On October 15th, content creator Megan Tomasic posted a TikTok recapping her negative experience at a Sombr concert in Washington DC. Tomasic criticized the indie pop star for his behavior on stage. She cited “brain rot” humor and immature audience interactions as reasons why she would go on to leave the show early. Tomasic also noted that the artist had asked his predominantly underaged fans to bark for him while repeatedly making lewd jokes throughout his setlist.
Sombr, or Shane Michael Boose, first gained popularity on TikTok in 2025 with the success of recently released singles, “back to friends” and “undressed”. His tall stature and similar appearance to actor Finn Wolfhard quickly made him popular amongst a younger fanbase and, by the release of his first album “I Barely Know Her”, the artist had acquired a substantial following.
With Tomasic’s TikTok eventually acquiring over 6 million views, Sombr would soon respond on his own platform. Seemingly ignoring the critiques levied in Tomasic’s original video, he asserted that, “I’m a 20-year-old artist. If you’re 25 and come to my concert without expecting younger fans, that’s a skill issue.” Sombr also accused Tomasic of “body shaming” him for being tall and thin in her critique, a comment which some have perceived as deflection from his own behavior.
The response was not well received by most followers, with many commenting on his inability to accept criticism. Much of the feedback left by fans reflected confusion as to why the singer focused heavily on the 5 year age gap between Tomasic and himself. TikTok user @mbun004 left a comment on a video recapping the drama, calling the reply “Very tone deaf”, while user @skidrownelli joked that, “Grown people don’t want to accept that they are grown.”
Similar to Sombr, overnight success Chappell Roan has been criticized for her social media responses to fans whose behavior she deems to be “weird” and “creepy”. She took to TikTok to call out fans that approached her asking for a hug or photo, saying, “It’s weird how you think that you know a person just because you saw them online and you listen to the art they make.”
Some fans felt as though her attitude towards supporters came across as ungrateful and viewed her request to be left alone in public as unrealistic. TikTok user @marielpello commented, “Asking for a hug or photo isn’t harassment” while user @itzmemsb said, “Without fans not one celebrity would be famous or have money. They forget fans made them.”
TikTok has completely changed the music industry and shaken the boundaries between fan and artist. Its format of short video content being paired with catchy songs have made it so that previously underground artists can go viral like never before. Many of these new musicians have no experience with being in the public eye or professional PR training.
There is a loss of separation that comes from artists using the same platforms as their fanbase. They are able to view negative comments as they are being pushed out and immediately respond. Through the direct access between fan and artist, TikTok exposes artists to unfiltered public scrutiny while providing them with the opportunity to defend themselves. The age of social media has faced artists with the new task of learning to constantly handle and respond to digital criticism in real time.
