I picked three memes that have circled social media platforms that fit my DJ-ing and social media interests. These three memes also fit my audience because people viewing my blogs and website are in the same job field or pursuing social media as me, and people who view this have the same interests as me, like DJ-ing. The first meme I will be discussing is the “What the F*ck Do DJs Actually Do?” meme. Madeline Argy, an influencer, made a TikTok, visibly upset, questioning whether DJs are actually remixing songs (Know Your Meme, n.d.). This meme fits my topic because my podcast focuses on the importance of DJs posting their work on social media, and I personally like to DJ in my free time.
The second meme I will be discussing is Brat Summer. Charli XCX is a famous singer who came out with an album called Brat at the beginning of the summer of 2024. She marketed this album for people with a version of ‘Hot Girl Summer,’ but it is messier and bolder (Know Your Meme, n.d.). The way she marketed this new album was genius because it was the album of the summer, and people were using the term ‘brat’ for everything. This meme fits in with my topic because this meme expanded to something huge on social media, especially for Gen Z. People were wearing ‘brat green’ clothes and accessories, associating their social media posts with Brat, playing Charli XCX’s album on repeat, and so many other ways that people were posting about this. It shows how powerful social media is and how celebrities can get free marketing.
The third meme I will be discussing is the Holding Space meme. Wicked, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, was a huge hit. Everyone was talking about the movie across all social media platforms. This film had a huge press tour, with interviews conducted from left to right. In one of Grande and Erivo’s interviews, the interviewer talks about how many people were ‘holding space’ for the hit song Defying Gravity. Grande then proceeds to hold Erivo’s pointer finger. This took the internet into a frenzy because people typically don’t hold a singular finger when interacting with someone. This meme fits into my topic because it’s another example of how social media plays a role in making something big. People continue to talk about this meme today. So, it goes to show how social media can help the entertainment industry market something to make everyone talk about and influence people to engage with the brand.
The Ideal of a Meme
According to Davison, the ideal of a meme means the message or idea behind it (p. 123). So the ideal for the “What the F*ck Do DJs Actually Do?” meme is the funny but skeptical idea that DJs don’t actually do anything when they are performing. People joked around, saying DJs look intense and focused behind their equipment, but they aren’t doing anything. The ideal for the Brat Summer meme is having this attitude of being unapologetically yourself. Be bold and don’t care what others think, whether it’s a tweet, TikTok, an image, or whatever version. The ideal for the Holding Space meme is about emotional support and validation. Some people take this idea seriously, but most of the time, people take this meme lightly and do not use it in serious conditions, but they still use it to support their peers.
The Behavior of a Meme
The “What the F*ck Do DJs Actually Do?” meme originated from TikTok when influencer Madeline Argy posted her video, which gained over 63 million views (Know Your Meme, n.d.). Brat Summer meme originated from Instagram when Charli XCX posted photos captioned “BRAT SUMMER B*TCH GET READY (Know Your Meme, n.d.). The Holding Space meme originated on Instagram when Out Magazine posted a video of the interview with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, and the interviewer talked about how people are holding space for the song Defying Gravity (Know Your Meme, n.d.). All of these memes spread similarly across social media platforms, which relates to Davison’s concept of the behavior of a meme.
The behavior of a meme is what a person does to make or share the meme (Davison, p. 123). The behavior of “What the F*ck Do DJs Actually Do?” meme is taking videos of DJs and editing that mocks or questions what they are actually doing. For example, a popular sound on TikTok is shoes screeching against the ground. So sarcastic sounds like that can be edited when DJs are performing. DJs also took Madeline Argy’s video and remixed it in their set during their performances to answer her question that yes, DJs actually do something. The behavior of the Brat Summer meme is posting pictures or videos that showcase an unapologetically confident attitude. Showing how being a brat can include living life, ignoring responsibilities, or spending money. These behaviors create a relatable side that feels funny or empowering for individuals. The behavior of the Holding Space meme is sharing supportive messages with someone over text, social media, or in person. Sometimes, people take the message seriously, and others use the meme ironically.
The Manifestation of a Meme
According to Davison, the manifestation of a meme is the finished product that people see online (p. 123). After Madeline Argy posted that video, people started to post videos or images of DJs and exaggerate how little work they do at shows. As I mentioned, actual DJs saw this meme, took Argy’s video, and remixed it live. After people made fun of DJs and what they do, they also took fun and remixed what started the meme. This meme’s manifestations differ from others because it uses humor and parody instead of showing profound appreciation for DJs’ creative work.
The manifestations of the Brat Summer meme are the social media posts, videos, and edits that showcase someone’s confident, carefree energy. People made TikTok lip-syncing to Charli XCX’s songs while showing their ‘bratty’ outfits. People also took the font and background from Charli’s album cover and added text that fit into their discussion. Brat Summer’s manifestations are different from other memes because instead of focusing on the term ‘hot girl summer,’ which has been used for the last few years and promotes wellness and positivity, Brat Summer focuses on a different message. It’s perfectly fine to be messy and dramatic but in a fun and empowering way.
The manifestations of the Holding Space meme are the images posted of Ariana Grande holding Cynthia Erivo’s finger, adding their own twist of a caption. People have also tweeted about holding space for a specific person or event. The manifestation of the Holding Space meme is different from other memes because it uses emotionally thoughtful messaging, even if it is sarcastic. It has engaged mental health vocab, making it more playful in pop culture.
Concluding Thoughts
These three manifestations from my chosen memes relate to my audience because my audience, probably Gen Z or Millennials, have seen or engaged with these memes. These memes were or are currently very popular across every social media platform. Memes spread like wildfire on social media. It only takes one or a few people to post something, and users eventually make it a meme. People can relate to the “What the F*ck Do DJs Actually Do?” meme because my audience has probably questioned what a DJ actually does, or DJs who are part of the audience have answered Argy or questioned what made her post that video. My audience can relate to the Brat Summer meme because the overall message and seeing what people posted about Brat Summer can resonate with those who are drawn to bold self-expression. Lastly, my audience can relate to Holding Space because the use of relatable messages helps people feel seen or supported, even if it is ironic or taken seriously. All these manifestations appeal to people not just for humor but for how they reflect identity, feelings, or cultures.
References
Charli XCX. (2024) Brat [Photograph]. Atlantic Records. https://open.spotify.com/album/2lIZef4lzdvZkiiCzvPKj7.
Davison, P. (2012). The language of internet memes. In M. Mandiberg (Ed.), The Social Media Reader (pp. 120–134). New York University Press.
Know Your Meme. (n.d.). Brat Summer. Retrieved April 16, 2025, from https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/brat-summer.
Know Your Meme. (n.d.). Holding Space and Feeling Power With the Lyrics of “Defying Gravity.” Retrieved April 16, 2025, from https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/holding-space-and-feeling-power-with-the-lyrics-of-defying-gravity.
Know Your Meme. (n.d.). What the F*ck Do DJs Actually Do. Retrieved April 16, 2025, from https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/what-the-fuck-do-djs-actually-do.
madz [@madelineargy]. (2023, July 20). [Video]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@madelineargy/video/7257983414014446875.
MBS Films [@mbs.films]. (2024, August 8). shes SO BRAT #julialouisdreyfus #julialouisdreyfusedit #charlixcx #charlixcxedit #veepedit #selinameyeredit #seinfeldedit #elainebenesedit #bratsummer [Video]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@mbs.films/video/7400941656112991530.
SoCeleb [@soceleb]. (2024, October 11). Defying Gravity is holding space! #foryou #fyp #arianagrande #cynthiaerivo #wicked #funny #popculture #celebrity #hollywood #foryoupage [Video]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@soceleb/video/7440206422689713430.
Tazi Music [@tazimusic]. (2023, July 30). What do djs actually do?? 🤔#madeleineargy #whatdodjsdo #dj #calabria #remix [Video]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@tazimusic/video/7261526320390229255.
United Airlines [@united]. (2024, November 27). Is “holding space” just, like, saving room for pie?? [Instagram post]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/united/p/DC4065dyyvz/?img_index=2.
Gabby Meyer 