Kelly's Pride Performance Is a Reminder of the Original Meme

This piece originally appeared on June 20, 2024 in Sound Signal, our biweekly newsletter that identifies emerging artists, scenes, and trending tracks, crafted by the world's best writers and curators. Sign up here to never miss our take on what's next in music.

‍

Comedic music videos going viral on the internet began with Lonely Island’s “Lazy Sunday” SNL sketch in 2005... but it was backed by NBC and featured TV stars. Months later another mega viral music video emerged that was entirely homemade. Liam Kyle Sullivan, known to the internet as Kelly, uploaded “Shoes” to YouTube on May 5, 2006 and as VICE wrote, “heralded the true beginning of the viral age.” Today, “Shoes” has 69M views on YouTube. Earlier this month, Kelly performed “Shoes” at a Los Angeles Pride event. Praise for the performance, as well as reflection on the song’s significant cultural impact flooded social media, 18 years later. It was the dose of nostalgia for many on socials: "In many ways a mother of [Charli XCX]," one user wrote, or "I don't think people truly understand the cultural impact this had," said another.

‍

“Shoes” was arguably the first of its kind—integrating original music with content creation. People were so enamored with Kelly’s plot: a young girl determined to create her own happiness, courtesy of, well, shoes. Fans started recreating their own versions of the video.

‍

‍

‍

Following the success of "Shoes," Sullivan posted many other viral Kelly videos featuring celebrity guests, released an album, got co-signs from Andy Samberg, and went on a national comedy tour with Maraget Cho. In 2008, nearly two years later, Sullivan won a People's Choice Award for best user-generated video—beating "Chocolate Rain" and "Leave Britney Alone".

‍

Eventually, Sullivan backed away from YouTube, leaving meme culture to snowball into what we know now. Kelly saw a 24.7K increase in Spotify streams and her monthly listeners grew by 6.5K following the recent Pride performance. Although "Shoes" may not be topping any charts or soundtracking a new TikTok trend, it is not a stretch to say its impact can be felt in our algorithms. Besides, without “Shoes” there would be no “Man in Finance.”

‍

If you’re aiming to uncover emerging artists, grasp key cultural shifts, or gain actionable insights from data-driven research, Third Bridge Creative delivers the expertise you need. Connect with our Music Intelligence team today to learn how we can help your organization navigate the cultural zeitgeist with precision and impact.