Social media star behind viral 'Welcome to Chili's' video passes away at 24

GUWAHATI: Adam Perkins, behind the viral 'Welcome to Chili's' video, has died at the age of 24. The cause of his death, on 11 April, isn't known. His death was confirmed on Instagram by his twin brother Patrick.

"I can't even really put into words what this loss means for me. I'm often asked the question, 'what's it like to be a twin?' and my response is usually, 'what's it like to NOT be a twin,' Patrick wrote in his post.

"Being a twin is a very central part of my identity. It's all I've known. and I'm struggling to find the words to explain what it will be like for me to live in this world without him. my best friend.," he added. "In his honour, I will be releasing his album "Latch Relay" on a limited edition vinyl. it will be the first release on Plas Teg Records, a label that will seek to fulfil his musical destiny that was so tragically cut short. I love you, my best friend Adam."

Perkins' famous 2015 clip mocking adverts for the American restaurant chain Chili's on Vine racked up more than 20 million times over the course of a year, and he amassed more than 300,000 followers.

Perkins graduated from New York University with a degree in musical composition, and later released an album.

The six-second-clip-sharing platform spawned a new generation of content creators on the internet, helping youngsters break into platforms such as YouTube, but also into the music and film industry.

Vine closed in 2017, launching celebrities such as Cody Ko, Drew Gooden, Lele Pons, and Gabbie Hanna to stardom.

TikTok, which allows users to produce creative videos of up to a minute to share with the world, has taken its place.