The face of an angel, clearly visible muscles, steps as simple as a multiplication table by 5, and music straight out of the Walkmans of the 1980s. This is the recipe for French TikToker @Bachbuquen. At only 19 years old, the young man has 411.5 million “likes” on his videos and 6.2 million subscribers. The latter can see “Bach” swaying on a daily basis on Brother Louie by Modern Talking, reappeared in playlists thanks to TikTok, or even Rasputin de Boney M.
But not only that. The influencer also became known thanks to his content based on sport and classical dance in particular, which he practiced for seven years. An axis opposed to other men on the networks who prefer to play the card of masculinism and gender polarity. Not like that at Bach, known for wearing makeup in the metro and for making cosmetics commonplace among men. If the idea is greatly inspired by Arthur Garros, the effect on TikTok was immediate: 32 million views to follow Bacbququen apply foundation while waiting for the metro station Saint-Lazare. Behind, curious passers-by applaud the approach.
“Six months ago, I was an average student”
In a few months, his notoriety has accelerated with videos which each time exceed a million views. Bachbuquen ended up filming alongside fashion designer Jacquemus and former top model Kate Moss. This is how this content creator was able to go beyond the screen of smartphones to settle down, for an evening, on TV. Bach was in fact the guest of Daily on October 30 to address his notoriety.
“It’s great. Six months ago, I was an average student, I woke up, I went to class, I saw my friends and I played rugby. Today, someone called me to tell me that I was invited by Jacquemus to New York. I can make dreams come true that others cannot,” Bach explained on set, recalling that his international fame comes from a choreography created in just three minutes.
Promoting the culture of emptiness?
A “recognition” that some critics: Bach, would be, for many Internet users on X or on TikTok, the representation of the culture of emptiness. “The guy is famous for doing poor eyeliner and shaking his shoulders on TikTok,” writes @parisparamount. “When there are people with real talent who struggle to succeed, it disgusts me.”
“Why glorify this interstellar void of substance and invite this young man who we don't care about at all instead of finding a guest who has things to say, to defend, to share? », was able to write under the publication of Daily Mikaelbres.
Bachbuquen is not the only one to face such criticism. “The culture of emptiness is a transnational dynamic, which is not specific to a society, a community or a country. It is inherent to the current functioning of social networks,” explains Asma Mhalla, political scientist and specialist in technical issues, to Konbini. And according to her, these innocent videos are ultimately not so innocent. “The culture of emptiness is a risk. It will pose a first problem: that of generalized debilitation. » No need for subtitles to understand. “Then,” she continues, “this creates the brutalization of the debate, and therefore of the link. This creates aggression and the fact that it is normal today that it is violent.” A reference to accounts today conveying fake news, conspiratorial, misogynistic or racist comments. Far from the cool videos of a former student which allow some to breathe for a moment.
