The D'Amelios on Navigating Fame — and Starting a New Chapter: We 'Always Have Each Other'

Like many 18-year-olds, Charli D'Amelio is exploring her independence for the first time. What's not so typical is that she's doing it in front of a TikTok following of nearly 150 million.

Since moving out of her parents Heidi and Marc's home in Los Angeles and into a place "two minutes away" with older sister Dixie, 21, in March, "I'm figuring out now who I am and where I stand," she tells PEOPLE over a Zoom call with her family. "Alongside this work schedule and award shows and all of that, I'm trying to figure out how to be an adult."

Fans have watched Charli grow up ever since a video of her dancing on TikTok went viral in July 2019.

By November 2020, she became the first-ever TikTok user to hit 100 million followers, and her family members have developed followings of their own, thanks in part to their Hulu reality series The D'Amelio Show (season two premieres Sept. 28).

"When we did the first season, we were like, 'Is this really going to be interesting? We're a pretty normal family,'" recalls Marc, 53. "But then we realized that what's happening to Dixie and Charli is what 95 percent of the kids in the United States want to happen to them. By showing this process you get to see some incredibly positive things, but opening your family up to public scrutiny is really hard to prepare for."

The D'Amelios were living in Norfolk, Connecticut, when Charli, a competitive dancer for more than 10 years, first posted on TikTok.

Though hesitant to post at first, Dixie soon earned her own TikTok fan base, and the two sisters began to frequently traveled to the Hype House in L.A. — home base to a collective of content creators — to make their playful videos.

The family made a permanent move west in 2020, and they have expanded their empire to include fashion (they have their Social Tourist clothing line, Charli has her Born Dreamer perfume and they've done deals with Amazon, Hollister and Prada), music (Dixie released her debut album, A Letter to Me, in June) and TV, with Charli and Heidi, 50, now competing on Dancing with the Stars.

Earlier this month, the family also launched D'Amelio Brands, which will house all of their business ventures. Through the company, they also plan to launch products of their own.

Though fame has brought countless opportunities for the family, it hasn't come without a cost. Living life so publicly has opened the door for people to criticize Charli and Dixie's every move, and they've both had breakdowns (as seen in the first season of The D'Amelio Show) over online hate.

"When they're struggling, as a parent, you feel a little helpless," says Heidi. "You want to take away the hurt and the pain that they're feeling, but the only thing you can do is be there for them."

RELATED VIDEO: Charli D'Amelio Moves Out of Her Parents' House, But Says, 'I've Seen Them Every Single Day'

Still, Charli and Dixie insist on being open with their fans about their personal challenges. Charli has talked about acne, panic attacks and disordered eating, and Dixie has discussed her anxiety and depression.

"People have told me how talking about those things has helped them — and no Internet bully or troll could take that away," says Charli, who, along with Dixie, regularly sees therapists. Dixie also says that making music has been "therapeutic" for her.

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Adds Heidi: "It's nice to see them happy and putting their mental health and their bodies first. With that, I worry less."

No matter what happens, the D'Amelios will "always have each other to fall back on," says Charli. "That makes all of this so much easier."

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