‘Hey wake up. I’m dead, remember?’: A spooky, controversial social media trend from beyond the grave
TikTok trends aren’t always lighthearted. Sometimes, they can be uncomfortable, and other times can be straight-up disconcerting. People are multi-faceted, so it should come as no surprise that TikTok content is too. And the most effective content stops us in our tracks completely.
The “Hey, wake up” trend is a prime example of this. And given the accompanying sound has been used 279,300 times, it’s clear that the trend resonates with audiences.
The sound
@hidden.in.the.sand_ ⚠️trend(look at sound)⚠️ . . . . . . . . #trend#fyp ♬ ОПИСАНИЕ - Наоми Ли ????
Every video made as part of this trend uses the same ominous piano music. It’s simultaneously gentle and unnerving, which emits an uncomfortable sense of foreboding. These videos, which mostly involve users staring silently into the camera, include on-screen text that reads “Hey, wake up,” before going into the reason why that TikToker is actually dead.
Under this format, TikTokers are sharing their near-death experiences and implying that the reality they’ve been living since is a dream.
Here’s some examples:
“Yo wake up, I died a year ago. Nobody believed me when I said I was getting stalked,” said @hidden.in.the.sand.
“Wake up. This isn’t real. I died three years ago from an overdose, remember?” said @watchout4audrey.
“Hey wake up, I’m dead, remember? I died 6 years ago after my appendix exploded and I didn’t tell my mom right away, said @hearts4.blu.
Where’s it from?
@watchout4audrey this trend is so eerie, I love it
♬ ОПИСАНИЕ - Наоми Ли ????
Without context, the accompanying song is creepy enough as it is; but knowing its source just makes things 10x worse. The song, entitled "Old Doll" comes from the indie video game Mad Father.
In the game, you play as 11-year-old Aya, who, to put it lightly, has a slightly strained relationship with her dad. I won’t spoil the whole plot for you, but the long-short of it is that Aya discovers that her father performs taxidermy on children to turn them into dolls, and that she is next on his list.
It’s one of those cases where the story behind a trend is more frightening than the sound itself. And let’s be honest, the trend is already pretty damn frightening.
Sound off
@rottingwen hot take idk it just could invoke feelings of anxiety especially with people that struggle with derealization etc.
♬ ОПИСАНИЕ - Наоми Ли ????
TikTokers are also using this sound to express their concerns about this trend. Many are arguing that this trend could trigger derealization or a psychotic episode in people with certain mental health conditions.
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