What Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s 200M TikTok Views Can Teach You About Success
Virality that’s 23 years in the making
Even if you haven’t watched Saltburn, you’ve been living under a rock if you’ve missed Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s explosive stardom.
Her catchy song, Murder on the Dancefloor, is back in the charts 23 years after its release. It peaked at number eight in the UK and charted in the Billboard 100 in the US — her first US chart appearance ever.
How come?
Commentators are calling it “The Saltburn Effect”:
“The song closes out Emerald Fennell’s film, soundtracking a climactic final scene that sees Irish actor Barry Keoghan prancing through a stately home, totally naked. The combination of full-frontal nudity and Ellis-Bextor’s much-loved noughties hit gave the scene instant viral potential, and unsurprisingly, the internet did the rest.”
— Thomas Mitchell, The Sydney Morning Herald
“[…] unsurprisingly, the internet did the rest.”
200 million views later, TikTok users flocked to Spotify. The song received 1.5 million Spotify streams on 31st December. It also saw a 340% increase in listenership compared to December 2022.
What’s more, the resurgence has led to a multi-million-dollar record deal for Ellis-Bextor with Universal.
We’ve seen this before:
- In 2022, Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill reached Number one as a result of its use in Stranger Things
- Natasha Bedingfield’s 2004 track Unwritten recently re-entered the UK charts after featuring in Anyone But You
So, what can Ellis-Bextor’s success teach content creators like us?
A great product is a great product. People might just not know it yet.
Let’s dig deeper.
A quick note…
You need to be financially secure to play the game I’m about to recommend.
“Money is like sex. You think of nothing else if you don’t have it, and think of other things if you do.”
— Felix Dennis, Author of How to Get Rich
That’s why I recommend creators get a part-time job. It’ll help pay your bills, and you’ll have more time to experiment.
I also recommend having six months of savings in the bank. This is not “FU” money. This is an emergency fund in case sh*t hits the fan.
Okay, here’s how you can replicate Sophie’s success.
Step #1: Build in public
For example, if you read a great book, share your discoveries on YouTube or a podcast.
You can then:
- Transcribe this content on Otter
- Turn the transcript into an article
- Repurpose it for social media
Things you share don’t have to be fully formed.
Derek Sivers likes to say, “Ideas are a multiplier of execution”. A good idea on its own without execution isn’t worth much. A not-so-good idea brought to life is better.
A “brilliant idea and brilliant execution” is the holy grail.
Two years ago, I posted 300+ business ideas on BitClout. They were in a Google doc I pulled together as a result of writing five ideas a day.
You’re welcome to the ideas, too!
Of course, there are nuances, but you’ll learn these along the way.
Just start.
When you put yourself out there, you’re increasing the chances that people will find your work.
And remember: a great product is a great product. People might just not know it yet.
You’ve got to give people a chance to find you.
Step #2: Give away your best stuff for free
“One of the secrets to getting what you want in life is creating the perception that you don’t need a thing.
“That can be a difficult energy to project — especially when you’re struggling — but committing to that perception will make you more attractive professionally, personally, and even romantically.”
— Curtis Jackson, aka 50 Cent
I’m always doing stuff for free:
- Working with Tim Denning
- My Free 30-Day Writing Challenge
- Writing articles & responding to comments
I’ve also given away a bunch of stuff for free:
- My 19-page guide: Everything I Did to Quit My 9–5 Job & Transition Into Profitable, Sustainable Solopreneuring
- My online course: 0–500 Email Subscribers Through Writing
- 1–2–1 consulting calls
This isn’t to say how great I am.
I’m just playing the long game. Good karma and all that. I’ve been doing this for 4+ years and intend to do it for many more.
Step #3: Let the chips fall
It’s amazing what can happen when you don’t care about money.
When you try things that excite you.
It’s a recipe I follow religiously. I couldn’t have predicted 90% of the opportunities that have come my way in the last two years:
- Publishing courses on Udemy led to a collaboration with Zero To Mastery
- I partnered with Semrush after one of their managers found my SEO courses
- Many of my freelance clients find me through Medium
Let the chips fall as they may.
It’s one of the best decisions you can make.
Takeaways
Most people take, take, take.
But what happens when you give, give, give?
Great things can happen.
Make a great product and think about the money later. It’s a strategy that works for Sophie. It can work for you, too.
Here’s a quick summary of how it works:
- Step #1: Build in public — Take the pressure off. Not everything you put out into the world has to be a slamdunk. Positive intent is more important.
- Step #2: Give away your best stuff for free — Act like you don’t need the money and watch it flow your way.
- Step #3: Let the chips fall as they may — The best opportunities come from nowhere when you least expect them.
Want to ditch the 9–5? Get my free 19-page guide: Everything I Did to Quit My 9–5 Job & Transition Into Profitable, Sustainable Solopreneuring :)
