Today’s influencers represent a sea change in celebrity culture. Instead of actors and sports figures gaining clout first, then cashing in with endorsements, a new generation of social media stars—and no, that doesn’t just mean Gen Z—are using an interesting lifestyle and a must-engage social feed to build an audience, find a voice, and even earn a living all in real time. Today’s influencers aren’t just trendsetters, reflecting our culture back at us—they’re on their way to being power brokers, shaping the society in which we live. The new wave has reached NoVA, and we’ve gathered together the local social savants putting their stamps on our region and beyond.
Nic Donovan’s relaxed, humorous musical aesthetic is setting new records with millions of views. We asked him what it’s like balancing his viral stardom with family life.
TikTok handle: iamnicd
City: Culpeper
Followers: 895,000 (TikTok); 1.2 million (The FRDi Show podcast)
On TikTok since: Mid-2019
Getting started: “I started with another channel, Holiday Now, on TikTok. I realized it was a legit way to gain traction for things I enjoy doing. So I started doing music. But TikTok is its own animal; the community knows whether it’s created for the app or repurposed. I figured out how to have an identity on TikTok, and once I did, it was rewarding. It boils down to being genuine.”
Why he does it: “The baseline is, I enjoy it. But if I’m being fully aware and transparent, I love doing and finding what’s next.”
Biggest post ever: “I love trick shots and hand-eye coordination. For one video, I was singing my song [about my wife], ‘Fine Apple,’ and I threw fruit behind my head without looking. It turned out to be one of my most viral TikTok videos, with 5.2 million views. I had initially released the song in January 2021. It’s my best-performing song from the get-go, but I stopped promoting it because it didn’t sound like a winter song. I waited until it got warmer in the spring and started promoting it again, and it took off.”
Favorite feedback: “A woman on Instagram commented: ‘I love that your music does not demoralize and sexualize women, and I’m able to jam out to your music with my daughter without worrying that the content is inappropriate.’”
Weirdest feedback: “There’s always trolls. Early on, my wife would read some of the comments. She’d start fuming and want to respond. You have to remember not to take anything personal on the internet. You’ll never be criticized by someone who’s [busy], because they don’t have time.”
Future goals: “My vision is to release songs fairly frequently and see if I can get another one to do as well as ‘Fine Apple’ or better. You never know till you release it. I call it ‘feeding it to the wolves.’ I share it with people and let them decide.”
On “living” off-camera: “When I’m home, I’m home. It’s completely separate [from my work].”
What he won’t share: “I don’t post my wife, or my son and daughter [ages 4 and 3½ months]. It’s not my kids’ decision whether they want to be on camera: If I were to put them on there, they would have no idea what it is. And maybe later on they’d say they don’t even want to be online. And it’s not my wife’s dream to be in front of a lot of people. It’s mine.”
Why his followers care: “Because I make musical content that’s true to me, my audience can connect to me as a person first and then enjoy my work. The right people will gravitate toward that.”
The free loot: “I turn a lot down because I’m minimalistic, and if I’m going to share something with someone who values my opinion, I want it to be something I actually like. I’ve only done one merchandise collaboration, because it made sense to me. Otherwise, on the podcast, we’re sponsored by Manscaped right now, but I actually use it. And a fan once sent me a custom blown-glass pineapple [inspired by] the cover art for ‘Fine Apple.’”
Keeping his music clean: “I want my kids to be able to listen, and I want other kids to, as well. I don’t like how a lot of today’s pop culture objectifies women. I want to be the polar opposite of that.”
The FRDi Show: “It’s an acronym for ‘Feels Right, Don’t It?’ We just talk and answer questions. I don’t like unproductive conversation because I’d rather [be doing something]. This is unproductive conversation, but at the same time, it’s a podcast and content that’ll help us grow. We’re trying to make this something with more longevity five or 10 years from now.”
Top NoVA spot: “Downtown Culpeper: I’m here for a reason. I love where I live. I’m also a mountain guy more than a beach guy. One of my favorite hikes is Little Stony Man at sunset.”
This story originally appeared in our January issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to our monthly magazine.