"Elevator Boy": TikTok star Jacob Rott talks about his journey to 6 million fans

Created: 04/08/2022, 10:49 am

By: Kim Luisa Engel

Jacob Rott was born in Stammheim and has over 6 million followers on TikTok.

© pv

Jacob Rott is successful on TikTok and one of the "Elevator Boys".

He originally comes from Florstadt and tells how he became an internet star.

Florstadt - "I'm happy to return to my old place of work," says Jacob Rott about the soccer field of SV Teutonia Staden.

He sees playing football at home as a good balance to his job as a content creator for TikTok, Instagram and Co. - Internet platforms for which he produces content, mostly short videos and images.

"You're always somehow online, your head is never turned off," says the 22-year-old.

When playing football, you are forced to put your cell phone away: “Head off and switch off 100 percent.”

For his work on various Internet portals, Rott has his mobile phone in his hand for several hours a day.

"Actually, I'm on duty around the clock from Monday to Sunday," explains the native of Stammheim.

A weekend mood never arises, and the “boundaries between free time and work are totally blurred” – precisely because it is his job to document almost everything he does for his followers.

However, Rott would not describe himself as a typical influencer, he would rather entertain his fans than make products with discount codes palatable to them.

"I want to put a smile on their faces with my videos."

Jacob Rott: The TikTok star and one of the "Elevator Boys" graduated from high school in Friedberg

Rott's career on social media started here, at home.

After graduating from the Johann Philipp Reis School in Friedberg, he spent three months abroad before working as a waiter and bartender in Nidderau.

In Frankfurt he starts to study business administration, works in the gym and as a model on the side.

When he tears his ligaments while playing football at the beginning of the pandemic and is unable to work, he asks himself: What am I going to do with my time?

"TikTok was trending at the time, and I thought I'd give it a try," says Rott.

After about three weeks he noticed that something was happening - more and more followers were added and he stayed on the ball. The whole thing really picked up speed when he started recording videos with four friends.

"That's how the idea came about that we could live and work together," explains the 22-year-old.

Heidi Klum visiting the "Elevator Boys": TikTok video with Jacob Rott from Florstadt

On August 1st last year, the five moved into an apartment in Berlin, originally planned for two months.

“It then escalated relatively quickly,” says Rott and laughs – they have just signed a new lease for a year.

The boys first gained notoriety through a video in the elevator.

"It went viral, had almost 20 million views in a very short time."

In Los Angeles, Jacob (left) and his "Elevator Boys" met Heidi Klum, with whom they filmed several videos for TikTok.

© pv

More videos in elevators followed, fans recognized the five boys, christened them "Elevator Boys".

And since then they have been unstoppable: traveling through Europe, jetting to New York and Los Angeles.

The most famous guest in the elevator?

Heidi Klum.

"It's really crazy what we're experiencing," says Rott.

However, the trips are not vacations, but always have something to do with work, since the boys have “a huge community” worldwide.

"Elevator Boy" Jacob Rott: Visiting the soccer field in Florstadt is a must for the TikTok star

Because he is often on the road for work, Rott is rarely in Stammheim.

"But we talk on the phone a lot," he says of family and friends.

But whenever he is at home, a visit to the soccer field in Staden is a must - whether for training, for a game or as a spectator.

He also likes to go to the "Ristorante Da Toni" in Altenstadt with his uncle.

But even the couch at home is enough, says Rott with a laugh.

“The time in the village gives me peace, grounds me.

I can switch off here.”

But there his path was initially viewed with skepticism.

"TikTok was new for everyone, including me," says Jacob Rott.

Friends had asked him if he wanted to rely on that alone.

At that time, content creator on TikTok was not a real job - but now it is.

His parents can now see that things are going well.

"I took that fear away from them."

Front row at Milan Fashion Week: "Elevator Boy" and TikTok star Jacob Rott tells

Would the Stammheimer describe himself as famous?

"Extremely many people know you," he says.

In New York, fans would have waited with signs at the airport, at Milan Fashion Week the “Elevator Boys” sat next to stars and starlets in the front row at Hugo Boss.

"I was already asking myself: How did I make it here?"

The 22-year-old only really realized how far he had come on New Year's Eve.

He spent the turn of the year in a rooftop bar in New York.

There he had to think about how he celebrated last year.

"Somehow a lot went right and went well."

A day in the life of TikTok star and "Elevator Boy" Jacob Rott

After getting up, content creator Jacob Rott answers private messages and business emails.

Then he goes in search of ideas, because he shoots at least three videos a day for his individual channels on social media.

Then he researches it, has meetings, gives interviews, maybe attends events.

After the sport, the plan is to produce content: the videos and photos for his channel, then for the “Elevator Boys” group channels.

"We often support each other on our individual channels," says Rott.

They needed several hours and many attempts to shoot, even if the video was only 15 seconds long.

“That adds up to three to four hours a day.

And that for TikTok alone. ”When the processing is complete, it is usually 8 p.m. and he answers messages again.

There are two sides of the coin: on the one hand you can organize your time freely, on the other hand the border between work and leisure becomes blurred.

(Kim Luisa Engel)

Jacob Rott is not the only TikTok star from Hesse, because internet star Younes Zarou also provides insights into his life*.

The Frankfurter talks about his shootings, his most embarrassing situations and of course his fans.