How Anania Williams blew up on TikTok and have become a Gen Z comedy star

The city of Boston has a character of its own in Williams’ TikToks: he often records his videos while walking through the city at night, speaking into the camera with his distinctive voice or simply running to music. In one video, Williams kayaks with friends on the Charles River. “My white friends took me on the water,” he half yells into the camera. “I’m a kayaker now.” His followers joke that one day he will be killed for ignoring his surroundings.

Williams achieved TikTok fame by being what Generation Z wants most – authentic. His voice is clear and recognizable, even as background noise in other YouTubers’ videos.

Williams, 21, is entering his senior year at Emerson College studying musical theater and social justice. He is originally from Iowa.

Q: Tell me how you started using TikTok. When did you join?

I started making my own videos in July or August 2020. I started making these videos called the “Gen Z as” series. I was just making fun of the way Generation Z behaved in various professions as if Generation Z were the president. I eventually moved on to using my own comedy. I saw that something is missing on TikTok that I wanted to fill in, which is that people aren’t afraid to show that they are not doing well at the moment or that they are not perfect.

Q: When did you discover your account exploded? Was there a video that went viral first?

It was one of those “Gen Z as” videos. I think I got 100,000 followers with these videos and then started doing more content and comedy related to social justice. I got 1 million followers during the election while working a lot with the Gen Z for Biden (now Gen Z for Change) account. That’s when I started my running series – I just started filming myself in the dark running away from fantastic beings and things like that.

Q: Was there a moment when you realized, “I’m famous now?”

It was the blue check – to be verified. I also have a management team and I thought, “Oh, I’m famous.”

I get recognized pretty much every time I go out in public. It’s strange because I don’t see myself as someone who’s looking forward to the streets, but it’s nice that someone makes their day to meet me. That’s my whole goal – if I can make someone laugh or make their day easier, then I’ve done something right.

Lots of celebrities shared or got in touch with my content. Cynthia Erivo contacted me on Mother’s Day and offered to be an older queer sister who I can always reach for anything. She’s been my inspiration for a really long time in my life and when that happened it reinforced a lot of what I’m trying to do. I’m also happy to be able to interact with Cynthia Erivo in the first place.

Q: How much time do you spend on TikTok each week? Do you make money

It’s a part-time job and my favorite job I’m doing right now. I can choose the hours freely, but even if I’m not inspired, I get annoyed that I can’t create as much as I want.

I make most of my money with my management team. You approached me with branded offers and all of those things. TikTok also has the Creator Fund which I don’t make that much money off of but I use it for bills and school and rent.

Q: How has moving to Boston for college affected you and your identity?

I wanted to be so far from home that it would be a hassle to get there and back. The first thing I noticed was how liberating it was once my father and sister left after dropping me off. I felt this freedom for the first time in my entire life. For the first time I am surrounded by queer people, people who are willing to think differently from the way they grew up. It’s crazy how much can change in a person based on their location and who they are with. I don’t know where I would be if I weren’t in Boston or a bigger city right now. I probably wouldn’t like myself the way I do now.

Q: Is it difficult to balance your hometown self with your college and online self?

Certainly. I have to divide up different parts of my identity just so I can be safe, just so I can feel welcome in every room. When I go home for breaks, it’s a question of survival. It’s kind of sad because I vowed to myself never to put myself back in a situation where I feel I owe people or I need to change for many people, but I’m working on it.

Q: What are the downsides to TikTok fame?

There is an emotional tax. It’s exhausting to present yourself in such a way that people want to get involved. There can be so many positive comments and then you see a negative one and it will only ruin your day.

Another disadvantage is the picking and selection. The algorithm likes to play with people of color and with queer people. It’s really hard to navigate, which goes down well on the app. It is exhausting to put your heart into a video and no one sees it.

Question: What do you see for your future? What would you be without social media?

I plan to move to New York after graduation to continue my music theater career.

Even if social media were deleted from all phones, I would still find a way to connect with people in my community. I am a minor for social justice because I want to be able to organize my community on a smaller scale.

This interview has been shortened and edited slightly for the sake of clarity.

Comments are closed.