Charlotte’s littlest influencer is spreading self-esteem and hair love
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Paige Hopkins/ Axios Charlotte
At just two years old with 2.5 million TikTok followers, Camille Louis (you may know her as @camifrobabe) is among Charlotte’s littlest and cutest influencers.
You might recognize Cami from her most popular video (with over 64 million views!) that’s been featured locally and nationally. In it the two-year-old says a tearful goodbye to her grandpa, who doubles as her best friend.
Big picture: Account’s like Cami’s have created a new source of entertainment for consumers and in many cases a new source of income for creators. Especially as TikTok gained prominence as a major social media contender during the pandemic.
Details: Cami’s mom Colette runs her TikTok and Instagram accounts. She says Cami has no idea how popular her accounts are—the two-year-old just enjoys smiling for the camera.
- Colette says she strives to make content that Cami likes and that’s appropriate for her age group. So you won’t find any profanity or adult stuff on her pages.
“When I first started it was really just for something to do that was fun, but it has become a business,” Colette says as we watch Cami play with her dad, Pete, at the park. “If you’re telling me that I can make videos of my child and you can get paid for doing so and just doing things that we normally do, how wonderful and awesome is that.”
Hair love: Many of the videos they post center around Cami getting her hair done, which can be a long and painful process for young Black girls. Colette says she hopes to change the narrative through tutorials and content that shows the beauty in natural hair.
“That’s me and Cami’s thing” Colette tells me of doing her daughter’s thick type 4 natural hair. “We’re supposed to be gentle with ourselves, so I’m gentle with her. So she grows to love her hair and not hate her hair.”
What’s next: Colette says she was able to start Cami’s accounts during the pandemic because she and her husband’s event businesses (QC Booths and QC Lights) slowed down. But, even as it picks back up again she plans to keep growing Cami’s social media presence including on YouTube.
- “It’s amazing the love that’s coming out of it,” Colette says of the support Cami and her family have received. She says she’s finding her purpose in spreading joy and creating content.