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According to Merriam-Webster, a vanguard is someone at “the forefront of an action or movement.” As defined by the Daily Dot Hall of Fame, these are individuals at the top of their field, influencing culture —especially internet culture—with every move.
Whether internet sensations, pop stars, or athletes, these trailblazers have helped define 2024: Becoming the subject of memes, internet discourse, and viral moments.
What makes these figures distinct is how they’ve embraced their oftentimes sudden fame—and in one case, pushed back against the very concept of fame itself.
Put your hands together for this year’s Vanguards class, and get ready to vote for your favorite.
Haliey Welch (‘Hawk Tuah’ girl)
Hailey Welch, also known as the Hawk Tuah girl, is exactly the kind of viral figure you would think might get fifteen minutes of fame and then disappear entirely.
That’s not what happened at all, which is why Welch nabbed a spot in this year’s Vanguards category. In case you’ve been offline this year (good for you!), here’s Welch’s origin story.
Back in June, Welch was walking down the street in Nashville when she was approached by Tim and Dee TV, a YouTube channel and Instagram account. Tim and Dee asked her “What’s one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?” Her response? “Oh, you gotta give him that ‘hawk tuah’ and spit on that thang.”
Rather than become the butt of an internet joke for eternity Welch parlayed her virality into a lucrative career. She appeared on stage at a music festival, threw the first pitch at a baseball game, and even started a podcast called Talk Tuah.
In a very savvy movie, Welch founded a company and trademarked “hawk tuah” in order to sell merchandise, including hot sauce reportedly called “Hawk Sauce.” You can even purchase a Hawk Tuah girl Halloween costume at Spirit Halloween.
How’s that for innovation?
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Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan had a banner year in 2024, one of the biggest we’ve seen from a rising pop star in ages. Though her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, came out in September of 2023, it wasn’t until the spring and summer of this year that she blew up in a major way.
An undeniable new single, a highly-viewed Tiny Desk Concert, and several massively-attended music festival performances made this the summer of Chappell Roan.
With great fame comes much discourse, and Roan has dealt with the tribulations of celebrity culture in a unique way. She made a series of viral TikToks explaining her boundaries when it comes to fan interactions. Then she yelled at a rude photographer on the red carpet, doubling down on her convictions.
Though established fans have remained devoted to Roan, her outspokenness hasn’t always been received well. Her decision not to endorse Kamala Harris angered some liberals, but she stuck to her principles despite the backlash.
Though she’s been up against the cultural phenomenon that is Brat Summer (and now Brat Autumn), Roan’s trailblazing rise shows no signs of slowing down.
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Travis Kelce
You might be thinking: “Travis Kelce is just some football player, why does he deserve to be on this list?” You’d be wrong.
He may be just another athlete in a sea full of jocks, but he’s also Taylor Swift’s boyfriend, and if you know anything about the internet, you know that means something. So yes, Kelce clinched his spot in this category by being someone’s boo, but all’s fair in love and nepotism.
Kelce and his brother Jason were supposedly pretty big deals before Swift came along, but most Swifties could care less about his football stats. Indeed, what’s interesting about Kelce as a cultural figure is the revered status he’s achieved as the boyfriend of one of the most famous women alive.
Unlike Swift’s previous boyfriends, many fans actually like and approve of Kelce (though some think it’s all PR). Swift’s omnipresent publicist, Tree Paine, didn’t even have to scrub his X account for questionable posts. His old tweets are wholesome observations about “squirles” and math class.
To be sure, we don’t need to be giving a straight white man an award for simply not being terrible.Bbut his influence on sports and celebrity culture—not to mention his creation of a new standard for what women are looking for in a man—is undeniable.
Let’s pour one out for the boys.
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Sabrina Carpenter
Some pop stars make catchy songs for the radio (or TikTok, as it were), while others rewrite the rules of the English language. This year, pint-sized pop star Sabrina Carpenter did both.
Carpenter’s biggest moment so far was the release of her smash hit “Espresso.” Where she utters the perplexing catchy line “That’s that me espresso,” but the seeds of her viral stardom were planted well before that.
The general public was given a taste of Carpenter’s charming sense of humor following the controversy about a music video she filmed in a Catholic church. The church was “appalled” by the video’s sacrilegious content, but Carpenter remained unphased. “Jesus was a carpenter,” she responded.
In addition to winning over new fans, Carpenter’s cheeky music video may have taken down NYC’s mayor as well. “Should we talk about how I got the mayor indicted?” she asked at one of her shows in New York. She was referring to the fact that the music video clued the feds investigating Adams into some potential shady happenings at the church.
Though listeners have been enjoying her most recent album Short n’ Sweet, it’s her ability to generate endless meme fodder that makes her a worthy nominee.
From the countless “Espresso” memes to her perfectly-timed re-enactment of Trump’s “transgender operations on illegal aliens” soundbite, Carpenter has her finger on the pulse of pop culture, and now we’re all on a caffeine high.
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Ilona Maher
Everyone loves the Olympics, even people who say they don’t like the Olympics. In an era of increasing global unrest, they’re a time we all come together to celebrate human achievement.
There were several “Main Characters” at this year’s games, from Raygun to the pommel horse guy. But one Olympian who made a lasting impact was Ilona Maher, the rugby player who helped the U.S. Women’s Sevens team secure the bronze medal.
A savvy social media user, Maher posted a series of inspirational and amusing videos to her TikTok account throughout the games, earning her millions—literally, her following grew by 300%—of new fans. Many of her videos center on the concept of body positivity. She encourages her viewers to appreciate and celebrate their bodies in whatever shape they’re in. Shortly after the games, she graced the cover of Sports Illustrated and then appeared as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars.
Maher’s focus on using her platform for good is admirable, and her boisterous personality has turned her into a superstar. It may finally be time for rugby to have its moment.
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