Quick question: if someone started pretending to be you all the time and everywhere, how would you take it? Well, that’s what’s happening to Ariana Grande, and the singer’s handled it with a lot more grace than most people would. Paige Niemann is a TikTok star who bears a striking resemblance to Ariana Grande and has exploited that likeness for engagement on the platform. That was creepy enough, but then she migrated over to OnlyFans and began creating explicit content while continuing the “no, I’m really her” ruse. The latest incident in which she’s tried to live life as the pop star? She walked the red carpet at a recent event.
Once upon a time, Niemann went viral on TikTok for mimicking Ariana Grande’s looks and mannerisms. She built a sizable following on TikTok by copying Grande’s style from the “Thank U, Next” era, which is all fine and good—except for one glaring issue: she did this without Grande’s permission. Niemann was eventually banned from TikTok for impersonation because she was that convincing (and unsettling), and enough users eventually reported her that the platform had no choice but to act.
Pretending to be Grande on TikTok was unsettling enough, but then Niemann took her act to OnlyFans. Had she just been making GRWM (Get Ready With Me) makeup content to teach subscribers how they too could make their eyeliner look just like Grande’s, that would have been… well, not fine, but not as bad as what she has been doing, which is creating explicit content while impersonating Ariana Grande. People have been paying actual money to see someone they believe to be Ariana Grande participate in creating pornographic content. We shouldn’t have to spell out just how creepy that is, but… yeah, it’s a no from me.
As far as Ariana Grande’s concerned, she’s not a fan. She’s acknowledged what Niemann’s been doing and isn’t filing charges, but she’s pretty clearly rattled. She’s been heard calling the impersonations “bizarre,” and has even thrown a little shade, saying, “I’m sure she’s sweet, but this is weird.” She’s not wrong. Outside of children’s birthday parties, someone impersonating pop culture icons is really just not great. The fact that Niemann is creating explicit content for the adult entertainment industry while pretending to be someone else is just plain skeevy.
Is imitation the sincerest form of flattery? Well, yes, but not like this! There’s a fine line between fandom and identity theft, and Paige Niemann stomped right over that line in stilettos and then kept right on stomping. She’s not just dressing like Ariana for fun; she’s making money off her likeness, and she’s doing so in NSFW spaces. Even in OnlyFans land, where people push boundaries for views all the time, pretending to be someone else crosses a line.
Niemann’s built a whole career based on being someone else. Is that ethical? Well, without consent—which she does not have—nope. Ariana’s over it. OnlyFans creators and consumers find it weird. Even TikTok gave her the boot. Maybe it’s time for Niemann to take some time and find herself. Or, at the very least, stop trying to convince people that it’s really Ariana Grande making all that NSFW content.
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