How does the ‘she was a fairy’ TikTok trend work?
A popular TikTok trend, which appears to show people floating in midair, has social media users once again wondering, “How did they do that?”
It’s been called the flying fairy trick but is more commonly known as the “she was a fairy” trend, because of the accompanying audio clip.
In each video, one or more people appear on camera as an excerpt from the song “September” by Sparky Deathcap plays in the background. Then, as they slowly begin to float up in the air, a voiceover is heard saying, “She was a fairy.”
The videos often take place both indoors and out, and sometimes even show the subjects wearing fairy wings to make them appear more “magical.” But as realistic as some of the videos may look, they’re ultimately just an optical illusion.
According to Know Your Meme, the fantasy-themed trend is often credited back to a TikTok posted in May 2023 by @fairyxg0ddess, which quickly went viral.
The clip has since spawned countless other fairy-themed videos, pushing the hashtag #SheWasAFairy to more than 103.2 million views to date.
But despite the recent popularity of @fairyxg0ddess’s TikTok, which now has more than 1.4 million views, the young TikToker didn’t create the trend — it’s actually been around for a few years now.
In fact, one popular tutorial video posted by YouTuber Sydney Raynell back in 2020 shows the influencer explaining various techniques for achieving the perfect flying fairy video, including one she likes to call the “counter method.”
The simple technique involves placing the camera on the floor to film just your feet or legs while standing flat. Then, using a dresser or counter behind you, slowly lift yourself up with your arms to show your feet leaving the floor as if magically levitating.
Other tutorials have also shown how one can do this while using a pull-up bar or even a mounted clothing rack.
Achieving a full-body shot, however, is a bit more tricky — and not always safe.
User @winchumbo shared a recent tutorial in which the influencer uses a pair of Crocs to help him “levitate.”
To do so, he places both feet through the straps of his Crocs, letting the rest of the shoe fall behind him off the edge of a stair. Then, while rising up on the balls of his feet, he flaps his arms like a pair of fairy wings. Since the camera is filming him from behind, his feet aren’t visible and to the viewer, he appears to be flying.
The TikToker also performs the same trick on the edge of a kitchen counter, which is perhaps the most impressive technique of all.
As popular as the trend has become, it doesn’t come without risks: Balancing on the edge of a counter or even the edge of a stair while wearing your shoes improperly creates serious fall risks and shouldn’t be attempted without extreme caution.
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