Liam Martin is Instagram's teen version of "Weird Al" Yankovic.
His cheeky celebrity tributes toe the line between parody and promotion, but the results are so funny it ultimately doesn't matter if they're an homage or not -- and the Internet seems to agree. Under the handle @waverider_, the 17-year-old New Zealander has amassed more than 1.5 million Instagram followers, largely by riffing on iconic celebrity portraits.
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He's covered Miley Cyrus' infamous wrecking ball to Kim Kardashian's Vegas Magazine cover. But any target is seemingly fair game -- even wearing "oversize sweaters."
Liam told The Huffington Post he first started with the celebrity riffs after dressing up like the Little Mermaid. "The photo was a success and really seemed to entertain people," he said. "So I decided to keep doing that."
Despite his apparent popularity, Martin, who describes himself as "very weird and open," is an outspoken advocate against online bullying.
"Doing what I do generates a backlash of negative comments," he told HuffPost. "People need to be careful about what they say to others and embrace difference, as opposed to trying to destroy it."
In a five-minute YouTube video posted last year, Liam spoke out against bullying, self harm and suicide, telling Buzzfeed he hopes to help people feel more comfortable in their own skin.
Check out some of Liam's cheeky parodies, below:
For more, visit Liam's Instagram page.
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