TikTok has become a viral social media platform in no time; with over 1.5 billion users globally, it’s not wrong to say that it’s the hottest app of the moment. It has something for everyone, from informational videos about mental health to dance clips and niche knowledge about subjects some of us have never heard of before.

TikTok’s success is huge, and the platform has become one of the main factors that have triggered change in the music industry lately because it propelled some new names to colossal success.

Performers have used social media networks to grow their audience and stay in touch with their fans for years. Still, TikTok allowed them to gain significant followers as it addresses a different public than mainstream social media platforms. 

When users post video content featuring trending sounds on TikTok, their clips instantly go viral. Hence, it’s not wrong to say that hopeful artists could reach success more easily if they join the network. Since its launch, it has changed how musicians gain fame, and the following list of performers proves it. 

Let’s take a look at the artists who owe their big breaks to TikTok.

Lil Nas X

Some would say that Lil Nas X is the most famous musician who owes his fame to TikTok. In the platform’s early days, in 2019, his song Old Town Road became viral on the app, and everyone featured it in their videos.

The country-rap song captured everyone’s interest after the “yeehaw challenge” appeared on the platform, and users worldwide took part in it. The entire endeavor made it less of a challenge for the hit to enter the Billboard chart, where it spent 19 weeks at No.1. 

Lil Nas X later collaborated with Billy Ray Cyrus for a remix of the song, which won two Grammys for Best Music Video and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. The musician has since launched other hits like Industry Baby and Call Me By Your Name. 

Doja Cat

If you once listened to a Doja Cat’s song, you’ll easily recognize her voice when playing another one. Her voice has such unique inflections and modulations that it’s impossible to take her for someone else.

However, she wasn’t always the dominating force she is now in the music industry. Until 2018, she didn’t catch the public’s attention even if she was using social media platforms and launched several songs.

She drew attention to her music by posting a DIY video for the Amala track Moo, featuring her dancing in a cow costume and singing Bitch I’m a cow. Needless to say, she became a meme, and everyone has started to follow her to keep up with the content she created. 

In 2019, she released her first No.1 with Nicki Minaj, Say So, which transformed her into a star. Since then, she won a Grammy for her song with SZA, Kiss Me More, and released an album called Planet Her that was named the most streamed album by a female rapper on Spotify. 

Jack Harlow

What’s Poppin? You probably heard this catchy phrase countless times, but have you ever wondered where it started? If you’re listening to rap, you most likely know that Jack Harlow is one of the most popular names of the moment.

However, what only a few people know is that he became a household name after his song What’s Poppin? was featured in millions of clips on TikTok. Because people became obsessed with the phrase, the rapper gained immediate success. Some would say that the public also loves his flirty personality and flawless style, and who are we to disagree? He’s quite charming.

Since his first hit, Jack Harlow has owed the success of several other songs to TikTok because the users have been quick to create content featuring parts of his songs. Dua Lipa and First Class are only two of the numerous tunes you’ve most likely listened to on TikTok clips’ background. Without his TikTok followers, Harlow wouldn’t have become an industry darling. 

Megan Thee Stallion

All our fellow TikTok-ers know the Savage dance choreographed by Keara Wilson. It has started one of the most popular challenges on the platform, and numerous celebrities joined it. But did you know that the voice behind the song is no one else than Megan Thee Stallion?

Yes, the musician was already on the charts with the song Hot Girl when the challenge started, but TikTok propelled Megan to a new level of fame. Savage was remixed several times, and people worldwide have become familiar with the tune. Beyonce is by far the most well-known artist to join the rapper for a remix.

After Queen B brought her unique voice to the song, it became something else. It’s no wonder that Megan Thee Stallion got two Grammy awards for Savage, one for the Best Rap Performance for the remix with Queen B, and the other for the Best Rap Song. 

Olivia Rodrigo

Olivia Rodrigo is now a global superstar. She started her career by starring in the Disney+ spinoff series of High School Musical, but not too many people listened to her music, even after the series was released.

However, her viral videos on TikTok brought her to attention, and she became a star at only 17 years old with a driver’s license ballad. The tune broke the record for the most one-day streams on Spotify, and the musician won a Grammy for the Best Pop Solo Performance.  

Do you also find the above stories inspiring? They speak about the tales of creatives and artists who identified the potential behind the social media platform and used it to their advantage.

Also, some of them were lucky to create tunes that sounded entertaining enough that TikTok users featured them in their clips. Regardless of how they reached fame, we will keep an eye on the above artists because they are true examples of what a power TikTok is.

Late American actor Billy Miller was not only rumored to be in a relationship with Kelly Monaco but also speculated that they have been engaged.

To put the rumors to rest, it’s important to clarify that Miller and Monaco were not engaged. The rumor about their relationship started back in 2015 after they co-starred together in the soap opera General Hospital. 

In the television series, the actor played the role of Jason Morgan, while Monaco debuted as Sam Morgan. The duo’s on-screen portrayal was so authentic that many of the fans started to assume they were a real-life couple. 

However, fans did not just speculate that Miller and his co-star were dating based solely on their on-screen role, but there were multiple occasions when the duo was seen together in public.

For instance, in October 2015, the two were photographed having a great time at the beach in Malibu. In one of the pictures, they were seen swimming in the water, with Monaco affectionately holding onto the late actor.

Billy Miller was rumored to be dating Kelly Monaco. (Source: Instagram)

Later, in response to the stir caused by this snapshot, Monaco clarified that the picture made them appear more intimate. She mentioned that the duo and their few friends rented a beach house in Malibu to have fun rather than a romantic date.

Likewise, in one of the interviews, Monaco debunked the dating rumor surrounding her and Miller by stating that they were just friends and she was single at that time. 

Billy Miller’s dating history 

Miller mostly kept his personal life far from the public eye. He was also not active on social media platforms which created difficulties for his fans to know what was going on in his life. 

Likewise, the actor consistently maintained a clear distinction between his personal and professional life which prevented him from being romantically linked to his co-star beside Monaco. 

According to whosdatedwho, there is no record of Miller being in a relationship with any woman, either within or outside the entertainment industry.

Billy Miller was rumored to be gay 

One of the main reasons Miller’s fans and followers speculated about his sexual orientation was due to his portrayal of gay characters in a number of movies. Notably, he played the role of Richie Novak in All My Children and Charlie Young in Ringer.

The actor also portrayed a gay man who tragically passed away due to AIDS in the short film Remembering Nigel.

Miller’s portrayal of gay characters in these movies was so authentic that many of his fans and followers speculated about his personal connection or experience within the LGBTQ+ community.

Billy Miller was romantically linked to Jason Thompson. (Source: Michaelfairmantv)

Likewise, many of the actor’s fans noticed his undeniable chemistry with many of his male co-stars, such as Jason Thompson, Steve Burton, and Michael Muhney. Miller was even spotted hugging and kissing his male costars. 

The actor’s attraction towards the same gender led many of his fans to ship him with numerous male co-stars. Additionally, enthusiastic fans started creating fan fiction posts centered around the on-screen interactions between Miller and his male co-stars.

However, the actor never publicly addressed his sexual orientation himself. So it’s important to keep in mind that close relationships between actors do not necessarily imply their sexual orientation. 

Billy Miller recently passed away at the age of 43

Miller’s manager confirmed his passing on September 17, 2023, revealing that he had tragically died by suicide. He also revealed that the actor was struggling with depression at that time.

Shortly after the news of Miller’s passing, his mother Patricia shared that her son surrendered his life after a long and hard battle with bipolar depression. She told Soap Opera Digest, “He fought a long hard valiant battle with bipolar depression for years. He did everything he could to control the disease.”

She also expressed her gratitude for the support she received in the wake of her son’s tragic death. Patricia went on to say, “He loved his family, his friends, and his fans but in the end, the disease won the fight and he surrendered his life.”

Likewise, the actor’s mother made it clear that the other cause of Miller’s death circulating on the internet was not true. She concluded by stating, “We all loved him so much and are desperately trying to deal with our loss.”

Moreover, two days after the actor’s death, the actor’s former All My Children costar Chrishell Stause posted a picture of him kissing her on the cheek. 

Alongside the post, she wrote, “Too many feelings, but you are gone too soon and I’m so happy I got to work with you all those years, but also call you a friend. I hope you are at peace now,” with a broken heart and a prayer hand emoji. 

Furthermore, the last on-screen appearance made by Miller was in his role as Ezra Moretti in NCIS. He also portrayed the character of Alex Dunn in Truth Be Told from 2019 to 2020. 

Throughout the actor’s career, he also achieved many awards and nominations for his amazing acting skills. Some of his notable awards include the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role in The Young and the Restless and the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in General Hospital.

The world was in shock when an eight-year-old boy, Gabriel Fernandez, was tortured and murdered by his mother, Pearl Fernandez, and stepfather, Isauro Aguirre. 

Gabriel passed away on May 24, 2013, at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles after months of torture. However, his biological father, Arnold Contreras, was clueless about the incident because he was behind the bar at the time of his child’s death.

Later, in a documentary about the case, the prosecutor, Jon Hatami, revealed that Arnold was heartbroken from the loss of his child, and he felt that it was his fault for not protecting his son.

Eventually, Gabriel’s mother and stepfather were arrested for the murder on May 23, 2013. In court, she stated, “I want to say I’m sorry for what happened. I wish Gabriel was alive. Every day I wish that I would have made better choices. I’m sorry to my children, and I want them to know that I love them.”

Amidst Gabriel’s death case, many of his fans and followers remained curious about the status of the boy’s biological father, wondering if he was still alive.

Where is Arnold Contreras now? 

Arnold is still alive and appears to have moved on with his life, but he still carries the memory of his son. Looking at his Facebook profile, he has posted a few pictures with Gabriel, but he has not been active on the platform since 2017. 

Moreover, since his son’s death, he has been to jail many times. In May 2018, he was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for acquiring and retaining personal identification information.

Later, on February 11, 2019, Arnold was again arrested for nonviolent offenses and sentenced to Calipatria State Prison for a year and four months but became eligible for parole in June 2019.

Just a few months after he was released from jail, he was once again sent behind bars in 2020 after being convicted on two separate charges.

As of 2023, he is living a private life, and nothing much is known about his current circumstances. 

Arnold Contreras’ short biography 

Arnold was born on August 6, 1981, to his parents, Rodrigo Contretas and Placida Contretas. He grew up along with his younger brother, Christopher Contreras.

Regarding his profession, he worked at a tattoo and piercing parlor. Notably, on October 27, 2017, he posted the before and after pictures of the leg tattoo on his Facebook.

Arnold Contreras is a tattoo artist. (Source: Facebook)

In addition to his Facebook presence, he also maintains an active Pinterest account where he displays his prowess as a tattoo artist. 

Inside Arnold Contreras’ relationship with his ex-partner Pearl Fernandez

Even though Arnold and Pearl were the biological parents of Gabriel, there is no record to prove that they have been married. 

Likewise, nothing much is known about their relationship, like when they first met and how they started dating. Nevertheless, Arnold and Pearl had a toxic relationship, with Pearl often exhibiting aggressive behavior. 

One of Gabriel’s aunt also revealed that Pearl often behave abusively towards her romantic partners and act like she is the victim. 

Arnold Contreras and Pearl Fernandez failed to show love to their child

As a result of the toxic relationship between Arnold and Pearl, their child, Gabriel, had to face the consequences. Just three days after the birth, Gabriel was abandoned at the hospital by his mother, and his father was never a father figure in his life. 

Later, the boy was put under the custody of Pearl’s relative, Michael Lemos, and his partner, David Martinez. After staying there for around four years, Gabriel’s grandparents took responsibility for him. 

Arnold Contreras and Pearl Fernandez failed as parents. (Source: Yahoo)

Subsequently, in 2012, Pearl won custody of Gabriel and took him to live with her boyfriend, Isauro. That was the time when the child’s nightmare started. 

During his stay with his mother and stepfather, he suffered severe mistreatment like starvation and being forced to eat cringe-worthy things like cat litter, feces, vomit, and even rotten foods.

Soon after, his mother and stepfather started to beat him so severely that they broke his bones and teeth. Pearl and Isauro were so evil that they used to laugh, seeing the child suffer. 

Gabriel tolerated so many tortures from his mother and stepfather, leading to him falling critically ill on May 22, 2013. Later, Pearl called 911 to report that the child was not breathing and was taken quickly to the hospital. 

Unfortunately, the doctors could not save the child, and he took his last breath on May 24, 2013. After an extensive investigation, the official autopsy revealed his body was traumatized.