Holding Space for 2024's Best Viral Pop Culture Moments

The Wicked press tour was responsible for many emotional moments between stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. One interview in particular created a meme: “holding space” originates from a viral clip with Grande and Erivo, when the interviewer stated people were taking the lyrics of “Defying Gravity” and "holding space" for them.

“I didn’t know that was happening,” Erivo responded, becoming visibly emotional. “That’s really powerful… I didn’t know that was happening. That’s what I wanted.” The interview in question was published November 13th, but gained much traction on X (formerly Twitter) during the film’s opening weekend. The two broke down the viral moment in an interview with Variety, with the latter calling it “the meme of the year.”

“I didn’t know what any part of it meant,” Grande confessed to Variety. “I didn’t understand the first sentence, and then I definitely didn’t understand… how [Cynthia] responded… I feel really relieved that the world had the same experience with this moment that I did.”

This year has been an insane one if you're a K-pop fan. We witnessed the continued rise of K-pop in the mainstream with more groups gaining international success as well as new solo pursuits from the members of BLACKPINK. One of the biggest news to come out of K-pop was, of course, the unexpected departure of popular girl group, NewJeans from their management company, ADOR. The five members held an independent press conference where they laid out their grievances towards their agency, citing mistreatment, mismanagement along with some demands in order to continue being part of the company. True to their word, the group announced their exit after their requests were not met. This all stemmed from an internal dispute that led to a legal one between HYBE and ADOR's CEOs, Bang Si-hyuk and Min Hee-jin respectively. News on the dispute and NewJeans were all over social media as fans and music enthusiasts as well as industry folks discussed this unprecedented situation in the K-pop scene. This will likely continue into 2025 as legal negotiations proceed.

Brat Summer, you will always be famous. Charli XCX released her sixth studio album, Brat in June, and we haven’t been the same since. The distinctive lime-green cover art (dubbed “Brat green”) and party-girl aesthetic prompted much buzz across social media over the past few months. When Kamala Harris’ candidacy for president was announced back in July, Charli XCX responded in a tweet on X (formerly Twitter) simply saying “kamala IS brat.” The campaign’s official Twitter page soon changed its backdrop to “Brat green” and adopted Charli’s song “360” for many of its TikTok videos.

Fans got in on the hysteria via TikTok thanks to the viral “Apple” dance, choreographed to the eleventh track on the album. The saga continued into “Brat Autumn” as the English singer embarked on “The Sweat Tour” and held a surprise performance in Times Square. “Brat” has been named one of the words of the year by Scientific American. We’re not surprised at all.

We doubt you’ve gone even five minutes without hearing this phrase this year. Or saying it for that matter. TikToker Jools Lebron posted a video titled “How to be Demure at Work” back in August, describing the way she gets ready for work to be “Very demure, very mindful.” Encouraging viewers to do the same, she signed off saying "Let's not forget to be demure divas." The short clip swiftly became a buzzword on the platform and beyond, amassing more than 50 million views. Celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Penn Badgley even referenced the phrase on their Instagram pages.

If you’ve been seeing double lately, you’re not alone. Celebrity look-alike competitions have become the latest cultural craze, transforming city streets into impromptu stages for uncanny doppelgängers. It all began with a Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest in October. Since then, the quirky trend has exploded worldwide, with major cities hosting events where fans impersonate stars like Harry Styles, Paul Mescal, and Jeremy Allen White. Some celebrities are even embracing the phenomenon—actor Glenn Powell recently announced that the winner of his contest would secure a cameo for a family member in his next film. This spectacle-driven movement reflects a deeper societal fascination with visual identity and public image, offering fans a playful way to connect with their idols while vying for their own moment in the spotlight.

When Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck rekindled their romance back in 2021, it felt like the stars finally aligned for the two. Lopez announced their second engagement in April 2022 via her newsletter, showing off her light green ring. The couple went on to wed in July of that year in Las Vegas, with a formal ceremony two months after. But speculation about a potential split ignited back in May when fans noticed Lopez attending the Met Gala alone. While Affleck's absence wasn’t shocking, fans grew concerned as the couple hadn’t been seen together publicly for over a month, an unusual gap for them. Lopez eventually filed for divorce in August, though the pair was spotted together in September.

2024 was a year like no other when it comes to rap beef and diss tracks. (It even has its own Wikipedia page.) Rumoured to have originated in the late 2000s and early 2010s, rivalry between Kendrick Lamar and Drake reached a boiling point this year, dominating headlines and airwaves. Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us,” released in May, debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a cultural phenomenon. The track, along with its fiery predecessors “Euphoria” and “Meet The Grahams,” solidified Lamar’s position in the feud. Meanwhile, Drake countered with his own trio of tracks, including “Family Matters” and “The Heart Part 6." Many declared Lamar the victor after his June performance at the Kia Forum, which felt like a triumphant victory lap.

The saga is far from over. In his Super Bowl 2025 halftime show announcement, Lamar alluded to the feud with a cryptic “No Round 2s,” sparking a veiled response from Drake on social media. Just days after Lamar surprise-dropped his album GNX late November, Drake escalated the drama by filing a lawsuit against Universal Music Group and Spotify, alleging the company inflated streams for “Not Like Us.” 

In February, Reesa Teesa’s 52-part TikTok series, Who TF Did I Marry?, took the internet by storm, amassing over 450 million views and earning her more than 3 million followers in just two weeks. The series, which spans over eight hours across 50 videos, details her tumultuous marriage to her ex-husband, whom she calls “Legion,” and his deceptive, pathological behavior. Fans later uncovered that “Legion” (born Jerome McCoy) since denied the claims made by Teesa. Following its viral success, the series is set to be adapted into a TV show by actress Natasha Rockwell.

This year has been a standout for Zendaya’s highly anticipated red carpet moments. From channeling Cher to her showstopping Met Gala ensembles, the Dune actor didn’t let up once. Arguably the most talked-about look was the iconic Mugler Fembot suit during her Dune: Part Two press tour. First worn by German supermodel Nadja Auermann in Thierry Mugler’s Autumn/Winter 1995 collection, the Fembot has remained a legendary piece in fashion history. Zendaya’s appearance in the suit—styled by longtime collaborator Law Roach—sent the internet into a frenzy, with fans and fashionistas alike buzzing over the bold choice.

It’s been yet another astronomical year for billionaire Taylor Swift. From her historic fourth Album of the Year win at the Grammys to her high-profile romance with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, Swift’s influence extended far beyond music. She wrapped up her record-shattering “Eras Tour”—a 149-show run across five continents over nearly two years—cementing her status as a global phenomenon. The release of her eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department too captivated fans and critics alike. Meanwhile, her frequent appearances at Chiefs games, including a star-studded one at the Super Bowl in February, kept her firmly in the public eye.

Less than a year after wrapping up the Renaissance World Tour, Beyoncé gifted the Beyhive with Cowboy Carter, a concept album that redefines Americana by shedding light on the often-overlooked contributions of Black pioneers to American music and culture. Garnering a record-breaking 11 nominations at the 2025 Grammys, Beyoncé’s venture into country music was met with both praise and harsh criticism. While the Beyhive embraced the bold move, some critics expressed their disdain in egregious and racist ways. The album, unsurprisingly, was snubbed at the Country Music Association Awards last month. But if anyone knows how to rise above, it’s the 32-time Grammy winner who is already set to perform the halftime show at an NFL game on Christmas Day in her native Houston.

"I'm looking for a man in finance..." If your mind instantly added "with a trust fund. Six-five. Blue eyes," you're not alone. Millions were hooked on TikToker Megan Boni's viral song sample, which humorously critiques society's obsession with the "ideal man." Recorded in April, the 19-second clip quickly took over TikTok, amassing over 40 million views. Its catchy, satirical tone sparked hundreds of remixes and parodies, with high-profile figures like Finneas (Billie Eilish's brother) jumping on the trend. Building on the success, Boni later released a full-length satirical track, "Man in Finance," in collaboration with David Guetta and Billen Ted.

After Kate Middleton underwent surgery in January, speculation about her health and recovery swirled. Kensington Palace initially stated that the Princess of Wales's diagnosis would remain private, but their silence only fueled public curiosity. Her subsequent retreat from royal duties sparked a social media frenzy, with conspiracy theories and attempts at humour spreading rapidly. The situation escalated when Kensington Palace released—and then withdrew—a heavily edited Mother’s Day photo of the princess with her children. Finally, the rumours were put to rest with the announcement of her cancer diagnosis, bringing clarity to months of uncertainty.

The ongoing online "Man or Bear" debate was sparked by a TikTok video posted in April. In the video, women were asked whether they would rather face a man or a bear alone in the woods, seven out of eight participants chose the bear, citing fears of male aggression. This striking preference has ignited widespread conversations about women's safety and societal views on male violence. 

Justin Timberlake’s June arrest sparked a meme frenzy, with social media users poking fun at a reported exchange between the pop star and the arresting officer. According to an anonymous source for Page Six, Timberlake lamented that the incident would “ruin the tour,” to which the officer quipped, “What tour?” Timberlake’s reply, “The world tour,” referred to his "Forget Tomorrow World Tour," his first global tour in five years and an intended comeback. Instead, the bleakness of the quote resonated online, as commentators reimagined the now-iconic dialogue in dramatic and comedic movie scenes, marking yet another blow to Timberlake’s once-revered image.