Larray
{{Short description|American social media influencer and YouTuber (born 1998)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Larri Merritt
| image = Larray with fan 3 (3x4 cropped).png
| caption = Merritt in 2022
| birth_name = Larri Merritt
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|7|22|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = Compton, California, U.S.
| education = Alta Loma High School{{Cite web |title=Alta Loma High School Class of 2016 |url=http://altalomahighschool.org/class-of-2016.html |access-date=2022-09-11 |website=altalomahighschool.org}}
| occupation = Content creator
| module = {{Infobox YouTube personality|embed=yes
| channel_display_name = LARRAY
| channel_id = UCt_DaLB_NDqPVxezyvcfRtg
| subscribers = 9.8 million
| views = 1.2 billion
| years_active = 2015 – present
| silver_button = yes
| gold_button = yes
| diamond_button = no
| diamond_year =
| associated_acts = {{hlist|Twaimz|The Hype House}}
| module = {{Infobox TikTok personality
| embed=yes
| page_display_name = larray
| page = larray
| followers = 27.6 million
| likes = 791 million
| module = {{Infobox Instagram personality
| embed = yes
| page = larray
| followers = 6.2 million
| stats_update = May 10, 2025
}}
}}
}}
}}
Larri Merritt{{Cite web |last=Weiss |first=Geoff |date=2022-09-22 |title=Patreon's deals with top TikTokers fell far short of expectations, leaked documents show. Here's what it means for the company's creator strategy coming off its layoffs. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/patreon-layoffs-company-documents-insiders-reveal-creator-partnership-struggles-2022-9 |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} (born July 22, 1998{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqS-bAhOHWg|title=Larray Answers the Internet's Most Searched Questions|last=Babers|first=Christopher|publisher=YouTube|date=November 25, 2019|access-date=June 14, 2020}}), professionally known as Larray, is an American YouTuber and influencer. He produces comedic video content on his YouTube channel, and was part of the collaborative TikTok collective known as The Hype House. After initially gaining prominence on Vine, he started uploading videos onto YouTube after the former became defunct.{{Cite web|last=Raphael|first=Shannon|date=April 15, 2020|title=Larray Might Be Hype House's Most Underrated Member|url=https://www.distractify.com/p/larray-hype-house|access-date=June 14, 2020|publisher=Distractify}}
Career
Before becoming a member of The Hype House in January 2020 to late 2020,{{cite web|last1=Perrett|first1=Connor|date=February 2, 2020|title=TikTok's Hype House is home to some of the app's biggest stars, including Charli D'Amelio. Who are the other 20 members?|url=https://www.insider.com/hype-house-members-charli-d-amelio-lilhuddy-tiktok-los-angeles-2020-1#larray-age-21-63-million-tiktok-followers-21|access-date=June 14, 2020|website=Insider}} he had accumulated over 6 million subscribers on his personal YouTube channel,{{Cite web|title=LARRAY: Monthly YouTube Statistics on Socialblade|url=https://socialblade.com/youtube/channel/UCt_DaLB_NDqPVxezyvcfRtg/monthly|access-date=June 14, 2020|publisher=Socialblade}} in addition to approximately 12.8 million followers on his personal TikTok account.{{Cite web|title=LARRAY: Monthly TikTok Statistics on Socialblade|url=https://socialblade.com/tiktok/user/larrayeeee/monthly|access-date=June 14, 2020|publisher=Socialblade}} He was nominated in the Breakout Creator category at the 9th Streamy Awards in December 2019.{{cite web|last=Willis|first=Jackie|date=December 14, 2019|title=2019 YouTube Streamy Awards: The Complete Winners List|url=https://www.etonline.com/2019-youtube-streamy-awards-the-complete-winners-list-137943|access-date=June 14, 2020|publisher=Entertainment Tonight}} His three novelty songs "First Place," "Last Place" and "Canceled" together spent 42 weeks on Billboard's Comedy Digital Tracks chart before its abolishment in January 2020, with the former gaining over 41 million views on YouTube,{{Cite web|date=February 11, 2018|title=THE RACE (REMIX) - FIRST PLACE / LARRAY (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQKXBHLKEv0|access-date=June 15, 2020|website=YouTube}} and ranking at number 13 on the 2018 year-end chart.{{Cite magazine|title=Comedy Digital Track Sales - Year-End 2018|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2018/comedy-digital-track-sales|access-date=June 14, 2020|magazine=Billboard}}
Merritt is openly gay.{{cite web | last=Grein | first=Paul | title=MrBeast & Bretman Rock Win Top Awards at 2021 YouTube Streamy Awards | website=Billboard | date=December 12, 2021 | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/2021-youtube-streamy-awards-1235008411/ | access-date=October 21, 2024}} In August 2022, he launched a virtual restaurant that sells mac and cheese.{{Cite web |last=Whateley |first=Dan |title=TikTok star Larray is launching an online mac and cheese restaurant as the influencer ghost kitchen trend heats up |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-star-is-launching-online-restaurant-larray-loaded-mac-2021-8 |access-date=2022-09-17 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} In May 2023, Merritt released Cancelled Remix with Twaimz. On this he took shots at Kai Cenat, IShowSpeed, Adin Ross, Dream, and others. This garnered 12 million views on YouTube.
COVID-19 pandemic controversy
On July 21, 2020, Nikita Dragun held a surprise birthday party for Merritt during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|last=Williams|first=Janice|date=July 28, 2020|title=Influencers Face Backlash After Attending Party for TikTok Star Larray As Coronavirus Surges. Newsweek.|url=https://www.newsweek.com/coronavirus-social-media-influencers-party-1521043|access-date=August 26, 2020|website=Newsweek}} The party included social media personalities such as James Charles, Charli D'Amelio, Dixie D'Amelio, and others.{{Cite web|last=Lustig|first=Hanna|title=Dozens of top influencers gathered for a massive Hype House birthday party despite record COVID-19 numbers in California|url=https://www.insider.com/party-hype-house-larray-birthday-la-james-charles-tana-influencer-2020-7|access-date=2020-08-26|website=Insider}} At the time of the party, California's COVID-19 cases had just surpassed New York's cases.{{Cite web|last=McGreevy|first=Patrick|date=July 22, 2020|title=California to obtain more mask &/or gear as it becomes state with most COVID-19 cases|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-07-22/coronavirus-cases-rise-newsom-ppe-masks-gear|access-date=2020-11-30|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}} There was an estimated 67 people in attendance, many of whom were seen without face masks despite local health recommendations.{{Cite web|last=Lloyd|first=Jonathan|date=June 19, 2020|title=If You Have Questions About California's Face Mask Rules, This List Has Them Covered|url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/coronavirus/california-face-masks-requirement-rules-exemptions-coronavirus-covid-19-reopening-pandemic/2382783/|access-date=2020-11-30|website=NBC Los Angeles|language=en-US}} Photos and videos of the event appeared on social media sites such as Instagram. These posts drew criticism from the public, including other influencers like Elijah Daniel and Tyler Oakley.{{Cite web|last=Henry|first=Ben|date=July 23, 2020|title=Tyler Oakley Called Out James Charles, Charli D'Amelio And More For Attending An "Insane Surprise Party" During Lockdown|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/benhenry/tyler-oakley-james-charles-charli-damelio-larray-birthday|access-date=2020-08-26|website=BuzzFeed News|language=en}} Merritt, and some of the other attendees, later apologized.{{Cite web|last=Tenbarge|first=Kat|date=2020-07-27|title=Party-goers were subjected to strong online backlash, but that hasn't stopped them from continuing to go out|url=https://www.insider.com/la-influencers-coronavirus-party-jake-paul-youtube-tiktok-nikita-tana-2020-7|access-date=2020-08-26|website=Insider|language=en-US}} Residents of the Hype House later tested negative for COVID-19.{{Cite web|last=Roantree|first=Megab|date=August 4, 2020|title=Nikita Dragun Got The Hype House Tested For Coronavirus|url=https://www.kiss.ie/nikita-dragun-got-the-hype-house-tested-for-coronavirus/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009225155/https://www.kiss.ie/nikita-dragun-got-the-hype-house-tested-for-coronavirus/|archive-date=October 9, 2020|access-date=2020-08-26|website=Kiss|language=en-GB|url-status=dead}}
Discography
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan="2" scope="col" style="width:20em;" |Title ! rowspan="2" scope="col" style="width:2.5em;" |Year ! colspan="2" scope="col" |Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2" scope="col" |Certification ! rowspan="2" scope="col" |Album |
| scope="col" style="font-size:90%;" |US {{Cite magazine|title=Billboard Hot 100 (2020-10-31)|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/2020-10-31|access-date=2020-10-27|magazine=Billboard|language=en}} ! scope="col" style="font-size:90%;" |CAN |
|---|
| scope="row" |"Cancelled"
| 2020 | 81 || 96 | |rowspan="2" {{non-album single}} |
| scope="row" |"Cancelled (Remix)" {{small|(featuring Twaimz)}} |2023 | — || — | |
| colspan="6" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a song that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
=Other charted songs=
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Award ! Category ! Result !{{abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}} |
|---|
| 2019
| rowspan="4" |Streamy Awards |Breakout Creator |{{nom}} |
| rowspan="3" |2020
|Creator of the Year |{{nom}} | rowspan="3" |{{Cite web|url=https://www.streamys.org/nominees-winners/10th-annual-nominees/|title=10th Annual Streamy Nominees & Winners}} |
| First Person
|{{nom}} |
| Lifestyle
|{{won}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Streamy Awards Winners CSS}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people
Category:Alta Loma High School alumni