Elijah Wallace

About

Elijah Wallace (@iamelijahwallace) is a New York City-based TikToker and musician most known for his song "FENDI Slide" and self-referential content that's earned him a cult following. He started posting content in early 2021 but gained a significant following in 2022 which led to meet-and-greets and satirical, POV style videos. He is also the childhood friend of Lyrical Lemonade creator Cole Bennett. Wallace's content is viewed by many as serious, however, there is also a belief that his music and persona is satire. He often makes content alongside fellow TikToker @michael_thomas_white, who others have speculated to buy followers, however, this claim is currently unfounded.

Online History

Wallace uploaded his first TikTok^[1] video on January 31st, 2021, showing himself playing the piano in his apartment. Over the course of a year and a half, the video received roughly 1,800 plays (shown below, left). Soon after, on February 6th, 2021, Wallace uploaded his first TikTok^[2] that'd receive viral attention, earning roughly 2.1 million plays and 402,800 likes in a year and a half (shown below, right). In it, he claimed that the choir singing in Kanye West's song "Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1" was his church's.

On April 3rd, 2022, Wallace uploaded a music video to YouTube for his song "FENDI Slide," earning roughly 12,800 views over the course of four months (shown below).

Wallace posted content with minimal engagement thereafter, until early 2022, when, again some of his TikToks received over 1 million plays. On April 11th, 2022, Wallace posted a TikTok^[3] that pictured him in a suit and tie, walking around the Wall Street area of Manhattan and claiming that he'd just landed a job after months of applications and rejections. The TikTok received roughly 1.5 million plays and 95,200 likes over the course of four months (shown below, left). Also on April 11th, Wallace uploaded another TikTok^[4] in the same setting, earning roughly 1.2 million plays and 137,700 likes (shown below, right).

Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash

On April 17th, 2022, Wallace uploaded another music video to YouTube for his song "Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash," featuring fellow TikToker and musician Michael Thomas White (@michael_thomas_white). Over the course of four months, the video received roughly 4,000 views (shown below, left). Wallace started the video by talking about how he's "down bad" but then realized he was on the set list for Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash. Wallace had flexed his connection to Lyrical Lemonade and Cole Bennett in August 2021, when he uplaoded a video shadowing Bennett during that year's festival (shown below, right).

On June 18th, 2022, Wallace uploaded a TikTok^[5] that showed himself at the 2022 Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash, using a mock-POV format of an imagined fan approaching him. Over the course of two months, the TikTok received roughly 17,000 plays and over 990 likes (shown below, left). On June 22nd, Wallace posted another TikTok^[6] that showed himself onstage addressing a crowd before performing. The video received roughly 53,700 plays and 5,300 likes in two months (shown below, right).

FENDI Slide

Although Wallace originally uploaded the "FENDI Slide" music video on YouTube^[7] in April 2022, he didn't use it as the audio for a TikTok^[8] until July 14th, 2022, showing himself hopping the subway turnstile and then doing the dance. The video received roughly 411,700 plays and 81,300 likes in one month (shown below, left). TikTokers posted duets, stiches or simply just used the "FENDI Slide" sound to recreate Wallace's dance (example shown below, right).

NYC Fan Meet-up

On August 6th, 2022, Wallace posted a TikTok^[9] that hinted at a fan meet-up for himself happening in Washington Square Park in New York City. The video showed himself with many t-shirts that had himself on it, and the video earned roughly 197,200 plays and 31,800 likes in three days (shown below, left). The fan meet-up appeared to be a success from Wallace's succeeding TikToks as well as evident in videos from fans who were present. For instance, on August 6th, 2022, TikToker^[10] nartaniel posted a video of many fans at the meet-up performing the FENDI Slide with Wallace, earning roughly 59,300 plays and 9,600 likes in three days (shown below, right).

Is Elijah Wallace A Bit Or Serious?

After the NYC meet-up, TikToker ourdirtylaundry posted multiple videos that discussed her skepticism of Wallace but predominantly questioned his collaborator michael_thomas_white. Her skepticism centered on viewing White's music as satire, however, through text message screenshots and private DMs, she relayed that he was serious with his music rather than satirical. Ourdirtylaundry's first TikTok^[11] showed these texts regarding White, receiving roughly 49,100 plays and 2,200 likes in two days (shown below, left). On August 9th, 2022, TikToker^[12] ourdirtylaundry uploaded another critical video about White's music, earning roughly 1.7 million plays and 180,800 likes in two days (shown below, right).

Although ourdirtylaundry's videos predominantly centered on White, other TikTokers levied skepticism about if Wallace's music was satirical or serious. For instance, on August 10th, 2022, TikToker^[13] stephenfrat uploaded a video with text overlay reading, "Can someone please tell me if Elijah Wallace is serious or not. I thought it was satire until I saw him with Michael Thomas [White]. This is occupying too much room in my head." In one day, the TikTok received roughly 28,500 plays and 3,900 likes (shown below).

Elijah Wallace Working With Daquan

On August 5th, 2022, the TikTok account for Daquan uploaded a video that featured Elijah Wallace. It showed Wallace playing the part of a job interviewer and interviewee. The TikTok^[14] was promoted as an ad within many users' "For You" pages. Over the course of six days, the TikTok received roughly 172,200 plays and 4,400 likes (shown below).

Online Following

As of August 11th, 2022, Wallace's TIkTok^[15] account has amassed roughly 145,200 followers, his Instagram^[16] has amassed roughly 9,600 followers, his Twitter^[17] has roughly 1,000 followers and his YouTube^[18] has roughly 1,900 subscribers.

Search Interest

External References