You’ve probably seen it. Maybe on a late-night TikTok scroll or buried in a niche Twitter thread. Someone posts a picture of a pumpkin, but it’s not just a pumpkin. There's a specific, weirdly catchy vibe attached to it. People are shouting into the digital void: i wanna be a jack o lantern. It sounds like a joke. It looks like a meme. But honestly, it’s actually a fascinating intersection of internet subculture, seasonal nostalgia, and the DIY music scene.
Why do we want to be hollowed out and lit from within? It’s a strange vibe.
The Viral Roots of the Trend
Most people stumbling onto this phrase are actually looking for the song. Specifically, the track by The Jammin' Kid. If you spend any time on Reels or TikTok during the "Ber" months (September through December), you’ve heard that high-pitched, almost chipmunk-like vocal filter. It’s bubbly. It’s chaotic. It captures that specific feeling of wanting to shed your human skin and just exist as a glowing piece of porch decor.
The song isn't exactly a lyrical masterpiece in the traditional sense, but that’s not the point. It’s an anthem for the "Spooky Season" enthusiasts. It represents a shift in how we consume holiday media. We don’t just watch Hocus Pocus anymore; we adopt an entire aesthetic. We want to be the aesthetic.
Why This Specific Phrase Sticks
Language is weird. I wanna be a jack o lantern works because it’s a declarative statement of absurdity. In a world that feels increasingly heavy and complicated, the idea of being a vegetable with a face carved into it is... well, it's a mood.
It’s about transformation.
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Think about the history of the Jack O’ Lantern itself. We’re talking about the Irish myth of Stingy Jack, a man doomed to roam the earth with only a hollowed-out turnip to light his way. Over centuries, that turnip became a pumpkin. The fear became fun. Now, in 2026, it’s a digital shorthand for "I am ready for autumn and I’m making it my entire personality."
The Aesthetic and the "Pumpkin Head" Photoshoot
You can't talk about i wanna be a jack o lantern without mentioning the visual component. Every year, without fail, the "Pumpkin Head" photoshoot trend returns.
It's exactly what it sounds like. People go to a patch, buy a massive pumpkin, gut it (which, let's be real, is gross and cold), and stick it on their heads. They wear flannels. They go to hazy fields at sunset. They take photos that look both eerie and wholesome.
- The Preparation: You have to carve the bottom out wide enough to fit a human neck, which most people underestimate.
- The Interior: Pro tip—if you don't scrape the "guts" out perfectly, your hair will smell like raw squash for three days.
- The Lighting: Some people actually put LED puck lights inside while they’re wearing them. It looks incredible on camera but makes it nearly impossible to see where you're walking.
This isn't just a "girlie" trend either. It’s crossed over into every demographic because it’s the ultimate equalizer. You don't have to worry about your facial expression in a photo if your face is literally a carved piece of produce. It’s low-stakes modeling.
Digital Folklore and Shared Identity
The internet thrives on "micro-identities." You’re not just a person who likes Halloween; you’re someone who understands the i wanna be a jack o lantern lifestyle. It’s a form of digital folklore.
We see this often with sounds that go viral. They become "audio memes." The Jammin' Kid's track serves as a signal. When you use that sound, you are flagging yourself as part of a specific tribe. You like the crunch of leaves. You probably drink overpriced lattes. You definitely have a "spooky" playlist that you start listening to in August.
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The Music: Beyond the Meme
While the "i wanna be a jack o lantern" sound is the heavy hitter, it’s part of a larger movement of "Halloween-core" music. Artists like Kim Petras with her Turn Off the Light album or the enduring legacy of Danny Elfman have paved the way for this.
But there’s a difference here.
This trend is lo-fi. It’s "bedroom pop" adjacent. It’s the kind of music that feels like it was made on a laptop in a dorm room by someone who really, really loves October. That authenticity is why it ranks so high in our collective consciousness. We’re tired of over-produced corporate holiday music. Give us something weird. Give us something that sounds like a fever dream.
How to Lean Into the Vibe
If you’re sitting there thinking, "Yeah, actually, I do wanna be a jack o lantern," there are ways to do it without actually putting a 20-pound gourd on your head.
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- Curate the Soundscape: Look for "Phonk" remixes of classic Halloween sounds. It’s a genre that’s exploded recently, combining dark, distorted beats with nostalgic samples.
- Lighting is Everything: The whole "lit from within" thing? You can do that with orange smart bulbs or salt lamps. It changes the psychology of a room.
- Support Indie Creators: The people making these sounds and visuals are usually independent artists. Following them on platforms like SoundCloud or Bandcamp keeps the subculture alive.
The Practical Side of the Trend
Let's get real for a second. If you are going to do the pumpkin head thing for the ‘gram, there are safety issues.
Carbon dioxide is a real thing. If you carve a small pumpkin and stick your head in it for twenty minutes while posing, you’re breathing in a lot of your own exhaled air. Keep the "neck" hole large. Don't use real candles inside the pumpkin while you’re wearing it (yes, people have tried this, and yes, it’s a terrible idea).
Also, pumpkins rot. Fast. If you take your photos on a Tuesday, that pumpkin will be a mushy, fly-infested nightmare by Friday. Plan your content cycle accordingly.
Why It Won't Die
Every year, people say the "Halloween aesthetic" is over-saturated. And every year, i wanna be a jack o lantern proves them wrong.
It’s because it taps into something primal. The change of seasons represents a "death" of the year, and the Jack O’ Lantern is the mascot of that transition. It’s a protector. It’s a beacon. It’s a goofy face that mocks the darkness.
We don't just want to watch the season happen. We want to embody it. We want to be the light in the window.
Actionable Steps for the Spooky Obsessed
Stop waiting for October 31st to lean into the feeling. Start by building a "sensory bridge" to the season. Use the i wanna be a jack o lantern audio to create your own transition videos, even if it’s just of your morning coffee. Invest in high-quality, reusable "carvable" foam pumpkins if you want the look without the rot. Most importantly, understand that this trend is about the joy of being a little bit weird. Embrace the absurdity, keep your hair away from the pumpkin guts, and let the orange glow take over.