Child stardom is by now an established archetype. The story of Lil Tay is one that both epitomizes the genre’s all-to-common themes — abuse, exploitation, public shaming — and stands out among its many examples because of its sheer absurdity, as well as its cosmic timing (the early days of the online influencer boom).
Tay’s journey to viral stardom began in 2018. Her polarizing, sometimes shocking persona — a fourth grader who drove luxury cars, posed with racks of cash, and cursed profusely — proved immensely popular, with five million Instagram followers, celebrity friends, high-profile meetings, a Good Morning America interview, and a three-episode reality TV series to show for it.
Like many instantly famous people, her star rose rapidly and burned out just as fast. Before her five-year hiatus from social media (and public discourse), her time in the spotlight lasted less than a financial quarter.
Read Next: Every trend that matters right now Her name returned to the news this past August, when her apparent death led the internet to mourn the loss of a tragic cultural figure.
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