of challenges, particularly from those who believe they don’t have the right to be there. For Starr and other female content creators, sexism is something they face quite often, which sadly, doesn’t come as a surprise.
“People always say ‘women aren’t funny’ and you’ll see a similar format put out by a male creator and female creator, and the response from people is just completely different. So 100% there is so much sexism that you face within the industry but you just need to take it in your stride and keep pushing forward.”
Now, Starr is branching out, using her enormous following to create a successful podcast titled Relatable. Available on the Acast app, Apple Podcasts and Spotify, each episode of the show dives deep into “relatable” subjects for millennials. With the help of experts, Starr’s dream of hosting her own podcast has now become a reality.
“When I was brainstorming what I wanted [the podcast] to be about, I looked at myself, not only as a brand but as a person, and I realised people are drawn to me, without sounding like a d*ck, is because I’m relatable. I’m not afraid to show the unfiltered moments, especially with everything online being so curated.
“So, I just went from there, and then one day, I was driving and I thought to myself, ‘I don’t know how to be an adult’, I am just so shit at so many things. And from there, I wrote about all the adult-y things I don’t know how to do, and what I am doing with the podcast is making people feel less alone. So not only do I want to empower people but I’m also learning too.”
Though many people reaching adulthood can start to feel as if they’re falling behind in life, Starr hopes that through her podcast, she can help to make people ditch the timeline mentality and instead, live at their own pace.
Relatable still has Starr’s signature cheek but unlike her TikTok videos, it delves into topics people are too afraid to ask about.
Starr McGowan’s podcast RELATABLE is part of the Acast Creator Network. You can subscribe and listen on the Acast app, Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
