Small dramas, big designs and everything for the girls
The Moments Matrix is a guide to what’s trending on the world’s leading social media sites. Find out what’s going viral and what's here to stay across mainstream and niche topics.
This week's matrix has been compiled by ViralMoment.
Image by: The Social Intelligence Lab
Food aesthetic trends
Given the viral success of #fruitgirlsummer, beauty and retail brands should continue to keep their eyes – plus kiwis and mangoes (…sorry) – peeled for food-flavoured fall trends. We’re already noticing chatter of a Grocery Girl Fall aesthetic and Cinnamon Spice Girl Makeup.
Data Source: Short-form social video (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Reddit)
For the girls
Girl Dinner took over the summer by storm, followed by its successor – Girl Math. Whether you know it or not, you’ve likely used girl math at some point in your life to rationalise a frivolous purchase or two. Like Girl Dinner, “Girl Math” doesn’t have to make sense – it’s just about being lighthearted and doing (buying) the things that bring you joy.
Data source: Short-form social video (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Reddit)
Alix Earle
Alix Earle has officially been crowned this generation’s Serena van der Woodsen. From losing a borrowed Chanel bag and having to purchase a replacement – to getting invited to Chanel’s fashion week runway – her influence has got everyone in a chokehold that might just start to rival Hailey Bieber’s.
Data Source: Short-form social video (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Reddit)
Big pop concerts
In the era of streaming, TikTok concert fanatics have essentially become pro reporters, dishing out front-row footage livestreams, fan-made vids of various call-and-response challenges, and a whole lot of their own “behind-the-scenes” concert glam prep. Concerts in the TikTok era are designed to be interactive – hence the latest trends like Beyonce’s #mutechallenge and the latest sequin overload we’ve been spotting across concertgoers and celebs alike.
Data source: Short-form social video (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Reddit)
Kylie x Timothee takes
For some reason, not everyone loves to see two of the most young and famous people in the world get together. The internet has been filled with hot takes, memes, and in-depth photo analysis of Kylie Jenner + Timothee Chalamet’s canoodling hard launch from the Beyonce concert, to the US Open.
Data source: Short-form social video (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Reddit)
The colour red
Fashion girlies are speculating that red will be the color of the season. We’re seeing lots of cherry-coloured leather in particular – from boots to jackets.
Data source: Short-form social video (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Reddit)
Ahsoka
With Disney’s overarching goal to give all the fonts of Star Wars fans a united experience – the streamer has moved Ahsoka’s weekly drops to Tuesday evenings. By embracing event television and giving the Star Wars community a united weekly watch sesh, Ahsoka will have audiences regularly tuning into the conversation.
Data source: Short-form social video (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Reddit)
Olivia Rodrigo album drop
Just dropped last week – we’re expecting to see a whole lot of viral sounds from her new GUTS album. Her inaugural album only shook the entire world and turned her into a three-time Grammy-winning artist. No pressure!
Data source: Short-form social video (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Reddit)
Joe Jonas & Bros
Since getting the band back together, the Jonas Brothers have famously secured a strong TikTok presence, boosting awareness and genuine fan engagement through successfully navigating the algorithm. Their fluency in various niche TikTok discourse outshines that of most celebs (especially bands) and has led them to secure a combined following of over 13M users – so much so that Joe & Sophie’s fallout feels like the breakup of the decade – it’s almost giving Bennifer in the early 2000s.
Data source: Short-form social video (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Reddit)
Return of the eyeliner
Big bold eyeliner is so back, baby! What started out as a TikTok filter has set the new standard for eyeliner technique. Creators ~point~ out how the canthal tilt (the angle between your inner and outer eye corners) affects your look. Plus, we’re seeing a lot of buzz around #villainmakeup. Creators are loving the #makeuptransition template to serve seductive looks with – you guessed it – a whole lot of under-eye liner.
Data source: Short-form social video (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Reddit)
Sylvania drama
Using old-school Calico Critters as stop-motion characters, creator Thea von Engelbrechten has been spinning up absurdly evil and Desperate Housewives-esque (read: alcoholism and murder) dramas that have growing in popularity. People are noticing and the drama is here to stay: the creator recently amassed a collective 60M likes on TikTok and announced multiple high-end brand partnerships including Burberry and Amazon Prime Video.
Data source: Short-form social video (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Reddit)
Canon event
For all the main characters out there – experiencing a canon event is a rite of passage that will one day define you. Creators who see their friends (or their past selves) experience a series of unfortunate events are using a Spider-Verse phrase to accept that everything happens for a reason. Who needs free will, anyway?
Data source: Short-form social video (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Reddit)
DIY Maximalism
Following a brief stand-off between two creators @Tay BeepBoop and @Kaarin Joy, DIY Maximalism has taken over homes and FYPs. Videos feature eclectic DIY projects for super-colourful, out-there interiors – think wall squiggles, cake wallpaper, polka dot fuzz rugs – complete with tips and tricks on how to achieve them.
Data source: Short-form social video (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Reddit)