On Wednesday, Natalie Beach — who met and befriended Ms Calloway while studying at New York University seven years ago — published an essay on The Cut revealing how the blonde beauty allegedly reached social media "fame".
Beach, left, wrote a witherig expose on her famous influencer friend Calloway. Photo / Supplied
Two days following the essay being published, which Ms Calloway promoted on her own social media accounts for her 780k followers to read, the 26-year-old has now revealed the tragic news her father has passed away.
"Today. I got the call an hour ago. The cause of death is unknown. I'm worried that by even telling this I will cheapen the truth — make this moment into another "notorious misfortune" of mine as the New York Times called them.
"But I believe deeply in the power of art and social media and being yourself. For many years (2013-2018) I tried to BE my persona online. I tried to make myself seem happier, prettier, more interesting and then I tried to be that person.
"In 2019 I have tried to brings [sic] my persona up to speed with who I really am, day by day,' she continued. 'If this media storm WASN'T blowing up right now, I would use my grief to make things that mean things to people online. You can call what I'm doing performance art, but it is only a performance when I fail to express honestly what I am feeling.
Ms Calloway said at the time of posting the tribute to her dad, she was about to have a television interview about the viral essay post but was now in "shock" and didn't know what to say.
"I guess I'll just tell the truth. I don't know. I can't think straight," she wrote.
The essay about Calloway went viral earlier this week. Photo / Supplied
"Text someone that you love them today. I didn't know this would be the last time I ever texted my Dad."
Controversy around Ms Calloway started earlier this year when the US social media star had to refund hundreds of dollars to budding influencers who shelled out for her "creativity workshop".
Ms Calloway was heavily criticised after holding sessions promising her followers that for $US165 ($260) a ticket she'd teach attendees how to build their social media brand while venturing on an "emotional and spiritual" art-making experience.
But after complaints people didn't get their money's worth at sessions in Washington DC and New York, the 26-year-old cancelled the remaining dates and issued refunds, blaming her "total inexperience" and inadequate preparation.
Ms Calloway had already faced backlash over her failed 'creative workshop' earlier this year. Photo / Supplied
Natalie Beach — Ms Calloway's former friend, ghostwriter and self-proclaimed mastermind behind the "Caroline Calloway social brand" — published a lengthy, tell-all essay detailing their fractured friendship and the rise and fall of the pair's working relationship.
In her essay, Ms Beach details how their friendship derailed, the reality behind Ms Calloway's online character and how it all went awry during a weekend visit to Cambridge University.
After the expose was published, Ms Calloway shared on Instagram that she planned on reading Ms Beach's essay in full with her therapist, later promising that she would write a response piece that she hoped would be also published by The Cut.
