They say you should dance like nobody’s watching, and one girl is inspiring us to do exactly that. Last month, law graduate Sabrina Bahsoon became a viral sensation known as ‘Tube Girl’, after filming herself dancing on the London Underground.
The clip quickly went viral and in true TikTok style, has kickstarted a trend for people dancing on the tube (that's one way to liven up the morning commute.) At last count, the hashtag Tube Girl had amassed over 598 million views on TikTok. The hashtag has caught on all over the world, with people trying out the trend on the New York subway and the tube in Warsaw.
So, who is Tube Girl and how can you take part in the trend? Here’s everything we know...
Who is Tube Girl?
Sabrina Bahsoon – known as Tube Girl – is a 22-year-old former law student who lives in London. She is originally from Malaysia and moved to London after graduating from Durham University. Before her TikTok account went viral, she was a Maths, Business Studies and Law tutor, but at university, she realised that she wanted a creative career.
'I was at a crossroads,' she told The Evening Standard. 'I come from Malaysia, and I have very Asian parents who emphasise education. I didn’t choose law, I was pushed towards it. I was just an argumentative, opinionated young woman, and everyone was like, "Okay, you need to do law because you won’t shut up."'
How did Tube Girl go viral?
Sabrina posted her first viral video in August, dancing on the tube to Where Them Girls At. Now, her feed is filled with similar posts, with almost all garnering upwards of a million views. She films the videos on her iPhone using 0.5 mode - a wide lens photograph which distorts objects and bodies. Often, the filming is shaky but that's part of Tube Girl's charm. 'I have to mentally prepare for the journey. The bakerloo line was jerky and sweaty (i was scared),' she captioned one of her videos.
How did the Tube Girl trend start?
Her idea for the first Tube Girl video came about when she asked another passenger to film her dancing, during one of her commutes home from a night out. When the passenger said no, Sabrina took matters into her own hands. ‘I went on the bus and I tried it there, but it didn’t really hit. Then I got on a tube and felt the wind and my hair was really big that day so I just went for it,’ she told The Evening Standard.
Sabrina’s videos have resonated with TikTokers, with many users acknowledging her confidence. ‘My social anxiety is scared of you’, one user wrote in the comments. Another wrote ‘I would be far too embarrassed to do this with people in the train.’
Sabrina is pleased the movement has caught on, telling the BBC 'When I see people imitating it I'm like "Finally like people are getting it!" They're enjoying their their commute a little bit better. And I love to see people having fun so it's honestly such a heart-warming thing for me.'
What is Tube Girl doing now?
In short, more than just dancing on the tube. Sabrina’s TikTok page has amassed 554k followers, and the hype around her content has led to a host of new opportunities. At London Fashion Week, Sabrina made her first ever runway debut at the M.A.C Cosmetic’s Show, and she took part in a digital campaign with Hugo Boss for Milan Fashion Week, alongside other content creators.
Describing the experience as a ‘whirlwind’, she told The Daily Mail 'I get recognised the most while I'm on the tube, which is funny. I love it. The last few days have been a little crazy and I wouldn't say that it's my normal yet.'
How can I do the Tube Girl TikTok trend?
Sabrina's videos struck a chord with TikTok users, who have been uploading their own versions of the trend on the app. Those who live outside of London have found creative ways to dance on public transport in their own cities - and even on a Ryan Air flight.
As for how to do it, that’s simple. Just put on your favourite song (headphones recommended) unleash your best dance moves and, for extra music video points, stand directly in front of the window in the carriage so your hair blows in the wind à la Sabrina.
In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Sabrina shared how to get the 0.5 effect that she uses on all her videos. ‘It's basically on the TikTok app itself,’ she said. ‘I pinch the screen. I've seen that some phones don't work, so if it's not working for you it might be your phone, but mine is the (iPhone) 12, and I just pinch out the screen and use the back camera. That's it. There's no speed, there's no editing.’