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A new trend is taking over TikTok, with social media users hoping to land a coveted spot in the exclusive “group 7.” If you have been scrolling on the social media platform lately, chances are, you have seen TikTok users posting videos and leaving comments about being in “group 7” without providing more context about the secret club. So who started the mysterious group and how can you score an invite? Well, it appears the origins of group 7 can be traced back to singer Sophia James. Last week, the music artist posted a series of videos on TikTok. In her first clip, she shared that she had recently received a parking ticket while dancing and singing along to her new song “So Unfair.” James then continued to upload more clips with a goal: to get as many TikTok users as possible to see her posts and hear her song by flooding their feeds. By the fourth video, she started labeling the clips and the fans who came across them in groups. “If you’re seeing this you are in group 4,” the text over her fourth video read. “I am posting a bunch of videos and seeing which ones reach the most viewers. This is the fourth post of the batch so you are group 4.” As the night went on, more videos arrived. The seventh and final video in her algorithm experiment went viral. “If you are watching this video, you are in group 7,” James explained. “I have posted seven videos tonight and this is the seventh one. Just a little science experiment to see what kind of video gets the most reach.” Entertainment News She playfully added, “I don’t know what that says about you, but you’re in group 7!” Beneath her post, which has 8.5 million views as of Oct. 20, TikTok users celebrated and joked about being in the special group. “I (hereby) declare group 7 is the most elite group,” one wrote in a comment. Another wrote, “Group 7 is the hot girl group I don’t make the rules.” A third said, “I have immediate beef with groups 1-6.” It wasn’t just James’ comment section that was filled with references to group 7. TikTok users started mentioning being members of group 7, and others — like Barbara Corcoran, Naomi Osaka and the official account for the Kansas City Chiefs — got in the inside joke, too. One TikTok user also used a post to explain how the joke went viral. In her video, the TikTok user complimented James for succeeding in getting millions of people to listen to and promote her new single. “It is incredible. I haven’t seen anything like this in awhile. It’s also immaculate marketing,” the TikTok user said. She then pointed out that “So Unfair” has taken off on the TikTok, with some asking for it to be group 7’s “anthem.” “Everyone is using her song, and it is the best marketing technique I have ever seen a musician do,” she praised. “I think we all should really know the name Sophia James.” This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
