Emma Chamberlain is known for being a down-to-earth influencer who became popular for driving aimlessly around her hometown and getting the same coffee order every day. Fans watched her YouTube videos for her transparency and relatability as she often complained about school and friendships and showed herself trying new recipes while failing and laughing about it.
When money and fame inevitably came with her influencer status, Chamberlain became more unrelatable, flying to Paris for fashion week and attending the Met Gala each year.
Of course, Chamberlain couldn’t control going viral, but many viewers have stopped watching her content and are turning to other creators on TikTok and YouTube who they find more relatable.
For example, TikTok creator Katie Fang makes daily videos titled, “Get Ready With Me,” or “GRWM,” a popular genre on the app where creators talk about their lives as they show their skincare or make-up routines. Fang initially went viral from a video of her crying as she was getting ready for her part-time job. When viewers went back to watch her older videos, they found more relatable content from her, such as videos of Fang complaining about her high school biology tests.
Viewers cannot say the same for Chamberlain, as her content is no longer relatable despite her best efforts to keep people engaged.
In February 2020, Chamberlain launched her podcast “anything goes with emma chamberlain,” where she shares advice, opinions, personal stories and philosophical thoughts. Chamberlain’s quirky personality that initially captivated fans steered the podcast to success, making Chamberlain one of the biggest podcast creators on Spotify.
The podcast functions as an outlet for Chamberlain to share her thoughts, which she does in a seemingly unorganized manner that causes her to repeat the same points over and over again. As a result, many on TikTok have concluded that Chamberlain would benefit from attending university, where she would have the chance to bounce ideas back and forth with people from different backgrounds. Instead, she is trapped in an echo chamber where her ideas are never challenged.
While it is true that it is a privilege to attend college and you can be successful without it, many users on TikTok have stated that Chamberlain would benefit from gaining real life experience in an academic setting, somewhere she could develop her critical thinking skills, which would be a benefit for her podcast.
TikTok viewers and listeners of the podcast compare her to Brittany Broski, who graduated from college in 2018 and uses her knowledge to share insights and have meaningful discussions with guests on her podcast while also being relatable and funny.
Alix Earle is another example of a famous influencer who has managed to keep her audience interested because she attended college, where she was not surrounded by only other rich and famous people. In a way, she has replaced Chamberlain as the social media “it-girl,” and many believe that this is because of her college experience that many fans can relate to.
Based on this feedback, Chamberlain’s personality is not the reason fans have steered away from her content. There are ways for her to improve the quality of her podcast, whether it is by attending college, doing more academic research or hosting guests on her podcast, so her ideas can be reviewed further and possibly challenged. However, Chamberlain continues to post content on all her platforms without addressing negative comments, staying true to her carefree personality.