Celebrity 'Finsta' Accounts Are Not So Secret Anymore

The concept of 'finsta' (fake Instagram) has evolved among celebrities from private secondary accounts to semi-public tools for fan engagement. Originally used by teens to maintain a curated main profile and a private one for close friends, celebrities now leverage finstas to build parasocial relationships. Charli XCX used @b.sides (formerly @360_brat) to announce listening sessions for her album 'Music, Fashion, Film' in 25 cities worldwide between July 9-11, 2026, with fans invited via the account. Other examples include Rachel Sennott (@treaclyproductions, 53k followers), Addison Rae (@freedomandcontrol, 161k), and Pierpaolo Piccioli (@keeppprolling). Journalist Sam Tracy notes these accounts are designed to be discovered but not too easily. Charli XCX opened her finsta two years ago during the 'Brat' tour, sharing behind-the-scenes content and clues for surprise events like a concert in Williamsburg, New York. PinkPantheress previewed 'Boy's a Liar' on @burtsbeessavedmylife, and Kendrick Lamar announced album 'GNX' on @jojoruski. Others like Lorde (@onionringsworldwide) review onion rings, Cole Sprouse (@camera_duels) posts photos of people trying to photograph him, and Gigi Hadid ran @gisposable for analog photos.