Remix Cover Star Charli D'Amelio on fame, Broadway, and coming back to herself

The 22-year-old might be the most followed girl on TikTok, but that doesn’t just mean she’s dancing in her room all day. No: Charli D’Amelio is taking her job as a performer seriously—a Dancing With The Stars Mirrorball Trophy, a stint on Broadway’s &Juliet. But in a sense, she’s also a 22-year-old like the rest of us have been or will be, navigating friendships, finding her personal style, and the bigger role she has to play in the world. From here, it’s curtain up on act two.

Charli D’Amelio makes no promises for what her second act will look like, but Hollywood is full of rumours. After all, she’s just finished up a run on Broadway, and the year before that, took out a very coveted Dancing With The Stars title. It’s hard to believe that it all came from filming videos in her bedroom, but this is the age we live in. Having 157.9 million (and counting) TikTok followers is no joke—that’s an immense impact for a girl to have on the world. But as I found out, it’s a title she takes pride in, and the seriousness weighs heavily. But right now she’s finding the joy in it again, and most gratefully relishing the opportunities it brings.

Charli wears Prada

Happy belated birthday! What does 22 look and feel like for you?

To me, 22 feels like a breath of fresh air, a fresh start, a second season, if you will. I think over the last year of my life, I have gone through so much personal growth and found ways to enter my 22nd year more prepared than ever. I’ve realised the world I work in doesn’t really follow a traditional path, and I think this year I’ve finally fully embraced that. Sometimes work looks like running into friends at a party and suddenly having a business meeting, or collaborating with people who inspire me, no matter where we happen to connect. I feel like I finally have the tools, support, and determination to live my happiest and best life following my dreams in dance, acting, fashion, social media... Pursuing the things that deeply connect with me while surrounded by people I love, and while finding the balance of also taking the time for my mental and physical health to rest, has been a big part of going into 22, too. I decided at the top of this year that 22 is going to be the year of giving myself grace when things don’t go according to my plan, as the beauty of life is in not knowing yet.

Let’s go back to the beginning—was it always the aim to reach the top? Or did that just happen by fate?

From a very young age, I have always loved talking to a camera, and dancing has always been my escape. I love going back through my camera roll to find old videos I took and hearing my little five-year-old voice saying, ‘Hey, what’s up, guys! It’s Charli.’ Even though I never planned for this to happen with the trajectory of my life, it isn’t crazy to me that I connected with social media so much. I was filming and editing videos when I wasyounger of makeup tutorials, stop-motion Legos, and pretty much anything else I was doing. I wasn’t filming it for the world to see at the time; I was filming it for an audience of one and was having the best time doing it. Fast forward to now, having an audience see all the videos I make. I am back to having just as much fun making them as I did when I was little. I’m so grateful that I can continue to make videos for the people who enjoy watching them, and it is truly thanks to everyone who watches that helps give me the confidence to post myself all day, every day! Now I couldn’t imagine my life any other way!

Does posting on TikTok still feel fun for you, or has that relationship changed over time?

My relationship with posting on social media has changed a lot throughout the years. I’ve been on both sides of the spectrum; at one point, it was 100% controlling and running my life. I wasn’t in charge and felt many times a lot of insecurity and frustration with my relationship, with the fact that something that I once loved so deeply didn’t feel the same anymore. I’ve since taken the time and really connected with myself on a human level off social media again, and I finally feel back to the mindset that I had in the beginning. I truly love making videos, I always have and I always will, and now I’m excited when I post again. The public perception of me online has been a lot more positive than it has been in the past, but that’s never deterred me. When I say I’ve come into socials with an entirely new mindset, I really have; I don’t look at socials with fear anymore, or not post out of spite. I really feel I’ve grown up, and I’m now able to appreciate a lot more the lifestyle that I get to live. I truly have been having so much fun on social media again, whether that’s posting on TikTok, YouTube, or an Instagram dump; I finally feel like I’m just myself on every platform again.

Charli wears Prada

As a lifelong dancer, how has the app changed the dance community and industry?

This is such an incredible question because I feel like TikTok deserves a little more credit for how it’s really shaped the dance world. I’m not even talking about changing dance in the ways people might expect—I think there’s a whole side of TikTok that has given people in every creative field a platform to share their art, and there’s something so amazing about that. It’s also given choreographers the opportunity to have their dances go viral, depending on how things perform on the algorithm, but I think if you create things that genuinely connect with people and consistently support your art, TikTok has made it much easier to find your community. Another really great thing about TikTok is that it’s made dance accessible.  I always think back to the COVID days when people were learning dances with their families and posting videos online because it was one of the only things we could really do. It brought so much connection to so many people. You’d meet people from completely different parts of life, and somehow you’d already know the same dances and be able to create videos together. It sounds small, but I think there’s something really powerful about being able to dance and be in rhythm with someone else, or just walk up to someone and already share that connection. I also think it gave people who may not have felt comfortable dancing the opportunity to learn in the comfort of their own homes, perfect it as many times as they wanted, and post it whenever they felt ready. There’s something really beautiful about that. As someone who loves dance. and uses it as a form of therapy, I’m always going to support getting as many people as possible dancing. My hope is that everything I do can continue to give back to the dance world that’s given so much to me, and I hope this year, more than ever, I’m able to show my dedication to supporting that community.

Do you ever know why a video of yours connects, or does it still surprise you?

The TikTok algorithm is so unpredictable, and you truly can never say with exact certainty whether or not something will go viral. I think it’s a give and take—sometimes I think I understand why things go viral, and the next second I don’t. Sometimes I look at social media in a very specific way, looking at the big picture and looking at the why of it all, but I’m also not going to pretend I’m some scientist who knows how all of this works. At the end of the day, I don’t know exactly how the algorithm works, but trust me, I’ve asked everyone and no one will tell me. Either way, I’m very grateful for the unknown algorithm, because it’s the reason that I have my career.

Charli wears Messika and Bendon

In your mind, what is it about you that resonates with millions of people around the world?

I truly have no idea, and I think that’s always been my answer and that always will be my answer. I feel like I’m in an era of my life where I've stopped asking why and started appreciating the fact that people are watching. I’m just excited to show everyone all of the things that I’ve been doing with my life, and hopefully I can just inspire and help others; whether that’s with their confidence, showing them new things, influencing about the things that I love, or hopefully sharing things that are my own as well.

Do you still think of yourself as a ‘creator’, or has that label stopped fitting?

I think there’s so much stigma around what you decide to be called in this field. I hear so much hate towards the words ‘influencer’, ‘creator’, or‘celebrity’. At the end of the day, my name is Charli, and I’m here making choices every day on what feels right to me, and I don’t feel the need to label myself in any way. I think everyone is so much more than a label, but when people ask me what I do for my job, it’s usually just whatever pops into my head first.

Your TV journey might have started with a reality series about your life, but Dancing With The Stars feels like a whole other milestone altogether—what did that experience end up teaching you? Did you ever think you’d actually win?

DWTS was a major milestone in my life. I was young when I did the show, I was freshly 18 years old, which now I realise was quite young despite feeling super old when I was filming it. I think the part about Dancing With The Stars that was so monumental to me was that it truly felt like that was the first thing that I did that people couldn’t take away from me. I gave everything I had every day in that studio. I gave my whole heart and soul and every piece of my physical and mental being, too. It was never about the winning or the losing for me; it was about making every dance something that I was proud of. I think that was the first thing that I had done in my career that I was actually truly proud of, and showed me that I still have it in me to be able to achieve my dance dreams as well.

Another career milestone—Broadway. How did that come about? What did that actually feel like day-to-day once you were in it?

I had the best experience on Broadway. I met my best friends from &Juliet, and I learned so much about myself each day performing. I would say every day in the dressing room at the theatre, ‘there’s no other group of people that I would rather spend this (insert any day of the week) than with you guys’, and I did truly mean it. I learned so much from that cast and crew around me—they are all incredibly talented and hold such poise and professionalism in everything they do on and offstage. I took every opportunity to learn as much as could and just appreciate it every day. I’m forever thankful for my experience at &Juliet because I truthfully would not be who I am without that show. I had the absolute time of my life!

Charli wears Messika and Calvin Klein 

What does a two-show day do to you, physically and mentally?

A two-show day can go a few ways; sometimes you have the most energy and power through two shows in a day, wide awake and feel great. Other times, you decide to take a nap or rest between shows, and it can make you more tired for the second show or energise you up again. Then there are times, I’m not going to lie, when it’s so hard to get up and do two shows when you wake up tired from the start. Although no matter what, you don’t do it because it’s easy to do, you do it because you love it, and it doesn't matter how you feel at the end of the day, this could be someone’s first and only Broadway show they ever go and see, so you want to make it the best.

Did your fame on TikTok change how you were treated in the theatre environment? Or did you just feel a part of the cast entirely?

I was extremely nervous going into my first day at &Juliet, wondering how people would react to me. The first thing on my mind was proving to them that I’m not here for fun and that I take it seriously. I tried to show everyone from day one that I would give 110% of myself every single day. I wanted them to know that I know I might not have gotten here the same way they did, but I was going to work just as hard and make sure I did everything I could to be an asset to the show in every way possible. I was very lucky that I was welcomed with open arms, and I felt like I belonged in that &Juliet family very quickly, and that truly is thanks to everyone on and offstage that is a part of the show.

As a performer, what’s your next act? Where can we expect to see you next?

I think the only thing I know is that I will be performing in some aspect forever. It is in my blood, and my heart and soul thrive performing in any aspect. I can’t wait to find the next stage for me, and I really hope everyone will be just as excited as I am to see this new chapter of my life, as I’m finding the next thing for me.

On fashion, you’ve worked with some incredible brands like Prada. How would you describe your own style? What do you love about getting dressed?

My own style is very all over the place—I love a minimalist vibe that is very simple, fitted, tailored—classic pieces, but I also love comfortability. I’m also a dancer, so definitely athletic clothing too, but I’m also focusing on bringing in pieces that I just love to wear and feel good in. The biggest thing about my style is that if I don’t feel good or confident, I’m not wearing it, and I think the part I love about getting dressed the most is the moment that it clicks in your brain and you know your outfits look good. Whether that’s when you put on your shoes, your favourite jewellery or purse or putting on those jeans that fit perfectly. I’ve been very honoured to work with Prada for the last six years, and I’m so lucky that I’ve been able to grow with them. I’ve seen Prada develop over the years, and I’m just so happy to consider myself a Pradagirl. It has been so fun getting to work with them as my own style has changed over the years, and I just can’t wait to see what we are going to do together next.

Charli wears Messika and Prada

Your audience has quite literally grown up with you—do you feel like you’re trying to keep up with them, or bring them along with you?

 think the best part of everyone growing up while watching yourself grow up, makes it feel like we have more of a connection because we are figuring ourselves out at the same time. I never felt like I had to change myself for the people watching me, as much as I was just figuring out who I was at the same time that they were. Luckily, the ones that are still with me continue to enjoy watching me figure my life out, just as they are.

Be honest—do you ever miss when it was just you dancing in your room and no one really knew who you were yet? What does an unglamorous day in your life look like now?

I think the best part about my life is that I can still dance in my room and no one can see. I really do have so much normalcy in my life; I love to spend days at home with my dog, I love cleaning, I love organising, I love stationery, I love writing, I love doing my makeup and hair, but I also love making TikToks. If I’m home alone for long enough, I end up talking to my phone, so honestly, I think I have the perfect job as the most unglamorous days are sometimes the days that I post the most.

What’s a bucket list goal—the one project you’d love nothing more than to do, or maybe something you just want to achieve for yourself?

I have so many goals for my life, but I think one of the ones that I would like to complete is learning how to drive. Driving is one of my big OCD triggers, and I really would love to overcome that and be able to have the freedom to drive myself around. I know it sounds so stupid, but OCD is no joke, and it has really affectedme to being able to comfortably drive a car, and so I really hope this year I’m able to finally conquer that.

Do you feel more in control of your career now than you did a few years ago, or is it just a different kind of pressure?

I feel the most in control of my career right now than ever before. I think at the end of the day, it’s not just my career, as this is my life that I post and share with the world. I’m in charge of what I want to do in all aspects of my life now, and while I’m figuring it out as I go, I get to do it with all my best friends around me. I truly think I’m the happiest I have been in a long time, and I get to do this surrounded by the people who understand that some days will be better than others and give me the grace that I need when things get hard. But truly, I am so lucky and grateful for my life, my dog and my friends and team around me that support me every step of the way.