Gabbie Hanna recently shared insights during an interview with the Oxford University Union Society, reflecting on her decision to leave social media and drawing a comparison to Britney Spears.
The 33-year-old influencer rose to fame on the now-defunct Vine app and subsequently built a large following on YouTube and TikTok, establishing herself as a multifaceted entertainer with millions of followers across various platforms for over a decade.
In August 2022, Gabbie alarmed her fans by posting more than a hundred TikTok videos in a single day, discussing various subjects like religion and mortality, which led some to speculate if she was experiencing a “manic episode.”
Ultimately, she stepped away from social media entirely in January 2023, returning to the digital world in February 2024.
Now, Gabbie has addressed the negativity she faced during her video posts, likening her experiences to Britney Spears. She stated, “I remember I was doing spoken word, like everything I was posting was under Gabbie Hanna Poetry,” referencing the “I wish I could sleep” video.
“I’m literally doing slam poetry about kids dying on the streets, and you open up the comments and see – ‘nurse, she’s out again’, ‘somebody help her, she’s crazy’ – and I’m like ‘oh we’re all free Britney, free Britney’ until this successful, talented girl is doing real stuff and being constantly told she’s crazy, constantly being gaslighted when I’m telling you I’m fine.”
The Free Britney movement highlights the struggles of Spears’ conservatorship, which placed her finances and personal autonomy under her father’s and a lawyer’s control from 2008 to 2021, leading to widespread social media activism for her freedom.
During the interview, Gabbie also expressed her frustration about being labeled as “crazy” by her online audience. “Why am I the crazy one, when you’re watching me living my dream?” she challenged.
Gabbie discussed the unhealthy need for validation that stemmed from her influencer career.
She shared her struggles with the realization that the affection she received on social media had often felt insincere, particularly after she paused her postings. “It definitely chipped away at me for a long time,” she admitted. “I always look at things as what was the divine nature and purpose of this situation. And now when I look back I’m like ‘Oh this really had to chip away at my innate desire to be acknowledged and praised by other people.’”
“So I think that for me is probably the biggest part; when you’re seeking that validation when you’re younger, so much doesn’t come. All of a sudden, there are millions of people and brands telling you you’re awesome all the time, just feeding your ego and providing anything that you want. ”
“I was surviving on that. That was the hardest part. The ego death of it, like ‘oh wow, this wasn’t real love, this was fake love. What does that mean? Who am I as an adult without all this approval and praise and attention and validation?’”
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