In recent years, TikTok has become the social media platform where individuals can bond with one another by participating in the latest trend and also help undiscovered artists reach new heights in their careers. 

This particular instance has occurred to singer Dev Lemons. Lemons, who has been releasing music since 2020, made headlines recently when her single “You Tear Me Apart” — which she dropped in April — became associated with a creepy TikTok filter. For context, the song’s premise is about a person that feels that their life is in shambles because of the pain they are suffering in their relationship.

Social media users have attached Lemons’ concept to daily tasks or personal scenarios that have occurred in their lives with the You Tear Me Apart challenge. So, what is the popular trend, its origin, the TikTok filter it is associated with, and Lemons’ reaction to her song being used in the trend? 

What is the You Tear Me Apart Trend?

In the You Tear Me Apart trend, a social media user will use the eye distance filter and Lemons’ song as a background track to describe a scenario or an activity they have participated in before doing a creepy gesture. For example, TikTok user @j.r3yes uploaded a video highlighting the struggles of returning to work.

In the clip, the social media user, who captioned the post “Back to work,” stares into the camera briefly before crawling on the floor. At the same time, another TikTok user, @droopymemer, showcases the various emotions they feel taking a break from work and having to go back.

Since these posts, they have generated a high number of views and comments, bringing more attention to Lemons’ song. The origin of the TikTok trend began last month when content creator Mr. Clutch, widely recognized for his lip syncing videos, began using the “You Tear Me Apart” single in numerous clips. 

To date, Lemons’ “You Tear Me Apart” sound and the eye distance filter have been used in over 3800 videos, many of which have gone viral. In an interview with The Daily Dot, Lemons shared how she felt about her newfound fame, having her song attached to a viral meme, and the somewhat negative response she has received because of the association.

The 24-year-old told the publication that although she appreciates the attention her song has received, she is, however, disheartened by the fact that the top remarks she has seen on most videos include comments about how creepy her single is. She said, 

“It has definitely gotten my music more attention. It seems to be a bit polarizing, too, because some people love the song, but some of the top comments on my videos are things like ‘stop producing music’ or ‘this song creeps me out.’”

Despite the negative response, Lemons added she likes the unique content social media users create with “You Tear Me Apart” and the eye distance filter.

“I think it’s awesome how visceral people think the song is, and the creepy context the filters have given the video. Because if you listen to the whole song, it’s much brighter and less creepy than the intro makes it seem.”

Lemons’ single “You Tear Me Apart” can be purchased or streamed on any music platform.