The highly anticipated launch of tween YouTuber Salish Matter's cosmetics brand descended into utter chaos on Saturday, as a colossal crowd of frenzied young fans overwhelmed the American Dream mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The event for 'Glow Up by Salish Matter' was scheduled to be a celebratory affair but was abruptly cut short after just two hours. Mall security and local police were forced to intervene as the sheer volume of attendees, estimated to be in the thousands, created a potentially dangerous situation. Videos from the scene show a teeming sea of predominantly young girls crammed into the mall's corridors, with many unable to move.
A Security Nightmare
Eyewitnesses described a scene of pandemonium. The crowd's intensity led to the event's premature closure for safety reasons. A mall representative confirmed the shutdown, stating the decision was made "in an abundance of caution for the safety of our guests" after the crowd size became unmanageable.
Social media footage captured the scale of the event, showing a massive queue snaking through the mall's indoor ski slope area long before the launch. The crowd's enthusiasm was palpable, but it quickly escalated beyond control, leaving many disappointed fans who had queued for hours unable to reach the pop-up store.
The Power of a Digital Star
The incident underscores the immense and often underestimated influence of young social media personalities. Salish Matter, the 12-year-old daughter of YouTube duo Jordan and Brittany Matter, has amassed a colossal following of her own. Her foray into the lucrative beauty market with a line of lip oils, glosses, and accessories was met with unprecedented demand from her devoted fanbase.
This event highlights a growing trend where digital creators command a level of fandom that rivals traditional celebrities, capable of causing real-world disruptions and generating retail frenzies typically associated with major pop stars.
