The summer of 2020 is not a particularly memorable time many of us would want to look back at. The Covid pandemic had just gripped the whole world, forcing us to stay locked inside our homes. Being associated with the word ‘viral’ was frowned upon.

But in 2020, for the then-19-year-old Shashwot Khadka, the association with the forbidden word changed his life for the better. As the world learned to take baby steps and tried to adjust to life amid a pandemic, Khadka was preparing to take a big leap into the Nepali music scene.

On July 27, 2020, Khadka uploaded a song on YouTube. The song was titled after what had given him the initial idea for its creation– ‘Batash’ (breeze). Two weeks into the song’s release, it had only managed a modest 8,000 views. Right around then, a Tiktok user by the handle @shi.wali uploaded a choreography to the song. The twenty-three seconds dance clip took off in no time, making it the new viral trend and Khadka a national sensation.

Since then, the song has been used in more than 165,000 TikToks. The now-22-year-old singer also performed at the closing ceremony of Miss Universe Nepal 2021. The same year, his hit song was also nominated for the ‘Public Choice Award’ at the ‘21st Annual Tuborg Image Awards’. The song currently sits at 52 million views on YouTube and 6.9 million streams on Spotify.

Given its massive active user base of over a billion users, TikTok has quickly become the go-to promotional platform for musicians and labels. The ungovernable and unpredictable nature of the app’s algorithm can raise an artist from obscurity to global stardom in no time. Today, the app has become a necessary inclusion in the growth of an artist. From mainstream to indie, and established to aspiring, musicians from all over are trying to figure out TikTok to not get left behind.

“My audience grew from what was almost non-existent before ‘Batash’ to such huge numbers,” says Khadka, who has amassed 276,000 subscribers on YouTube. “A musician is made by their audience; I got mine from TikTok.”

It isn’t just Khadka who has experienced this phenomenon. Sajish Shrestha, better known by his stage name ‘VZN’, who is known and loved for his chill and upbeat music, shares a similar story.

“I have witnessed exponential growth since my songs went viral on TikTok. Before I joined the app, my songs barely reached a thousand views. Now, my most recent release has already surpassed 600,000 views within a month,” shares the 25-year-old, who brags a catalogue of TikTok hits such as ‘K hau Timi Mero’, ‘Hik Hikki’, ‘Bhunte Ki Aama’, and many more.

However, virality on TikTok alone does not guarantee a successful music career. While a few artists succeed in translating their viral moments into a much more prosperous future, many fail to do so. If and how the trajectory of an artist changes following their virality depends entirely on themselves. A belief both Khadka and VZN echo.

“Some artists tend to limit themselves creatively, following their virality, in order to cater to the liking of their audience. In the process of pleasing others, they confine themselves to produce what has already worked, barring themselves from exploration,” says VZN.

The artists should define their music, not the other way around. But that is what tends to happen when the artist is unable to deliver consistently. If they can maintain the quality of their work, it’s a boon. If they cannot, it creates a vicious cycle of chasing fame, adds Khadka.

“Personally, I have not been able to give much time to my music. It does get depressing when you watch the numbers decline, but you should not let that affect you,” adds Khadka, who is currently pursuing a degree in food engineering from the New Delhi-based Sharda University.

While young musical aspirants flock to the app looking for opportunities to kick-start their musical careers, veterans are also not far behind. Some experienced singers have managed to make a place for themselves in the world of TikTok through their classic hits, while others come looking for ignition to rejuvenate their careers.

Subani Moktan, a veteran singer/songwriter who has been doing independent as well as playback singing actively for more than a decade now, is one of the most active and recognisable musical personalities on TikTok.

Moktan, who has been on the app for two years, says the need to reach a wider audience drew her to the app.

“Back in 2020, I released a new song on YouTube, and it failed to perform well. That was when I felt like it was high time I join TikTok and promote my work,” shares the veteran singer.

Now, whenever she has a new release, she goes live on TikTok to spread the word. This, she says, has undoubtedly helped her numbers grow.

“My TikTok presence has reflected in my numbers on YouTube. These days when people recognise me, they tell me that they’ve seen me on TikTok,” shares Moktan, adding that this makes her hopeful as an artist. “I see people dancing to my older songs, whose time I had deemed was over. As they say, good things will always find their way back and achieve what they truly deserve.”

It is a popular belief that having a social media presence in today’s day and age is necessary for growth. Unless the artists are backed by a team of promoters or have good connections, the journey to gain momentum becomes arduous. Hence, having social media becomes a compulsion.

Moktan, however, shares a different view.

“Although having social media does help, it isn’t a necessity. I personally know many artists who are not active on social media but are still doing very well in terms of music and career,” says Moktan. “Having a social media presence is just the cherry on top.”

Although TikTok’s seemingly easy-to-achieve overnight success and instant fame may be pleasing on the outside, it isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. All of it comes with a price to pay.

Putting something out in the open for others to see also means opening yourself to criticism from all kinds of people who, in many cases, are not well-versed in kindness.

Young artists like Khadka and VZN say that they have often found themselves on the receiving end of negative comments. However, it is their undeterred belief and love for their craft that has helped them continue.

“Not everyone is on the app to have a good time. Some are there to vent their bottled-up anger and stress,” says VZN.

Khadka believes that this understanding has helped him continue without letting the harsh criticisms affect him.

Veterans are not immune to hate, either. Moktan says that being on the app has given her a reality check, adding that it has taught her to stay grounded and be ever-prepared for failure and negativity.

“When you’re on a public pedestal, you are prone to both positive and negative comments, especially on a platform like TikTok. The disparaging comments make me realise that no matter how sincerely and well you do your job, there will always be people with something negative to say. I try my best to focus on the positives and not let the negativity deter me.”