The “But When He Loves Me” TikTok Trend, Explained

Another day, another TikTok trend that will either make you laugh, cry, or jokingly threaten to block the poster for being too adorable. This time it’s the “But When He Loves Me” trend, which serves as a sort of appreciation post for couples in love.

The videos start off with the completely opposite vibe, however, as the creator says “I hate all men.” The first line is, of course, meant to be hyperbole. But it does play off the idea that many partners let each other down, don’t do enough, and are often downright toxic. It’s used to highlight what they might expect to happen in relationships, versus what can happen once they’re with the right person.

A dreamy song, sung by @pxrxvi, then begins to play in the background featuring the lyrics, “But when he loves me, I feel like I’m floating. When he calls me pretty, I feel like somebody.” It’s the perfect accompaniment to the footage that starts rolling, usually featuring couples dancing at their wedding, spooning in bed, brushing away a strand of hair that’s gently fallen in their face — you name it. If it’s saccharine, you can bet it’s been featured in the trend.

Take this video, for example, which shows clips of @ridwanibrahim0105 and her husband at their wedding, hugging on a rainy street, and hanging out on a park bench. Like I said, it’s all so cute.

There’s also this ridiculously sweet video from @georgefanacct which shows her taking a spill at her wedding, only to be joined on the ground by her husband, presumably as a way to help her feel less embarrassed. It’s tempting to hate all men, but you definitely can’t hate that!

There are also plenty of videos featuring everyday moments, like this one from @aileenchristineee. Paired with the song, it’s hard not to feel all the feelings as you watch her go about life with her partner by her side.

I think we can all agree it’s these small exchanges that help make a relationship feel comfortable and supportive. They often serve as a reminder to appreciate the little things.

The trend realy blew up when Charli D’Amelio shared a version featuring her dad. You see Charli and her dad hugging, Charli and her dad curled up on a couch, Charli and her dad all dressed up. It’s a sweet spin on the trend, so of course fans followed suit and posted their own versions, to mixed reaction.

Many commenters felt it was creepy to set photos of dads and daughters to a song about being called “pretty.” Others admitted they felt triggered, saying they wish they had a close relationship with their dad. For the most part, though, people supported D’Amelio’s “But When He Loves Me” post, and thought it was sweet.

Just as a side note — and this is important — the person featured in the trend can also be a dog.

It can also be — and this is hilarious — no one at all.

Leave it to TikTok to take a trend that borders on “too much” and expertly turn it into a joke, in the best way possible.