Like many university students, Gabriel Yorke, 18, spends much of his time studying at Carleton University’s MacOdrum Library. He sits on the main floor with his laptop, frequently rising and placing his work down to talk and take selfies with other students. A smile never leaves his face.
When he’s not studying, he often walks around campus in his Ravens sweatshirt while carrying a microphone and asking students questions.
This is just another day for one of Ottawa’s up-and-coming TikTokers.
The popular video-sharing platform TikTok has captivated the attention of all ages and has created megastars out of everyday people. With around one billion active users, it keeps consumers’ attention with its carefully tailored “For You” page.
When searching “Ottawa” on the platform, one of the first results is Yorke’s most popular video, where he asks students to describe the city in one word.
Ottawa-centric content is typical for Yorke. With almost 153,000 followers on TikTok, his videos are mainly satirical comedies about Ottawa’s “boring” stereotype and life as a university student.
“I definitely saw something online about Ottawa being boring, and I thought, ‘Ah, let me see what I can do,’” Yorke said.
His decision to start filming paid off with his videos quickly skyrocketing in popularity.
Yorke, or @gabrielyorke08 as he’s known on TikTok, won the 2023 Faces Magazine Ottawa Award in February for TikTok account of the year.
Seemingly inadvertently, his entire brand dispels the myth that Ottawa is boring and offers many things for viewers to experience in the city. Some of his most popular TikTok content includes, “what do you do for fun in Ottawa?,” “best places to eat in Ottawa” and “main attractions.” He also has a series where he gives advice on how to be a university student.
How did he get here?
Yorke got his start as a content creator at the young age of eight while making Minecraft videos on YouTube. Years later, he started making TikToks and learning to be comfortable in front of the camera.
“As far as TikTok goes, I posted my first TikTok on Jan. 1, 2021,” he said. “It was just an everyday account until I posted the Ottawa video, and then I just rolled with that.”
Going up to interview strangers isn’t easy for anyone, but Yorke said the more he does it, the easier it gets.
“I still have to psych myself into doing it,” he said. “I’ll have to just stand there for a good two or three minutes just because I’m nervous to start filming.”
Even if it interrupts his studies, Yorke doesn’t mind being stopped by other students or fans. He said his favourite part of what he does is when people come up to him after recognizing him from TikTok.
“It’s like having a lot of friends. I wasn’t the popular kid in high school, so this is like my popular kid stage. I like that I’m someone who’s approachable,” he said. “I don’t want it to get to the point that people are afraid to come up to me. I like that people can come up to me with confidence.”
Despite growing concerns surrounding TikTok, including its unpredictable algorithm and privacy concerns, Yorke remains loyal to creating content.
He said it is hard to predict if new content will see success.
“Every time you post, you gotta go back to square one. I put it out there and see what comes back,” Yorke said.
He initially accepted an offer at the University of Ottawa for biomedical and mechanical engineering but switched to Carleton’s engineering program before the term started. After realizing engineering was not for him, he eventually landed at the Sprott School of Business.
Now in his second year, Yorke plans to take social media as far as it can go and use his business knowledge.
“If I learn about accounting work, I won’t have to pay someone in the future to do it,” he said.
Content creation
Yorke’s videos wouldn’t be possible without some behind-the-scenes support, mainly from his friend Salmaan Mubashir. The two worked at the same Ottawa movie theatre one summer and reconnected when they sat near each other during frosh week.
Mubashir said he hopes to become a film director.
“You should always remember to not make a role like this feel like a job because, eventually, you’ll resent it. There will be both good and hard days, but always looking forward to the next time is what gets me to film,” Mubashir wrote in an Instagram direct message.
When Yorke attended the Faces Magazine Ottawa Award Ceremony, he hosted the red carpet for the event with aid from Mubashir, where they got to speak with other attendees and create content. It was an experience Mubashir said he will never forget.
“My favourite part of being the videographer is being presented with opportunities that I normally wouldn’t get,” he wrote.
When Mubashir isn’t filming, Yorke’s mother is behind the camera. As a former Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League player, Yorke said he is used to going on long road trips for games with his mom. Now that he’s stopped playing to focus on school, he said filming TikToks is a new way for them to spend time together.
“She’s always available and she supports me in that way, so this is the only time we get to hang out,” Yorke said.
Yorke said a filming day can take one to three hours of shooting as he embarks on tours of Carleton’s campus or the larger Ottawa area. The videos often begin with Yorke explaining which myth he’s going to dispel and then goes on to pose a question to passers-by.
However, heading out into Ottawa is not always the easiest year-round.
“The hardest part is recording in the winter outside. Ottawa isn’t the nicest place weather-wise to film through the winter,” Mubashir wrote.
The cold is worth it, though, as the videos continue to connect with viewers. Yorke’s TikTok following has more than doubled in the last seven months. According to the social media analytics website Social Blade, he has received 9.1 million likes on his videos so far.
‘Bringing together a community’
TikTok creators can also expand their platform by posting their videos on Instagram as Reels. Many influencers use this platform as both a personal and business page, including Yorke, who has amassed over 43,000 followers.
Many Carleton students may have seen one of his videos on their Explore page, where Instagram displays content the algorithm thinks users will like.
For Lynne Taylor, a third-year business student, the relatability and humour of Yorke’s content drew her to start following him.
“It was always very inspiring to see him bringing together a community and creating videos that make people laugh. University can be a tough time for everyone, so I definitely appreciate what he does,” she said.
If you’re at the right place at the right time, you might catch Yorke and Mubashir filming a video or see yourself in the background of one.
“My friends and I were in the background of one of his videos,” Taylor said. “It was funny.”
He may be one of the city’s most famous university students right now, but Yorke keeps a level head about the fame. He said he loves making videos and keeps the fun in it.
“I don’t take it for granted. There’s no overnight sensation in the Yorke house.”
Featured photo by Owen Spillios-Hunter/The Charlatan.
