TikTok loves this self-taught cellist from Grayslake who plays by ear

Drew Wiegman never took a formal music lesson, doesn’t read sheet music, and plays the cello entirely by ear.

That hasn’t stopped more than three-quarters of a million people from following his soulful performances on TikTok — drawn to his message of positivity over perfection.

The 24-year-old Grayslake native performed this weekend at the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts at the College of Lake County in Grayslake.

Wiegman began playing cello by ear in fourth grade. His interest in music came and went, and by high school, his focus had shifted to baseball. A standout on Carmel Catholic High School’s team, he earned a scholarship to play at the University of Louisville.

The physical and emotional demands of Division I sports, along with shifting interests, led him to leave the game. He struggled to find direction — until music came back into the picture.

The journey started with a push from his younger brother, Ben.

“He challenged me to post a video on TikTok of me playing cello,” Wiegman said. “I immediately got 16 likes and six followers. And I was like, ‘Wow, I might have a purpose here.’”

The brothers could never have predicted Wiegman’s explosive growth on social media in just four years.

With more than 750,000 TikTok followers, Wiegman is part of a select group. Only about half a percent of TikTok influencers worldwide have between 500,000 and 1 million followers, according to Statista, an online platform for global market and consumer data.

After his first 20 posts, Wiegman gained 1,000 followers. That milestone unlocked the platform’s permission to livestream. He played his cello and connected with his audience in real time — an experience he’ll never forget, and one that catapulted his rise on the platform.

“I really didn’t know what I was doing,” he said. “But then, a viewer said, ‘This made my day so much better. Thank you!’ That was a powerful moment when I realized I could provide something positive for people.”

Based on the number of followers and the steady stream of positive comments from all over the world, Wiegman is convinced his music touches the hearts and souls of his audience.

“I’ve been told so many times that my music is healing,” he said. “People relate to it on a deep emotional level. It resonates with them and validates their experiences.”

But it’s not all warm hugs, Wiegman says.

“Oh, I get comments that are terrible,” he said. “Some people in the classical music world can be toxic. I can get 500 positive comments on a piece, and then somebody will slam me for not holding the bow correctly.”

His repertoire includes popular movie scores, familiar pop hits, and original compositions. Still, Wiegman resists being labeled a cellist.

“I’m not classically trained, but I get thrown into that category. I'm like, no, hold on. I'm an artist, not a cellist,” he said. “I know that might seem crazy to some people.”

Incorporating emotionally charged video and still images enhances his playing and taps into his viewers’ deepest emotions. He says comments like this fuel his drive to produce more content.

“I listen all day on Spotify. You calm me down between all my home care patients,” a follower posted. “I’m a registered nurse. Thank you. Your music makes all the difference!”

This weekend’s performance was only his second live show. He plans to do more, with future dates to be announced.

You can listen to Wiegman’s music on his website or on Apple, Amazon, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube, and TikTok.