Visit our website:
http://www.france24.com
Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English
Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/France24_en
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 Hours before his return to France, Axel Merle's popularity has taken off in Cotonouma.
00:06 Just a few days earlier, the Beninese online comedian and singer released a music video that went viral.
00:27 It racked up 2 million views in 48 hours without any promotion.
00:32 The song is dedicated to the daughter of the renowned Ivorian pastor Camille Macosso.
00:38 The project has even seen Axel collaborate with the famous comedian Michel Gaou.
00:43 I'm very surprised. Everything happened so quickly, but I was kind of confident because the project was good.
00:54 Axel's success is not a fluke. He's doing a master's degree in digital art and has carefully plotted his path for over a decade.
01:03 I was already trying to establish myself by doing parodies. It helped me gain a certain level of recognition.
01:13 It just took a small spark to make people realize that I'm also deeply passionate about music.
01:21 With comedy, dance, music and films, Axel Merle entertains his 4 million subscribers on TikTok.
01:28 He says US actor Will Smith is his role model.
01:32 Since the video's release, Axel can now charge up to 5,000 euros per post, tripling his market value.
01:40 He strategically and effectively rallies his community around the project.
01:44 As long as he continues to nurture this relationship with his community, his popularity will keep rising.
01:50 The more his influence grows, the more valuable he becomes.
01:53 Since his viral video, major commercial brands in Europe and Africa have shown interest in collaborations.
02:01 Influencers like Axel help brands target specific audiences that traditional media struggle to reach.
02:09 [music]
02:15 Stop!