Tube Girl: Inspiring confidence and banishing social anxiety

In August 2023, Sabrina Bahsoon, known as ‘Tube Girl’, made a TikTok lip-syncing to Nicki Minaj’s rap verse in ‘Where Them Girls At’ while travelling on the London Tube. She swiftly moves the camera around to make for some distinctive filming that users have rushed to recreate. Her hair somehow manages to stay perfect as the gust of wind from the open Tube windows creates a makeshift wind machine that adds to the iconography of her media.

Along with her casual streetwear and simple makeup, she’s quickly been named an overnight ‘Fashion It Girl’. Her followers have begun to use the ‘Tube Girl’ effect in an effort to banish social anxiety as they look, and perhaps more importantly, feel empowered.

With #tubegirl gaining over a billion views on TikTok, Sabrina has started a viral movement that revolutionises morning commutes. For people who find the idea of strutting down a packed tube intimidating – you’re not alone! The trend has been adjusted to accommodate personal boundaries with some people practicing in their rooms at home before moving to public transport. School hallways, empty buses, and the streets of cities abroad have all been introduced to the trend, showing just how infectious Sabrina’s energy is.

Sabrina’s videos, I find, can be likened to the liberating self-confidence I felt as a ten-year-old when walking up and down my living room as I pretended to be a supermodel. However, for Tube Girl, this isn’t just a dream. In September 2023, she walked in the London Fashion Week for M.A.C Cosmetics and for Christian Cowan in the Paris Fashion Week. According to British Vogue, she even received runway guidance from supermodels Naomi Campbell and Coco Rocha. During Fashion Month, Tube Girl also took over the socials for Harper’s Bazaar and has created content with brands such as Hugo Boss and Valentino.

She takes her fans along the way, who excitedly watch as she meets celebrities like Penn Badgley. TikTok has amazingly created a supportive space for Sabrina and she continues to pay homage to her roots. On her way to Valentino’s fashion show, she took the tube while in full hair and makeup done by Dimitri Giannetos and Patrick Ta. In an interview with The Evening Standard, she describes herself as “[a]n argumentative, opinionated young woman,” and there is no doubt that this is part of the strength she possesses to inspire young people around the world.

While Gen Z has quickly recognised the empowerment of her videos, some people find them cringe-worthy. More hilarious, however, are the businessmen left in complete confusion as Sabrina blitzes past them.

From Yungblud to Omar Apollo, she has featured various artists to help publicise their music. Troye Sivan reported on Capital FM that he was left in awe of her carefree attitude. “Shyness […] doesn’t exist in her body at all,” he explains. The idea that “[s]he just sort of breezes in” is palpable in her videos and the comments left behind on them. Although most see this trend as a test to social anxiety, Sabrina explained in an interview for ABC News that she has found it a deterrent for other things: “I found that if you’re dancing like a crazy person, men leave you alone.”

Coming from a Malaysian background, Sabrina has popularised the deconstruction of the nerdy stereotype for Southeast Asian girls. In an interview for Glamour, she proclaims: “We’re baddies! […] We can show up and show out.” It is so encouraging to see the world take on this attitude, and for young girls growing up on TikTok to have this representation.

From my own experience growing up in South Asia, I struggled to imagine trying out the trend. It sparked a fear of being perceived as shallow or narcissistic. Sabrina has rewired this to be a celebration of self-expression and a release of judgment. With her Tube Girl playlist now on TikTok Music, I’m ready to get dancing to The Pussycat Dolls.