How Eric Sedeno Became TikTok’s Favorite Bestie

If you scroll through the comments on any one of Eric Sedeno’s TikToks, you’ll see many of his viewers referring to him as “bestie.” Sure, it’s a popular Gen Z term of endearment, but Sedeno’s videos quite literally make you feel like you’re FaceTiming with a friend.

The 25-year-old Brooklyn-based art director and illustrator embraces spontaneity and candidness on the app. One day, he’ll start randomly DIY’ing a shirt with safety pins on it; the next, he’ll wax poetic about the idea of having a boyfriend without social media. His TikTok is never stagnant, and his followers are always along for the ride (he now has over 616,000). “My best TikTok content comes to me when I am hanging out with myself and I have nothing else to do,” Sedeno tells Vogue. “I truly think of myself as my own best friend. My TikTok is just me telling jokes to myself; the internet just happens to be watching too!”

It’s obvious why TikTok is drawn to Sedeno’s content: His bright, upbeat personality offers a ray of sunshine on the app. He’s even made videos where he gives his followers a virtual hug and compliments them in the process. “I leaned into people saying that it feels like they’re FaceTiming me, and put a video out there that felt like I was FaceTiming the viewer and gave some positive reinforcement, and it went viral,” he says. (It currently has over 700,000 likes.) So, what are you waiting for? Follow @ricotaquito now, and when you log on to TikTok, your days just might get a little bit sunnier.

Below, read on as Sedeno talks about how he comes up with TikToks, what’s in his closet, and how he stays so positive.

What made you want to start creating on TikTok?

People don’t know this, but what inspired me to really start spending time making content on TikTok was my breakup. I got broken up [with] at the end of last September, and suddenly had all this time to myself, so I took it as an opportunity to make jokes on the internet and my life has never been the same. Now I really look back and see that everything truly happens for a reason. Like, who would break up with me? I’m perfect.

What’s your process for creating? Where do you get ideas?

My best TikTok content comes to me when I am hanging out with myself and I have nothing else to do. I wish I had a more sensible way of content creating other than just being bored and thinking of funny things to say, but I truly think of myself as my own best friend, and my TikTok is just me telling jokes to myself; the internet just happens to be watching too!

We’re calling you TikTok’s favorite bestie because all of your followers view you as a friend. What do you think makes your content so relatable?

This is literally the nicest compliment and it means so much that people watch my content and think of me as their friend. That’s all I could ever ask for. I’m just a little gay boy from Texas and I think that my Southern hospitality shines on TikTok. If I am going to do anything in this world, I would hope it would brighten people’s days! I love myself so much and I try to find joy in every situation, no matter how terrible it is, which is why I think I have a sunny disposition that people like to watch on their screens. Overall, I think I just seem nice—which I am! ask my mom—and I’m okay with that.

You seemed to have mastered the art of not overthinking TikToks and being super candid. Is that always the case?

This goes back to my philosophy of life (am I getting too deep here?):

When you think about the purpose of life, everyone has a different answer, but I think everyone’s purpose should be to find their joy. If you can find a way to be happy with yourself, what you have, and where you’re at, the world is your oyster. I feel like I have always been a “look at the bright side” kind of person, but I’ve just decided that every day I am going to “choose joy and move forward with my life.” Life is too short to spend every day unhappy, so surround yourself with things and people who make you better, look for your personal joy—everyone’s is different, so don’t compare yourself to anyone—and chase it relentlessly.

Let’s talk fashion. How would you describe your style?

A mess. I’m joking. I think my personal style is always changing and evolving, as everyone’s should be, but I would say that right now I’m going for “cowboy in the city who wears too much color.” Finding ways to introduce any little feminine accent into my wardrobe is the most fun about being gay and dressing however I like. Why not wear my plaid jacket with my floral shirt and my puffer purse? It makes sense to me as an art director and a homosexual.

What are some of your most-worn pieces? Favorite brands?

My absolute favorite pieces are usually thrifted. Something about finding something no one else will have makes owning an item way more exciting. I grew up with parents who really didn’t care about buying name-brand clothing, and although brands can be really enticing, I like to think I still dress by finding things that make me feel excited and confident. My favorite green sweater is a women’s large Lands’ End in this beautiful mint. My favorite jacket is this oversized Western red and black plaid jacket that’s vintage Banana Republic from the ’80s. And my favorite pants my boyfriend (@reubensplanet on Instagram—he’s super talented) actually made for me for my birthday! Brands I actively follow for style inspiration are Jacquemus—the color palettes are to die for—Eytys, Balenciaga, and recently Willy Chavarria; I loved his runway’s references to Latino culture.

You’ve made some TikToks doing DIY fashion. Why do you love DIY’ing so much?

I don’t even know! I have always loved making things. Art was my favorite subject growing up. Obviously, I am a full-time art director now. I think DIY is an opportunity to take something that you might not love like you used to and give it a whole new life. It’s also a chance for me to have fun and truly experiment because I honestly still have no idea what I am doing. So I’m really just doing it to make something and try something new!

What’s been the best piece you’ve DIY’d? We love the safety pin video you made.

I would say that my all-time favorite DIY would be the first sweater I ever made. It was just the beginning of my DIY TikTok series, and I messed up so many times it should have been a disaster, but it came out perfect! I want to make another one in green or pink soon.

What is your favorite TikTok you’ve ever made? What took the longest?

My favorite TikTok I have ever made has to be my virtual hug video. I leaned into people saying that it feels like they’re FaceTiming me, and put a video out there that felt like I was FaceTiming the viewer and gave some positive reinforcement, and it went viral. Millions of people saw it and I’ve never cried at the nice things in my comments section before I made that video. I went viral for being nice! What more could I ask for?

What’s the next big idea you want to tackle on TikTok?

I want to introduce my graphic design onto my platform. If there’s one thing I love in this world, it truly is illustration and design, and I feel like that’s what I want to do with my life. If anyone has any ideas, let me know! Other than that, I’m just going to keep being me.

This interview has been edited and condensed.