CLICK! The lights of the paparazzi blind your vision as you and your childhood friend are trying to leave your local restaurant after what was supposed to be a relaxing afternoon. Questions over who you are with, and if you are in a relationship are shouted at you as pictures are being taken of your bad side. Now you realize why Hannah Montana disguised her identity before getting famous.

As social media has become more prominent in everyone’s lives, sharing every aspect of one’s day-to-day is an expectation, especially for celebrities. Things that were once considered intimate and private, like pregnancies and relationships, have become entertainment for the public and a way for public faces to make bank. It is not a bad trade-off – you share with the fans the personal details of your life, and they dedicate their time and money towards supporting you. However, an uprise of faceless celebrities has subverted this expectation.

Faceless celebrities are people that have gotten famous without showing their faces or sharing their lives on social media. Their fame comes instead from an appreciation of their amazing personalities, voices or creativity. The DJ Marshmello is a prime example, wearing a giant white helmet when performing his concerts. He has stated that he hides his identity out of the lack of desire for fame. Similarly, singer and songwriter Sia has produced musical hits like “Titanium” and “Chandelier,” but her face is a mystery to the public, covered by a giant wig and bow, as is her personal life. They both claim a lack of desire for fame but entered a career in which fame is the highest achievement. It may seem hypocritical but it works. They have managed to maintain a calmer lifestyle than most celebrities and can only be recognized when they put on their signature headgear. No one can blame them for wanting to keep aspects of their life private. Neither of them wanted to be famous and therefore as long as they produce quality music, they will continue to live a lavish lifestyle away from the public eye.

Other performance celebrities who do not share their identities like Daft Punk and the Blue Man Group do so as an artistic choice to add to the appeal of their shows. The Blue Man Group is iconic for having people painted entirely blue. With about 70 members anyone at your local grocery could potentially be one of the iconic Blue Men. Their claim to fame is only found in their job position and has nothing to do with recognisability but if your neighbor told you they were one of the Blue Men you would undoubtedly ask for an autograph.

The hype surrounding faceless celebrities like Sia and Marshmello has allowed for the creation of a new sub-genre of faceless celebrities in the form of Youtube Personalities. Famous YouTubers such as Minecraft streamer Dream and storyteller Corpse Husband have become a widespread topic as their fanbase has been dying to know what they look like. Both have teased certain aspects of their appearance, with Dream sharing his eye color and Corpse posting photos of his hands and torso. Their likability is based solely on their personalities and content, however, Corpse Husband has recently had a massive surge in subscribers because of his low voice. Without a single photo of his face, thousands of fans have deemed him attractive, and rightfully so. Celebrities are often criticized for their looks but both Dream and Corpse Husband have been able to prove themselves to be fame worthy without them.

Celebrities that hide their appearance definitely seem like they have somehow cheated the system to fame. Not everyone can become popular without being undeniably attractive. These celebrities still have to deal with public scrutiny but they do not have to worry about their looks being apart of it. Although fans may be dying for a face reveal, the mystery behind these personalities keeps them interesting.