The OG lipsyncing app Musical.ly took over the world back in 2015 and gave rise to a new generation of ‘Musers’ who became the then influencers. I’m sure you remember when everyone was lipsyncing to their favorite music on camera.
The app first launched in April 2014 and became one of the first platforms to blend social networking features with music. It gained massive popularity, with over 10 million users in a span of a year. The platform had over 200 million users by 2017, and the users came to be known as ‘Musers.’
Musical.ly allowed users to create 15 seconds to 60 seconds videos from a library of sound collection. Now unless you’re a millennial, you may be more acquainted with the name TikTok which became the successor of Musical.ly when Bytedance acquired Musical.ly and merged it with Tiktok in 2018.
Are you wondering what happened to your favorite Musers? All Musical.ly accounts were automatically transferred to Tiktok. In fact, some of the popular Tiktok stars were on Musical.ly before it became TikTok. From Musical.ly star Baby Ariel to new generation TikTok star Charli D’Amelio, here’s a list of top Musical.ly stars so you can go on a following spree!
1. Khaby Lame
After Musical.ly rebranded to TikTok, Khabi Lame became the ultimate star of TikTok and the most followed individual on the platform. The Italian social media personality and influencer are popular for his silent videos, where he mocks various life hack videos.
Lame joined the platform after he lost his job during the pandemic. Initially, Lame created videos of him dancing and watching video games, but he rose to popularity for his trademark videos. Under TikTok’s duet feature, Lame posted his reaction to complicated life hack videos, where he showcased a simplified version of the same without saying a word, along with his signature hand gesture. Khabi Lame owns the title of the most followed, with over 158.8 million followers (@khaby.lame) on the platform.
2. Charli D’Amelio
The queen of TikTok, Charli D’Amelio, is a social media star, dancer, and singer. Though she joined the platform only after Musical.ly became TikTok, she is a staple in our list. The 19-year-old superstar went viral when she posted a dance duet video with the user Move With Joy in 2019.
Charli and her sister Dixie D’Amelio joined The Hype House in 2019 and became popular creators on the platform. The Tiktok queen danced alongside Jennifer Lopez in 2020 and even appeared in one of her music videos. She also featured in Bebe Rexa’s music video “Baby I’m Jealous.” In 2022 Charli broke out into the music scene with her debut single, “If You Ask Me To.”
In 2020 she won the Streamy Awards for “Breakout Creator.” She holds three Guinness world records, one of them for most followers on TikTok (2021). The Dancing with the Stars winner has over 150 million followers on Tiktok (@charlidamelio).
3. Bella Poarch
The Filipino-American celebrity holds the title for the most-liked video on Musical.ly (now Tiktok), where she is seen lipsyncing to the song “M to the B.” The 26-year-old Tiktok sensation is the most followed TikTok account from the Philippines.
The Tiktok sensation gravitated towards music with her debut single, “Build A Bitch” which was released in 2021. The lipsyncing star is known for her doll-like expressions and is the third most-followed artist on the platform, with over 92 million followers.
4. Addison Rae
The 22-year-old social media star, dancer, singer, and actress first joined the online video-sharing platform back in 2019 after Musical.ly became TikTok. She later joined The Hype House alongside Charli D’Amelio, Chase Hudson, and others. Rae posted lipsyncing and dance videos on the platform and quickly rose to fame, becoming one of the highest-earning TikTok personalities in 2020.
Addison launched her own cosmetic line ‘Item Beauty’ in 2020, which has gained much popularity on social media. In 2021, Rae starred in the 1999 remake ‘He’s All That,’ which was released on Netflix. Her popularity has led to various brand endorsements with Reebok, Loreal Paris, and Hollister.
The social media superstar is also best friends with reality star Kourtney Kardashian and even appeared on Keeping Up With The Kardashians. The singer released her debut single “Obsessed” in 2021 as part of her debut EP which is yet to be released. Rae is the fourth most followed TikTok account, with 88.9 million followers (@addisonre) on the platform.
5. Baby Ariel
When talking about Musical.ly stars, we have to include the Disney movie starer Ariel Rebecca Martin known as Baby Ariel. Ariel became a popular name after she accidentally discovered Musical.ly and began posting 15-second lipsyncing videos on the platform. The 22-year-old American actress, singer, and social media personality was one of the first to reach 10 million followers on Musical.ly (now TikTok).
She won the Teen Choice Awards for Choice Muser for two consecutive years, in 2016 and 2017. She was also nominated by iHeartRadio Music Awards for the “Social Star Award” in 2017. Presently, the Muser enjoys a following of 36.2 million followers (@babyariel) on the platform.
6. Zach King
American social media personality Zach Michael King is known for his six seconds videos, carefully edited to show his genius magic. He began posting his videos first on Vine, and in 2016 he posted his first video on the platform Musical.ly (now TikTok). The 2016 video captioned “Need help posting bail, Oh wait, never mind” was his first video on the platform.
The majority of his social media following generates from Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok. Zach’s videos are called “Digital Sleight Of Hand,” a name given to himself. His most viewed video of him riding a broomstick which was the work of a mirror illusion, got him over 2 billion views alone. With his creativity and master editing, Zach King has acquired over 76 million followers on Tiktok (@zachking) and another 18.2 million on Youtube.
7. Dixie D’Amelio
The American singer and social media star is the eldest of the D’Amelio siblings. Dixie rose to popularity at the same time as her sister back in 2019. She usually posts lipsyncing and dance videos with influencers Bryce Hall, Chase Hudson, and sister Charli D’Amelio.
The social media star gravitated towards a music career and signed with HitCo Entertainment. She released her debut single, “Be Happy,” which has over 86 million streams on Spotify. She also collaborated with rapper Wiz Khalifa on his track “One Whole Day.” D’Amelio was one of the members of Hype House until she left in 2020.
In 2022, Dixie released her debut album,” A Letter To Me,” and is set to go on tour with American Boy Band Big Time Rush. The star has a following of over 57.2 million on TikTok (@dixiedamelio) and another 23 million on Instagram.
8. Spencer X
Spencer Polanco Knight or better known as Spencer X, is an American social media star and beatboxer. Spencer rose to fame in 2014 when his now-deleted Youtube video titled “One Beatboxer 14 Genres” went viral and made it on USA Today.
Polanco began posting his beatboxing videos on Youtube and even ranked 7th on the Source List of Top 10 HipHop Artists in 2018. The beatboxing star rose to popularity and even performed with artists like Alicia Keys, Marshmellow, Sean Kingston, and TikTok’s popular duo, the Lopez Brothers.
The 30-year-old hip-hop artist reached new limits when he began posting his videos on TikTok, where he has amassed a following of over 55 million followers (@spencerx). Spencer continues to wow his fans with his beatboxing and is known for producing original soundtracks and comedy sketches.
9. Loren Gray
Loren Gray was one of the major scenes on Musical.ly when the app started taking off in 2015. The American singer-songwriter was only 12 years old when she first downloaded musical.ly, and since then, she has grown immensely on the platform. She is known for her Barbie looks and lip-syncing videos.
The star was nominated at the 9th Annual Shorty Awards for the Muser of the Year in 2017 and for Choice Muser for a second time in 2018. From March 2019 to March 2020, she was named the most followed Muser on the platform. Her popularity was just the start of her career, and she later signed with Virgin Records and Capitol Records. Since then, she has appeared in multiple music videos of her own and featured with other artists. Presently, Gray is an individual artist who enjoys writing and singing and has a following of 54.3 million on the platform.
10. Michael Le
Popular content creator Michael Le started dancing at the young age of 4. He is an Asian-American dancer, choreographer, and social media personality. Le started his social media journey back in 2016 by posting dance videos on Musical.ly (now TikTok). He is one of the top users on the platform.
The dancer shows off his skills through self-choreographed videos with his adorable siblings. Le owns his merchandise brand Shluv Clothing, and is the brand ambassador for Bang Drinks. The dancing star has also started his Youtube channel, where he uploads dance covers and tutorials with his 3.12 million subscribers.
The dancer is the most popular male user on TikTok, with 52 million followers (@justmaiko). His video of dancing to Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie” on an escalator still remains one of the most viewed videos on the platform.
11. Brent Rivera
The 25-year-old social media personality Brent Rivera hails from Huntington Beach, California. The actor and social media influencer gained popularity with his viral videos on Vine and then moved to Musical.ly (now TikTok).
The star makes comedy videos featuring his sister Lexi Rivera where the sibling duo often prank each other. Rivera has a clothing line called “Relatable” and a podcast named “So Relatable.” Apart from his individual schedules, Rivera was also a part of Coca-Cola’s #MakeItHappen campaign in 2015.
Rivera co-founded The Amp Studios, which generated 10 billion views per month in 2020. Rivera has a huge fan base with over 46 million followers on TikTok (@brentrivera) and another 26.4 million on his Youtube.
12. Jojo Siwa
The Dance Moms star Joelle Joanie Siwa a.k.a Jojo Siwa, is known for her iconic bow hairstyle and social media presence. The 20-year-old dancer, singer, and actress came to the spotlight when she became the youngest contestant in a dance reality show and later appeared on Dance Moms in 2014.
In 2016 Siwa released her song “Boomerang,” which talked about online bullying and gained 950 million views on Youtube. In 2018 Vivid Seats gave her the title of Breakout Artist of the Year. The Musical.ly star also made it to the list of Time’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2020.
Jojo Siwa is one of the most followed artists on the platform (@itsjojosiwa), with 45.9 million followers. Her life came to a full circle when in 2020, she became the judge for the seventeenth season of So You Think You Can Dance.
13. Joe Albanese
Joseph Albanese was inspired by his sister, who built her social media career on Musical.ly and then TikTok. The dancer, content creator, model, and social media personality followed in his sister’s footsteps and joined TikTok in 2020.
Joe gained popularity with his break-dance videos, and fans particularly love seeing him dance with his family. The social media personality also has his own Youtube channel where he uploads pranks, lifestyle, and reaction videos. The star has amassed huge popularity with over 43.5 million followers on TikTok (@joealbanese) and another 5 million on his Youtube.
14. Avani Gregg
Avani Khiara Gregg is known for her infamous video of transitioning to Harley Quinn. Gregg joined Musical.ly back in 2016, but her videos started receiving major attention in 2019 with her viral clown girl makeup.
Gregg is a social media star and makeup artist who has earned the style guru badge and verification crown and even won the Shorty Awards for Best TikToker of the Year in 2019. She also made it to the list of Forbes 30 under 30 in the social media category in 2020.
The 20-year-old has graced a number of Fashion Weeks in Paris, Milan, and New York. Greg shares makeup, dance, and styling videos on TikTok, where she has over 43 million followers (@avani).
15. Chase Hudson
Cole Chase Hudson is popular on the internet by the name Lil Huddy. The 21-year-old is an American actor, singer, and social media personality. Lil Huddy started his journey on Musical.ly (now TikTok) and later co-founded the TikTok creator collective Hype House.
In 2020, Hudson signed with Interscope Records and released his debut single, “21st Century Vampire,” in 2021. Apart from his music career, Hudson also starred alongside Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney in “Downfalls High.” He popularized the e-boy aesthetics and often flaunts black nail paint and e-boy style.
The punk star is known for his lipsyncing and dance videos on TikTok and has a following of 31.8 million followers (@huddy) on the platform. He is named as one of the top 10 music influencers on TikTok by Billboard.
16. Lele Pons
Hailing from Venezuela, Lele Pons is an American-Venezuelan actress, singer, and YouTube star. Pons became popular on Vine before it shut down in 2016. Pons has always been a natural entertainer with her comedy skits and fun videos on Musical.ly (now TikTok).
The star branched out to other platforms like Youtube and Instagram and has her own docuseries on Youtube, “The Secret Life Of Lele Pons” She has appeared in various television series, shows, and films. Her fandom from Musical.ly has grown ever since, and today, she has amassed over 31 million followers on Tiktok (@lelepons). She also creates comedy sketches for Youtube, where she has 18 million subscribers.
17. Liza Koshy
Elizabeth Shaila Koshy, who goes by the name Liza Koshy is a popular American actress and comedian. She rose to popularity with her comedy videos on Vine and Youtube. Koshy has a huge following with over 17 million subscribers on her Youtube alone. Her second Youtube channel pulls in another 7 million subscribers.
Koshy often posts comedy videos on Musical.ly (now TikTok), where she has over 30.2 million followers (@lizzza). The actress made it to the list of Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2019 and Time’s List of 25 Most Influential People on the Internet.
18. Savannah Labrant
Savannah Labrant is not only a Musical.ly star but a fashion blogger, social media influencer, and professional photographer. The star often documents her daily life on social media with her husband and children.
Savannah gained popularity through her lipsyncing and adorable dance videos with her daughter. In 2016, she won the Muser of the Year, for which she was nominated along with fellow top Musers like Baby, Ariel, and Jacob Sartorius. Fans love to see her candid side and her adorable family vlogs. The star also published a book with her husband titled “Cole and Sav: Our Surprising Love Story.” The Labrant family has over 30 million followers on TikTok (@savv.labrant) and over 13 million subscribers on Youtube.
19. Josh Richards
Popular Sway House member Joshua Kenneth Richards is a singer, influencer, and popular social media personality. Richards found popularity at the age of 14 on Musical.ly (now TikTok). He joined the Sway house along with fellow influencers Bryce Hall, Anthony Reeves, and others.
Richards is a popular creator, and his content revolves around sports, lipsyncing, and comedy skits. In 2020 Richards signed with Warner Records and released the infamous diss track “Softish Still” featuring Bryce Hall. Richard continues to create music and is one of the popular TikTok stars with over 26 million followers (@joshrichards) on the platform.
20. David Dobrik
David Julian Dobrik is a popular internet personality, Youtuber, and Podcaster who found success on the video-sharing platform Vine. He began his Youtube journey in 2015 when he started his vlog channel, which became the fifth most-followed account on Youtube in 2019.
Dobrik’s content revolves around vlogs, playing pranks on his friends, and challenge videos. He is credited for being the leader of Vlog Squad, which comprises a rotational team of creators. The famous Youtuber has also ventured into other entertainment areas and has appeared on television and even hosted award shows.
Dobrik posts a variety of videos on TikTok, where he collaborates with other influencers and brands. The star has a following count of over 26 million followers (@daviddobrik) on the platform and another 18 million on Youtube.
21. Malu Trevejo
Maria Luisa Trevejo, better known as Malu Trevejo, is famous for her rendezvous with online dramas. Trevejo began posting belly-dance covers and lipsyncing videos on Musical.ly (now TikTok) and quickly rose to fame with millions of followers on the platform.
The 20-year-old Cuban singer became a verified user on the platform and signed a recording contract with In-Tu Iinea and Universal Music Latin at the age of 14. Trevejo released her debut single, “Lune Llena,” in 2017, and it gathered millions of views instantly.
In 2021 the Muser was rumored to be dating Central Cee after a photo of the duo circulated. However, Malu savagely put off all rumors. The musical.ly star sure has an army of followers on TikTok with 25 million followers (@malutrevejo) and another 12 million on Instagram.
22. Bryce Hall
The American social media personality and Youtube star Bryce Michael Hall is known for getting wrapped up in controversies. Hall started his career by live streaming on YouNow and making comedy and lipsyncing videos on Musical.ly (now TikTok).
Hall has openly talked about being bullied and how he started live streaming to find friends online. His Youtube channel, where he regularly shares vlogs, has accumulated over 3.4 million followers. In 2020 he became a member of the Sway House along with other social media personalities. In the same year, Hall launched his podcast” Capital University.”
Youtuber Austin Mcbroom and Hall went on to compete in a boxing match which was turned into a youtube series, YouTubers Vs. TikTokers. With 24 million followers on TikTok (@brycehall) and another 6.7 million on Instagram, Hall indeed is a star.
23. Jacob Sartorius
The 20-year-old American singer also rose to popularity when he began uploading lipsyncing videos on Muscial.ly. The star released his first single, “Sweatshirts,” in 2016, which peaked at number 90 on the Billboard Hot 100 US chart. In the same year, the star went on a solo tour and performed in six cities.
In 2016 he was nominated for the Teen Choice Awards for Choice Muser, iHerat Radio Music Awards for Social Star Award, and Kids’ Choice Award for Viral Music Artist. He released two more singles titled ‘Hit or Miss’ and ‘All My Friends.’ The former charted at number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is his highest charting single to date.
Apart from his dating scandals, Jacob Sartorius has gathered a following of 23.6 million on the platform (@jacobsartorius) and another 11.5 million followers on Instagram (@jacobsartorius).
24. Kristen Hancher
Hancher is a Canadian actress, singer, dancer, model, and social media influencer. The now 24-year-old has appeared in multiple series like “Misshaps” and “Too Cool For School.” In 2017 Hancher posted a lip sync video of “Regret In Your Tears” with Nicki Minaj on Musical.ly (now TikTok).
The platform gave her the opportunity to share acting skits and lip-syncing videos online. She often collaborates with other Musers in her videos. Hancher is famous for her similarities in looks with the business mogul Kylie Jenner and her ever-changing hair colors. She has a huge number of followers on the platform, with 23.4 million followers (@kristenhancher) and 1.7 billion likes.
25. Mackenzie Ziegler
The 19-year-old American actress, singer, and dancer found fame after she appeared on the dance reality show Dance Moms for six years with her sister Maddie Ziegler. The star has also appeared on various reality shows like “Nicky Ricky Dicky & Dawn,” “Total Eclipse” and “Dancing With The Stars Junior.”
Ziegler was one of the top Musers on Muscial.ly and was nominated for Teen Choice Awards “Choice Muser” in 2016 and 2018. The dancing star has a following of 23.2 million followers on the platform (@mackenzieziegler) and another 14.7 million followers on Instagram.
26. Tony Lopez
The youngest of the popular duo Lopez brothers, Tony Lopez, is a dancer, influencer, and social media personality. Lopez began his journey to fame on TikTok in 2019 and became one of the most followed users of the platform.
Tony has been dancing with brothers since high school when the duo danced at pep rallies. In 2019 he joined the Hype House alongside other influencers Chase Hudson, Charlie D’Amelio, and Avani Gregg. Lopez dances to popular soundtracks and even choreographs his own dance videos. The star has gained over 23 million followers (@tonylopez) on TikTok and is one of the most successful users on the platform.
27. Annie Leblanc
Julianna Grace Leblanc, also known as Jules Leblanc or Annie Leblanc, caught the attention of the masses when she started her Youtube channel featuring gymnastic videos at the age of 3. She is best known for being one of the stars featured on the family vlog channel “Bratayley,” which gave her massive online popularity.
The actress, singer, and Youtuber released her debut single “ Ordinary Girl” in 2017 and starred in films like “Chicken Girls” and the Nickelodeon comedy series “Side Hustle.” In 2018 she received the Shorty Award for “Muser Of the Year” for her contribution to the Platform, where she has a following of 19 million followers. The Business Insider named her “one of the most famous teens in the world.”
28. Nessa Barrett
The Puerto Rican star is famous for her lipsyncing videos and pouty looks. The singer, influencer, and internet personality started her career in 2019 when she joined TikTok. Her content included lipsyncing to rap and pop songs and occasionally included dance videos.
Nessa signed with Warner Records in 2019 and released her debut single, “Pain,” which is a classic piano ballad. Barrett released her debut album in 2021, titled “Pretty Poison,” which featured her single “I Hope ur Miserable Until ur Dead.” The single was Barrett’s first song to chart on Billboard Hot 100. The singer has earned over 19 million followers on TikTok (@nessaabarrett).
29. Lea Elui
The belly-dancing queen Lea Elui Ginet is a popular social media influencer, dancer, and brand ambassador for Loreal Paris. The 22-year-old began her journey in 2016 when she started posting belly-dancing videos on the popular app Musical.ly (now TikTok). Her belly dancing skills automatically gave her a kickstart on the platform.
Lea once shared how she was bullied for her dance videos. Despite all the negativity, she did not give up her love for dance. Today she is one of the top influencers attending front-row fashion shows of top brands like Fendi and Chanel. She even made it to the list of Cannes Film Festival attendees. The star has accumulated over 18 million followers on TikTok (@leaului) and another 11 million on Instagram.
30. Cameron Dallas
Cameron Alexander Dallas is an American actor, singer, and social media personality. The 28-year-old was known for his shot videos on Vine and Musical.ly. In 2014 and 2015, Dallas starred in “Expelled” and “The Outfield.” In the following year, Dallas got his own reality show on Netflix, “Chasing Cameron.” His fame from Netflix followed him to his singing career and tour in Europe.
The internet star has gained a following of 17.4 million followers on the platform (@camerondallas). In 2017 Cameron was the second most followed on Instagram, with over 20 million followers on the platform. In 2020 Dallas was also seen in the Mean Girls Musical on Broadway as Aaron Samuels.
31. Lisa and Lena
The identical twins from Germany, Lisa Mantler and Lana Mantler, began making videos on the app Musical.ly back in 2015 (now Tiktok). Soon the sisters became stars on the platform, becoming the #1 followed Muser on the platform with 32.7 million followers. The fans were disappointed when the duo decided to shut down their account in 2019 as they felt the app was unsafe. They joined back in 2020 and gained 2.5 million followers within 24 hours.
The sisters are proud owners of their clothing brand J1MO71 launched in 2016. They were awarded the Golden Bravo Otto as Social media stars. In 2017 they were awarded the Shorty Awards for Best Muser Of The Year. Presently the duo has a total of 13.5 million followers on the platform (@lisaandlena).
32. Johnny Orlando
From covering songs in the bathroom to building a singing career, 20-year-old singer Johnny Orlando surely made a name for himself. Orlando became famous when his cover of Justin Bieber’s Mistletoe gained lakhs of views, and the star started posting more covers.
The Canadian singer has built his social media following with 10.4 million followers on the platform and another 5 million subscribers on Youtube. The once-bathroom singer now tours around the globe, singing his songs for his fans.
33. Noen Eubanks
The model, influencer, and social media personality is known for comedic undertones in his videos. Eubanks found fame on Musical.ly (now TikTok) back in 2016 when he downloaded the app to send a joke to his brother. Since then, Eubanks has garnered much attention, and currently, his videos have a reach of up to 100 million views.
After his rise to mainstream entertainment, Eubanks became the face of the luxury brand Celine in 2019. Fans love to call him “soft boi,” a terminology used for men who love to show their feminine side. Eubanks has amassed 10 million followers (@noeneubanks) on the platform and has multiple brand endorsements under his name.
34. Blake Gray
Sway House member Blake Gray is an American social media influencer, internet personality, and model. Gray started his journey pretty late when his friends pressured him into joining Musical.ly (now TikTok). The now 22-year-old started posting daily videos and became a part of the Impact Meetandgreet.Me tour group.
With his popularity on the platform, in 2018, he became part of Jacob Sartotius’s Summer Send-off Tour. Out of all his creative works, Gray is best known for his modeling work. Recently, he became the face of Ralph Lauren’s “Romance” fragrance campaign. He is also a regular at Fashion Weeks for brands like Fendi and Louis Vuitton. The star has over 9.7 million followers on TikTok (@blakegray) and another 5 million followers on Instagram.
35. Hailey Orona
Known to her fans as Real Ona, Hailey Orona is a Mexican-American singer, social media influencer, Youtuber, and internet personality. Orona started her journey with Musical.ly (now TikTok), where she posted dancing and lipsyncing videos. Her belly dancing skills and cute personality was loved by fans, and she soon became one of the top Musers on the app.
Branching out from the platform, she now has her own Youtube channel where she regularly interacts with her fans and vlogs. She has over 2 million followers on her Instagram and over 9 million followers on TikTok (@real.ona). In 2018 the Musical.ly star dated popular Instagram personality, Brandon Westenberg. The duo reportedly separated in 2019 before rekindling in 2021. Her recent single “Me Eamore” was released in 2021, where she collaborated with Bobbysworld and BJ Cook.
Also read: 80 Most Beautiful Celebrities of All Time.
