- Adam Martinez, known as @adamrayokay on TikTok, achieved viral fame for his makeup-wearing, foul-mouthed alter ego, Rosa. The 20-year-old has racked up 1.2 million followers since first posting as Rosa in December 2019.
- Rosa’s videos have even inspired spin off videos from other TikTokers eager to get in on her antics.
- Martinez told Insider that he plans on resisting the pressure to constantly post videos, focusing on “quality over quantity.”
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When Adam Martinez isn’t working at a call center in San Antonio, Texas, he’s transforming into his alter ego, Rosa, on TikTok. Rosa, who wears giant lashes and rocks aggressively under-blended contour, has become a TikTok celebrity in under two months; Martinez has racked up 1.2 million followers since posting his first video as Rosa in December.
The 20-year-old’s videos, which have received over 10 million likes, feature Rosa demonstrating her amateur beauty routine, mouthing off in school, and dishing on her dating life.
The inspiration for Rosa, Martinez says, is that underappreciated funny person everyone has in their lives. “Rosa is just somebody that everybody happens to know, whether it’s through school, through a friend, they just all have met somebody like her,” he told Insider. “So I thought, ‘why don’t I just bring her back and let her shine?'”
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@adamrayokay POV: Rosa has to put her hair in a braid now cause its to latefor her to straighten it-) Tag a bitch like this!! #fyp#viral #foryou
Rosa's foul-mouthed antics include a shameless pursuit of YouTube fame, misbehaving in class, and navigating drama with her ex.
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@adamrayokay POV: Rosa wants to become a YouTuber and lets her whole classknow) #fyp #viral#foryoupage
Martinez never expected Rosa to achieve viral fame. "I actually had my notifications on TikTok turned off when I posted the [first] video," he said. He only thought to check his TikTok when he noticed a sudden spike in Instagram followers.
"I looked at my TikTok and was just like, 'this is crazy.' It already had 30,000 views and 15,000 likes," he recalled.
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@adamrayokay POV: Rosa shows up with a hickey and it catches the teachersattention-) #fyp #viral#foryou thank you SO MUCHfor 300k!!—
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@adamrayokay POV: Rosas vibe gets killed because she sees her ex with a newgirl at a party) #fyp #viral#foryou
The iconic look Martinez created requires several makeup products. The lashes he used in his original video were from a local boutique in San Antonio, but since Rosa's achieved viral fame, he's received gifts from companies like Baddie B lashes and Missfab Beauty lashes. Rosa's dazzling highlighter is from Jaclyn Cosmetics ("it's blinding," Martinez says). And finally, Rosa's dramatic contour is courtesy of Too Faced bronzer.
Rosa's videos have even inspired spinoffs. TikToker Marlene Mendez, known as @marlenedizzle to her 124,000 subscribers, began posting videos of herself responding to Rosa's theatrics. Her back-and-forth conversations with Rosa have received nearly 1 million likes since she began posting in January.
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@marlenedizzle POV: Rosa making you late as always. #fyp #foryoupage #react
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@marlenedizzle Rosa about to get down with her exs new girl #reactto adamrayokay #fyp #foryoupage #foryou #reaction
Martinez never planned on the collaboration - he first saw a Marlene / Rosa mashup on Twitter - but the two have become friends. "Everybody just loved our connection. They just felt like we already knew each other," he said. "I reached out to her, we're friends now, we text here and there. We're planning on meeting up."
As for Martinez's future plans, he intends to focus on developing the Rosa character while avoiding the pressure to constantly produce content. "I'm gonna take my time with her," he said. "Quality over quantity. I feel like I have to take my time, get a good video, and once it's out, it does well."
According to Martinez's Instagram stories, a YouTube channel - and, possibly, Rosa merch - are on the way. "She's poppin'," he said, "so I'm just gonna keep doing her and see where it takes me."
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