Sophia Michaels
Prime Video’s new horror series “Swarm” is set to premiere on March 17th. The show is created by Donald Glover and Janine Nabers, who previously worked together on the series “Atlanta”. The series follows a young woman named Dre, played by Dominique Fishback, who goes to extreme lengths to fuel her obsession with a pop star named Ni’Jah. The show’s teaser trailer, released on Feb. 10, has caused a stir online due to Ni’Jah’s resemblance to Beyoncé. The official trailer, released on Feb. 24, further fueled the theories by seemingly including a few nods to the singer.
So, is “Swarm” based on a true story? The answer is no, however it seems to draw from tropes surrounding stan culture. The term “stan” is a reference to Eminem and Dido’s 2000 single of the same name, which is about an obsessed fan whose actions become increasingly more alarming as the song goes on. Fans of a celebrity usually give themselves a fandom name in order to build community, and in the series, Ni’Jah’s fans are known as the Swarm.
Ni’Jah shares a few similarities to Beyoncé, such as their similar-sounding fandoms and both calling their idols “Queen”. In an interview with Billboard, Janine Nabers addressed the Beyoncé comparisons and said that while Ni’Jah may have been partly inspired by the singer, she was actually inspired by more than one celebrity.
Don’t miss out on this thrilling new series when it premieres on Prime Video on March 17th!
