PHOTOS PROVIDED Trenton Grimes, of Bellefonte, is seen at RAL Productions in Lemont, Pa.

PHOTOS PROVIDED
Trenton Grimes, of Bellefonte, poses for a photo in his graduation cap and gown.

BELLEFONTE — Far from the glitz of New York and Los Angeles, Bellefonte isn’t the kind of place you’d expect an influencer to break through; yet one local teen has proven that an online following can be built from anywhere.

Trenton Grimes, 18, of Bellefonte, just had the biggest month of his career, racking up more than 10 million views across his platforms — all while creating content from his Centre County home.

His budding career represents a new generation of entertainers finding success on social media rather than through traditional industry avenues.

“Everything I’ve done has been either learning it myself or from the internet,” said Grimes, who, in about two years, has amassed more than a quarter-million followers across his platforms.

The social media influencer, model and musician, who got his start on TikTok, has been charting his own path to celebrity by channeling his passion for music and connection into online opportunities that have helped him cultivate a devoted following.

“I’ve always had a passion for music — at two years old I was singing, and by the time I was seven, blasting Ariana (Grande) in my basement on my karaoke machine,” Grimes said.

But it wasn’t until an evening spent roleplaying on the popular multiplayer game Grand Theft Auto V a few years back that he began to consider music as a career. Through the game, he met other online musicians who became his early mentors.

“They actually taught me most of all of my production skills,” he said.

By 2023, Grimes was posting his own songs on TikTok, a platform that has increasingly become a key space for music discovery, audience building and chart recognition. Alongside his music, he shared relatable videos that helped him connect with a steadily growing fan base.

“I’ve always loved pop,” said Grimes, whose affinity for layered vocals, ad-libs and riffs was shaped by artists like Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber and the Backstreet Boys.

“I started the music in 2023 with more of a slow but heavy emotional vibe,” he said.

That sound shows up on his 2024 debut single “Yours,” but he said that style of music didn’t quite fit his image.

“I don’t think it was me,” he said.

Around this time, his online career began opening doors beyond social media.

In 2024, Grimes entered Rolling Stone’s “America’s Next Top Hitmaker” competition, where, as a semifinalist, he ranked among the top one percent of a pool of 63,000 music-makers.

“After that Rolling Stone thing happened, everything — my videos — started to get more views,” he said.

Once paid voting was introduced to the competition, his momentum slowed, but he’d already made an impression on audiences. Since then, he’s focused on turning the attention he’s received online into a sustainable career.

“95 percent of my day goes to my dog and my career,” said Grimes, whose husky mix, Ruger, is his true love outside of his online world.

Now a full-time influencer, Grimes dedicates much of his day to creating content, frequently working with brands that pay him to promote their products or services.

“Influencer marketing is one of the top ways of marketing nowadays,” Grimes explained. “A majority of the brands that I work with are targeting a certain age range — and that’s from 17 to 24, from 13 to 17 — and where are kids nowadays? They’re on the internet.”

In the social media age, businesses are increasingly relying on the ethos of influencers, who can vouch for a product directly to their audiences.

“People see a creator they like and think, ‘I like this influencer, so I’m willing to try this product or app,'” Grimes said.

Some brands even pay the platforms to boost these videos, which helps both the product reach a wider audience and the influencer grow their own platform.

“I get paid to do what I love, work with people that I love and work with some of my dream brands,” Grimes said.

He’s since modeled four times for Ariana Grande’s r.e.m. beauty — a dream collaboration for Grimes, who grew up admiring the pop star.

“That was just freaking amazing,” he said.

He also teamed up with the new dating app Duet for a video that’s since drawn over 5 million views.

Grimes has also partnered with brands like the men’s haircare company Tribal Chimp and said he’s currently in talks with a clothing and apparel agency for future modeling work.

When asked why he thinks his content has stood out among the digital noise, Grimes said he believes it’s his authenticity.

“I feel like a lot of people just say what they want on the internet, but I feel like I focus my career on being positive and kind,” said Grimes, who believes many creators lean on drama or satire because it sells. “I focus on authenticity and what I actually believe in, which is being kind.”

Grimes considers himself an advocate for self-love and mental health, a perspective shaped by his own experiences.

“Dealing with the internet at such a young age was good from a career standpoint, but not so good for my mental health,” he said. In 2024, he took a break from social media to focus on his personal life after facing hate comments and cyberharassment.

He credits his determination — and the encouragement of other creators — for helping him stay the course. One of them, content creator Danielle Penman (@brothersandmother on Instagram), pushed him to keep pursuing his career when he felt like giving up.

“Some days I wanted to quit, but I couldn’t see my life being any different,” Grimes said. “This is what I love, and this is what I was born for.”

While many children used to say they dreamed of being a doctor or lawyer, more and more young people are looking online for a career, and Grimes offered them some advice.

“Any opportunity that comes to me, I really consider it,” Grimes said, after attributing his own online versatility to his success. “I don’t want to be just one thing.”

“Whatever you do, stick to it,” said Grimes. “Keep consistent at that sparkle that you find, and just keep going at it.”

Though he dreams of one day moving to a bigger city to continue his career, he said his small-town upbringing shaped his independence and enabled his success, “Growing up in Centre County has taught me how to be more independent and do the things that I want.”