Yahoo Movies The man, the meme, the TikTok legend: 56-year-old singer dazzles millions with covers
Californian Rodger Cleye found his stride on TikTok at age 56 and is now reeling in millions of viewers with his spunky song covers. It’s an era in his life he calls an “emotional renaissance.”
“At age 56, music consumes me more than ever. I am going through an ‘Emotional Renaissance’ all over again as I enter my senior years. I feel a sense of urgency to share every song that has ever touched me to a new set of ears,” Cleye, of Lake Forest, said on his artist page.
Cleye, with his seemingly endless stash of song covers on his TikTok account, has 2.3 million followers on the platform and over 55 million likes as of Oct. 3. He sings everything from The Smiths and Phantom of the Opera to Nicki Minaj, Usher and Taylor Swift.
The TikToker also takes requests from his viewers, which leads to a diverse range of songs.
Cleye has become so popular for his brief song covers that TikTok has made him into a meme using POV (point of view) videos that have gained popularity on the app.
Now, other creators who edit Cleye into their videos are getting millions of views, too, and the singer has his own hashtags: #rodgercleye, with over 509 million views, and #rodgercleyeedit for the POV videos, which have over 155 million views.
Cleye has been singing and producing music since he was in his 20s and found the hobby helped him cope with difficult times in his life, according to his Songtradr biography.
@rodgercleyesbabe period period #fyp #rodgercleyeedit #rodgercleyesbabe #aysialoulysm ♬ 1 thing about me x period ah period uh - rodger cleye
“Music fills my head at all times,” Cleye wrote. “It helps me cope with life. I have always had a great love for music.”
Be it a lighthearted cover or his longer original pieces on his artist website, Cleye has turned the heads of music lovers of all ages online.
“These videos just have their own unique vibe,” one person commented on Cleye singing “California Gurls” by Katy Perry. “I love them.”
“Do you understand how iconic you are on this app?” another viewer asked. “We love you.”
@skin.ken I’m having way too much fun with this edit #rodgercleye #rodgercleyeedit #sephora #cleye #rodgercleyeisthebesttiktoker ♬ Lady Marmalade - Single Edit - Christina Aguilera & Lil' Kim & Mya & P!nk
Lake Forest is about 45 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
TikTok trend is sending kids home sick across US. What is the ‘One Chip Challenge?’
Levitating ‘Stranger Things’ prop on TikTok ‘looks so real’ and is baffling millions
‘Moaning’ sounds over intercom on California-to-Texas flight. ‘Weirdest flight ever’
While this firehouse for sale charmed TikTok, the inside is really eerie. Check it out
