James Charles is one of the biggest social media influencers of the past decade. With 36 million followers on TikTok, 24.7 million followers on Instagram, and 25.5 million subscribers on YouTube, the beauty guru has a vast reach.
While his success has brought him fame and fortune beyond his wildest dreams, it has been a bumpy road to the top. He constantly finds himself entwined in controversy and surrounded by drama, especially with top beauty influencers such as Jeffree Star and Tati Westbrook.
Lately, the 22-year-old has been experiencing a downslide in his popularity due to allegations of inappropriate behavior involving minors. The beauty vlogger admits to making mistakes along the way, saying his “biggest regret” involves rude comments he made about pop star sensation Ariana Grande.
How James Charles became the biggest influencer on the internet
The New York native started on YouTube in 2015 to share his beauty secrets and makeup tutorials. Fans began to flock to his channel for helpful hints.
In 2016, Charles sealed with fate with a high school graduation photo posted to Twitter that went viral. According to Glamour, the influencer said, “So I retook my senior photos and brought my ring light with me so my highlight would be poppin’. I love being extra.”
CoverGirl cosmetics picked up on the influencer’s prominence in social media and signed him to a contract. At only 17 years of age, Charles broke barriers to become the first male ambassador for the beauty giant. The accomplished makeup artist quickly rose to fame and, in 2018, launched an eyeshadow palette with Morphe Cosmetics that sold out in under six minutes. Charles’ has an estimated net worth of $22 million.
Despite his unprecedented success, Charles has dealt with crippling drama that has almost taken him down. He has survived immense backlash from fans involving offensive and “unintentionally transphobic” comments he made online.
Celebrity Net Worth reports Charles’ biggest feud involved Westbrook, a fellow YouTuber, and mentor. The beauty influencer was accused of “disloyalty,” spreading rumors, and “manipulating people’s sexuality.”
Fans reacted harshly, and in less than 24 hours, more than a million people unsubscribed from Charles’ prosperous YouTube channel. The resilient vlogger bounced back by posting an apology video that hit 33 million views. Charles dodged another bullet, and fans returned to show their support.
What the beauty vlogger said about Ariana Grande
In 2018, the Sisters clothing line founder collaborated with YouTube stars, Shane Dawson and Ryland Adams. According to US Magazine, Dawson asked Charles to name the “rudest celebrity” he’d ever met. Charles replied, “Ariana Grande.”
Charles explained his “really crappy experience” with the “Dangerous Woman” singer. He claimed that after attending the pop star’s concert, he posted photos to Instagram. He then received a DM from Grande, who began to follow him.
The “Thank U, Next” performer quickly changed her mind after learning about offensive jokes the influencer made about Africa and Ebola. When he reached out to Grande to find out why she canceled him, she replied, “Hey babe, I saw a lot of angry tweets from my fans, and I would never want to disappoint them, so I unfollowed.”
Charles took to Twitter, claiming he was being bullied by fans of the Sweetener singer.
James Charles has more than one regret
The mega-famous makeup artist claims calling Grande the “rudest celebrity” is one of his “biggest regrets.”
In a recent Instagram Stories Q&A that attracted 24.7 million followers, US reports Charles told viewers that Grande did “literally nothing” wrong. He explained, “The fact that I said that is one of my biggest regrets of my career & still follows me 4 years later sucks.”
The beauty influencer plans on discussing the interaction more “in-depth” when he releases a video reviewing the release of Grande’s new cosmetic brand, R.E.M. Beauty. Charles told E Online, he hopes people “listen with an open mind.”
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