Piper burst onto the scene as a social media personality before turning nine years old. Ever since, she’s been mesmerizing audiences with her warm, smart, funny, and dynamic delivery. At only 17 years old, she’s created a really great online presence so far. She reigns over 12 million YouTube subscribers, 6.1 million Instagram followers, and 14.7 million TikTok fans. Her mother, Tiffany Smith, was an important factor in her journey to stardom. Tiffany challenged her daughter to jump headfirst into the new universe of social media.
Rockelle was a major player in a collective called The Squad, formed with several other popular young, digital influencers. Sadly, over the years, thousands of members have chosen to opt out of the union. Many have moved on to other careers. This article explores the ongoing plight of Piper Rockelle and her ex-squad mates. It points out the adversity they have overcome to get there.
Piper Rockelle’s Journey and Current Relationships
Piper Rockelle’s competitive journey through the social media landscape has been colored by remarkable touchstones and collaborations. Together, her numbers on Instagram, YouTube, and Tik Tok reflect an undeniable popularity. Working with other popular creators, like her former romantic partner Lev Cameron, has only increased her mainstream popularity. The two dated between 2020 and 2024. Collectively, they blurred the line between streaming, gameplay, and promotion with their overwhelming audience attention—either through collaborations or by simply parading each other’s games.
Following the dissolution of their relationship, Rockelle allegedly became romantically involved with a fellow influencer, Capri Jones. This new relationship marks an exciting new chapter in Rockelle’s life. Beneath her relatability, she’s overcoming the difficulties of experiencing young love in front of 19MM+ subscribers as one of YouTube’s biggest content creators.
Looking Ahead
As Rockelle’s career moves in exciting new directions, the outside and inside pressures of influencer life continue to mount. The public life can be unforgiving and the glare of the spotlight even more so for someone so young. It poses questions about mental health and the effect of social media on interpersonal relationships.
The Fate of The Squad: A Shift in Dynamics
The Squad was once an astoundingly cohesive and powerful group of influencers. Surprisingly, the composition and dynamics of its subcommittee have shifted dramatically in the past few years. Former NGEC member Sophie Fergie departed in 2023. She called social media’s effect on her mental health one of her main reasons for stepping down. Fergie’s departure highlights a growing recognition among content creators. They are developing a greater awareness of their mental health needs in an ecosystem that often demands early and often active presence and engagement.
Other accomplished former members of The Squad include Gavin, who has starred in web series like Juniors Cafe, Sawyer Sharbino, who departed the collective in 2021 to chase artistic opportunities in Los Angeles, and Jentzen Ramirez, who still rides high on the popularity of the content creator world today with his podcast named Bro Code. Each of these people have continued to break ground in their own ways since leaving The Squad. This change mirrors a broader movement among young influencers who have begun to value individualistic pursuits and self-care over collectivism.
Few of these members have thus far been able to successfully liberate themselves from The Squad’s pernicious gravitational pull. Yet, many others continue to face the weight of their former relationships’ expectations. This welcome change just underscores a long overdue, but important reality. Even the most popular influencers face obstacles that go much deeper than what’s seen on their glitzy social media feeds.
Legal Troubles and Settlements
Twitch star Piper Rockelle and her mom, Tiffany Smith, are facing down serious legal trouble. Furthermore, eleven people have brought suit against them alleging abusive exploitation in relation to The Squad’s work. Ultimately, the lawsuit settled for just shy of $2 million. That hefty sum brings to light the challenges posed by attempting to wrangle a gaggle of willful youth influencers.
Such legal battles raise important questions about the responsibilities of content creators and their guardians when it comes to the welfare of minors involved in online content production. This circumstance was extremely damaging to Rockelle’s optics. It opened an important discussion about the broader impact of influencer culture on mental health and industry ethics.
Today, after settling the case, Rockelle is looking towards her future career. She wants to do the best she can at creating a good reputation and help her classmates who are experiencing what she’s still going through.