The internet's favorite new influencer is an extremely relatable tired-looking Garfield cat toy, vibing out to sad songs
TikTok: @wonkygarfield
- Videos of a sad-looking Garfield toy listening to melancholic music racked up millions of views.
- The account has amassed over 138,000 followers since it was created in late July.
- The creator told Insider why he thinks people find the "weird-looking" toy so relatable.
A TikTok account focused on a sad-looking stuffed toy cat listening to melancholic music has rapidly racked up millions of views and a substantial following as viewers make song requests and revel in the communal sorrow.
On July 31, the TikTok account @WonkyGarfield posted a video that showed a heavy-lidded Garfield toy slumped in a bathtub beside what appeared to be a bottle of wine, wearing wired headphones and seeming to look off into the distance, while the track "Bug Like an Angel" by Mitski played in the background, featuring the lyrics, "Sometimes a drink feels like family."
The upload received 1.8 million views and over 2,500 comments, many of which wrote they could relate to the feelings the toy seemed to be going through.
The account was launched on July 30 by a creator from Ireland, who asked Insider refer to them only as L due to privacy concerns. The account has only been going a few weeks and has posted just 26 times, but it's already amassed 138,000 followers and 4.5 million likes.
Every upload essentially plays out the same: the tired-looking bear is propped up in a variety of positions while wearing headphones, beside an open window while a candle flickers, or in a moving car, while downbeat music plays in the background.
Viewers often suggest more sad songs to be featured in future videos and share anecdotes of their personal circumstances, such as fights they've gotten into with friends or family that have left them feeling down as well.
"God this account is the most relatable thing I've ever come in contact with thank you," a popular comment read beneath a video of Garfield propped up by shelves listening to Radiohead.
"He's just like me," one viewer wrote and received 3,700 likes, in response to another video of Garfield slumped on a bed.
L told Insider they started the series on a whim when they were "bored one night" while sitting beside their Garfield stuffed toy, which they'd bought on Amazon.
They filmed a few videos which they posted in quick succession and said the videos started to gain traction almost immediately, reaching millions of views in a matter of days, which came as a total surprise.
"I just think that the people who see Garfield think he is weird looking but very cool with a class music taste that they can relate to," L told Insider.
This isn't the first time an inanimate toy has become a popular, sad music influencer. Back in May, a TikToker who goes by @snoopylistens started posting videos that showed a stuffed Snoopy wearing headphones, vibing out to sad songs, and has amassed over 250,000 followers, and a similar response from viewers.
It seems sad toys may be the new influencer trend of the year.
For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here.