Where are the Magcon Members Now? Revisiting the Social Media Stars, 8 Years After Vine Shutdown

Shawn Mendes, Cameron Dallas, Nash Grier and more are among the original group of viral social media stars who were a part of the meet-and-greet convention tour

Feel old yet?

In 2013, Magcon launched, giving fans the opportunity to meet the hottest social media stars at the time.

Created by Bart Borderlon, Magcon, which stands for "meet and greet convention," was deemed “a boy-band phenomenon without the band." Its original members gained viral fame on platforms like Instagram and the now defunct Vine, which was infamously shut down on Jan. 17, 2017, and permanently discontinued a few months later.

At its peak, Vulture reported that Magcon sold approximately 2,000 tickets to each of its events, including VIP packages that offered "one-on-one time with your favorite Magcon boy." The members of the initial lineup were selected based on their varying talents displayed on social media.

Magcon members were deemed heartthrobs by their diehard fans, who were attracted to their engaging and oftentimes comedic content portrayed in short-form video content or photos shared to their social platforms — in addition to their heartthrob good looks.

Magcon ran from 2013 to 2014, further launching the careers of the Vine and social media stars who were involved. The touring group broke up after alleged disagreements between its members' management teams and Bordelon.

While the majority of the group has maintained a popular presence online through the years, a select few have managed to expand their notoriety beyond social media — like chart-topping musician Shawn Mendes and Broadway star Cameron Dallas, to name a few. Meanwhile, others have chosen to start new paths, like creating families of their own.

Read on for what the original Magcon members are up to today.

Shawn Mendes

Shawn Mendes rose to fame in 2013 after amassing a large following on Vine, where he posted six-second videos of himself singing song covers. He was discovered on the app and signed with Island Records of Universal Music Group the following year.

The Canadian singer-songwriter released his debut album Handwritten in 2015, which topped the US Billboard 200 and made him one of five artists to debut at number one before the age of 18. His single "Stitches" reached the top 10 in the US and Canada.

Since then, Mendes has released a number of albums filled with chart-topping hits that have landed him several accolades and wins at notable ceremonies like the American Music Awards. He's received three Grammy nods to date.

Mendes also made headlines for his high-profile romance with Camila Cabello, who he dated from July 2019 to November 2021. He was in a brief relationship with Sabrina Carpenter in early 2023, too.

Cameron Dallas

Cameron Dallas rose to fame through his posts across social media platforms, though primarily on Vine and YouTube. He began posting jokes and prank-styled content on the now-defunct app in September 2012.

Two years later, Dallas became the 11th most-followed account on Vine with 8.1 million followers. By 2017, he racked up 20 million followers on Instagram, where he still posts content for his since-increased audience today.

Dallas, nicknamed "Cam," was deemed "hands down the No. 1 star in social media" by Magcon founder Bordelon, per Vulture. He won three Teen Choice Awards in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Social media aside, the California native took his screen talents to TV and film. He had roles in episodes of NBC's American Odyssey series in 2015 and a comedy-drama film The Outfield opposite fellow Magcon member Nash Grier.

Dallas entered the music scene in 2015, too, and released his debut single "She Bad." He also starred in a Netflix original series, Chasing Cameron, in June 2016 — and later, made his Broadway debut as Aaron Samuels in Mean Girls in 2020.

Nash Grier

Nash Grier gained popularity in early 2013 on Vine, where the then-high school student would share comedy-related clips on the short-form video app. He was the most-followed user on the platform by 2015.

The internet personality joined Magcon as one of its original members in 2013, where he was later joined by his brother Hayes Grier on the tour. After the group broke up, the siblings pivoted to the alternative social media tour, DigiFest.

Grier created content across various social platforms, including YouTube. He was a staple on red carpets at fan-favored events like the Teen Choice Awards at the peak of his viral fame. In 2017, Grier had a role in You Get Me with co-star Bella Thorne.

The former Vine star has carried his following over to Instagram, where he primarily posts now. His content has evolved, pivoting away from comedy and focusing on family upon welcoming a baby with his wife Taylor Giavasis.

The couple, who began dating in 2015 and tied the knot in a civil ceremony in December 2024, welcomed their firstborn in September 2019. Their second child, Noa, was born in July 2022.

Aaron Carpenter

Aaron Carpenter is a co-founder of Magcon, having amassed millions of followers on social media. Twitter (now X) and Vine were among his most followed platforms, where he'd upload comedy and prank videos.

The Louisiana native often teamed up with fellow creators, too. Ethan and Connor Dolan (simply known as "The Dolan Twins" online) were among his frequent collaborators. His older brother Dustyn was also popular on the app.

Upon establishing a social media presence, Carpenter ventured into music. He began sharing songs online in 2016 before releasing his first single "Attitude" upon signing his first record contract with Capitol in 2019.

In August 2023, Carpenter married his "dream girl," Connar Franklin, in North Carolina. They met on New Year's Eve in 2018 and got engaged five years later. He often shares couple photos on Instagram with his three-plus million followers.

Taylor Caniff

Taylor Caniff is a co-owner of Magcon who's accumulated over 10 million followers across social media platforms, including Instagram. He began posting pranks, comedy sketches and his day-to-day happenings on Vine in 2013.

In 2014, Caniff entered the music scene. He formed a hip-hop duo with Dillon Rupp named 2Virgins and dropped their debut single, "Buckwild," in April of that year. He continued to release music in the immediate years that followed.

Caniff ventured into TV endeavors, too, making appearances throughout Dallas' Netflix show Chasing Cameron in 2016. He also earned a Teen Choice Award nomination that year for "Choice Snapchat Male."

In May 2024, Caniff posted images of him and the original Magcon members in celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the first time they were in L.A. together. Mendes, Dallas, Grier and more were featured.

"Crazy looking back on life & reminiscing cant believe its been 10 YEARS! Extremely proud of how far me and the homies have came," he captioned the Instagram post. "If your still here 10 years later... i really really appreciate you. I guess we are all grown up now."

Caniff is currently in a relationship with model Azul River. He often posts photos with her on social media, including spending time at the beach, at festivals like Coachella and more.

Jack Gilinsky and Jack Johnson (Jack and Jack)

Jack Gilinsky skyrocketed to social media fame when he started posting to Vine in 2013, however, his online presence began years earlier on YouTube. He teamed up with his longtime friend Jack Johnson, who created a channel with him.

The pair, who are famously known as "Jack and Jack," began their comedy career with their collaborative YouTube channel in 2007. They then took their lip-syncing videos and parodies to Vine, where they went viral.

They hopped on the Magcon tour in 2013 and further built their fanbase. By early 2015, they had amassed over five million followers on their joint account and sat in the top 20 most-followed Vine creators at the time.

The duo, who met in kindergarten in their native Nebraska, pursued careers in music and released their debut song "Distance" in January 2014. They signed with Island Records of Universal Music Group in 2017 and released their debut album, A Good Friend Is Nice, in 2019.

Jack and Jack continue to create music and tour as a music duo today. In March 2025, they will embark on a European tour called Symbiosis.

Gilinsky made headlines for his romance with fellow singer-songwriter Madison Beer, who he dated from approximately 2015 to 2017. He is now in a relationship with model Geneva Natalia.

Johnson doesn't appear to be in a public relationship at this time.

Carter Reynolds

Carter Reynolds built a following of millions on Vine in 2013, alongside other popular creators like Grier and Dallas. His content was similar, creating six-second videos of comedic bits and pranks that often featured his fellow viral friends.

By 2014, the North Carolina native racked up 4.3 million followers on the now-defunct app, 2.38 million Twitter followers and over 2.9 million on Instagram. His large audience led to massive brand deals — and eventually, a spot on the original Magcon tour lineup.

Reynolds' fame soared until a scandal erupted after a private explicit video leaked with his then-girlfriend Maggie Lindemann on Tumblr in June 2015.

He then issued an apology on Twitter, writing in part, "I'm sorry to everyone I offended and especially Maggie." However, further controversy ensued between the duo thereafter, including public arguments back and forth online.

Although Reynolds lost many of his fans in the wake of the controversy, he continued to build a following across other social media platforms. The creator is now Los Angeles-based and posts on Instagram and TikTok, though has been quiet on the apps since April 2024.

Reynolds' relationship status is unclear.

Matthew Espinosa

Matthew Espinosa is a social media phenomenon who's built a massive following across Vine, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter — and now, TikTok. Like fellow Magcon members, the Virginia native rose to fame on the six-second video app.

The online personality was known for his lip-syncs and comedy videos that garnered over one billion loops alongside fellow viral Vine stars, which landed him a spot on the Magcon tour with the original members. He eventually ventured into film.

Espinosa made his acting debut in Paramount's Be Somebody in 2016. The movie tells the fictional story of a teen pop star in a desperate search for a normal life, leaving his sold-out tour to find refuge in a small town after running away from the spotlight.

Like many of the other original Magcon members who got their start on Vine, Espinosa made the transition to TikTok. In April 2020, he, alongside the likes of Reynolds and Caniff, reunited through an edited-together video collaboration.

In June 2023, Espinosa created a TikTok "duet" with fellow internet sensation Alix Earle that has since gone viral. The clip featured his reaction to a video shared by the influencer, who joked about "DMing Magcon boys" in seventh grade.

It doesn't appear Espinosa is in a public relationship, based on his social media pages.

Mahogany Lox

Mahogany Lox (née Mahogany Gordy) was the only female member in the original Magcon lineup and toured with the group in 2014. The daughter of Berry Gordy IV and Valerie Robeson, the creator built a large following on Vine for her singing videos.

The artist was known for her covers of popular hits by the biggest artists of the day, like Fifth Harmony's "Better Together" and Ariana Grande's "Problem." In 2015, she released an original debut single "Boom."

Today, Lox continues to create content across social media platforms, primarily posting to Instagram and TikTok. While she still posts music (now as a DJ), her videos are now largely comedy-based.

She has recently been linked to online personality Carlos Esparza based on their social media posts together.