"I'm A Survivor" TikTok Trend

Submission 7,316

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About

"I'm a Survivor," TikTok Trend also known by the lyrics, "A Single Mom Who Works Two Jobs," refers to a skit and lip-dub trend on TikTok based on the 2001 country song "I'm a Survivor" by Reba McEntire, the theme song for her show, Reba. The song went viral on TikTok in July 2021, inspiring numerous videos in which users make jokes about being the "mom" in a friend group, being a "survivor," and the struggles of taking responsibility.

Origin

Reba McEntire released "I'm a Survivor" on July 5th, 2001. The song is about a premature-born child who later in life becomes a single mother. A version of the song is used as the theme song to Reba's 2001 show Reba.

Oh, a single mom who works two jobs
Who loves her kids and never stop
With gentle hands and a heart of a fighter
I'm a survivor

In July 2021, TikTokers began using the song in a series of skits and lip dub comedy videos showing what makes them survivors. It is unconfirmed who started the "I'm A Survivor" trend, but one of the earliest videos following it was posted to TikTok^[1] by @lydianoellemyers on July 9th in a skit showing her having to take the groceries in on her own, implying this makes her a survivor, gaining over 2.1 million views in a month (shown below).

Spread

The sound continued to grow in popularity over the course of the month leading into early August. TikToker^[8] @iconaklast took advantage of the sound by posting a number of videos dressing in drag as Reba and following the trend, resulting in numerous viral videos, the most popular posted on July 25th, gaining over 15.5 million views in a week (shown below).

The two most popular examples on TikTok^[2]^[3] under the sound as of August 4th were posted on July 26th, 2021, by Reba McEntire herself and actor Kevin Chamberlin, gaining over 18.2 and 18.3 million views respectively in a week (shown below, left and right).

On July 28th, CMT^[4] published a story on the trend. On July 29th, HITC^[5] published a piece on it. The trend continued to prove popular in early August, with Reba's video helping inspire further use of the sound and hashtag "#ImASurvivor." On July 31st, TikToker^[6] @69femcel posted a video following the trend about being the driver of the friend group, gaining over 9.7 million views in four days (shown below, left). On August 2nd, TikToker^[7] @beckyrmackay posted a video about picking her sister up when her mother isn't available, gaining over 2.9 million views in two days (shown below, right).