‘I’m sorry’: Influencer posts tearful reaction video after criticism over ‘mortgage-free’ celebration

A 21-year-old influencer has responded to the backlash she’s faced about not having a “real job”, after she celebrated the purchase of her own home.

Katylee Bailey, who has more than 2.8m followers on TikTok, frequently shares videos about messages of self-love and her family and friends. In a recent video post to TikTok, she addressed some of the criticism she’s face online. More specifically, she discussed backlash over her clip, where she celebrated becoming “mortgage-free and a homeowner at age 21,” to speculate about her career.

In the comments, people questioned how working on TikTok can pay off someone’s mortgage and claimed that there are other people with “real jobs” can’t afford their own homes. They also claimed that it was “crazy” to them that influencers appeared to make a lot of money.

In her response video, Bailey had tears in her eyes, as she apologised to her followers and expressed how “f***ed” up it is that people in the country are struggling to find a place to live.

“I’m sorry to anyone who feels like I’m bragging about the house thing,” the British TikTok user said. “Yes the system is absolutely f***ed. I will never get my head around the fact that I’ve been so lucky.”

Over the years, research has predicted a rise in homelessness rates in the UK. According to data shared by Shelter, a British homelessness charity, in January, there were at least 271,000 people who were homeless in England on any given night in 2022. The charity also said it was “bracing” for “a sharp rise in homelessness in 2023”.

In her video, Bailey acknowledged that she knows there are people out there who “work their a**es off”. She also emphasised how “lucky” she is to be making a career out of social media.

“But believe it or not…I do actually work, and let me tell you something, social media is so mentally draining,” she said.

Bailey explained that while her family has given her “an amazing life,” she didn’t “grow up with money,” which is why becoming a homeowner meant so much to her.

“To be able to achieve such a big thing at 21 years old, I’m so grateful,” she said. “I’m not bragging. It’s me just being so proud of myself.”

She noted her feeling that TikTok users think that she’s “not human,” before explaining that she’s had “other things going on in [her] life”. Bailey then expressed her gratitude for friends and family, before encouraging her followers not to be mean to each other on TikTok.

“Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, but don’t bring someone else down just to make you feel better about yourself,” she said. “I just started [posting on social media] like everyone else does, and I just got really lucky.”

Bailey then told her viewers that if they don’t like her videos, they simply shouldn’t watch them. She noted that she won’t let the criticism get to her, as she shared her plans to build furniture and record it because she “wants to”.

She concluded her video by expressing her gratitude for her family and grandparents for supporting her.

As of 12 April, the 21-year-old’s video has more than 3.8m views, with people in the comments defending Bailey and praising her recent achievement.

“Katylee, do not ever apologise! You should be proud of yourself! Shout it from the rooftops!” one wrote. “You can’t please everyone and like you say anyone else.”

“You deserve it so much Katylee,” another added. “You’ve clearly worked so hard to get to where you are & should be so proud of yourself. They’re just jealous people.”

A third agreed: “You should never apologise for hitting such an achievement at such a young age and being PROUD of it!! You should be proud!”

The Independent has contacted a representative for Bailey for comment.