Everyone knows who Justin Bieber is, but did you know he was discovered on YouTube? Bieber was posting videos of himself at the age of 12. His videos got hundreds then thousands of views, and eventually, his manager found him and flew Bieber to Atlanta to meet Usher. We all know the rest.
Nowadays, we know him as the Weeknd, but back when he got his start, he was just known as his YouTube username, which shortened to XO. Eventually, he settled on the name "The Weeknd" and continued to publish music online. His content caught the eye of producer Jeremy Rose and most famously, Drake. At that point, The Weeknd became a huge sensation.
Shawn Mendes got his start on Vine, where he gained thousands of followers for his amazing talent. After Vine shut down, Mendes moved to YouTube and amassed a huge following after he posted a cover of "As Long as You Love Me" by Justin Bieber. Even then, we knew that this kid was going somewhere. Now, he's one of the top-selling male pop artists.
Troye Sivan is a newer popstar, but YouTube was where he first began his career. As early as 2007, Troye began uploading videos of himself singing. By 2012, be published full vlogs that were relatable and personal. Subscribers poured in, and this caught the eye of EMI Australia. They helped him produce his third EP, which peaked at number five on the U.S. Billboard 200.
Anyone that’s been on YouTube for a while knows Grace Helbig. She was a hilarious comedian that made great videos with her friends. She never thought she could turn YouTube into a career, but that's exactly what she did. Eventually, she got noticed by My D*amn Channel and was hired to create their videos. Now, she has her own podcast, produces films, and wrote two New York Times Best Seller books.
Bo Burnham started his career when he was 16 years old. He uploaded videos of himself playing comedic songs in his bedroom. Before long, he shot up to be one of the top comedians of his generation, but he didn't stop there. In his own words, he got "tired of being clever" and moved onto being a producer for films like Eighth Grade.
Pentatonix is an a cappella group from Texas. They began uploading covers for songs like "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5. After gaining popularity, they applied for The Sing Off and got on because they already had a loyal following on YouTube. They won and gained a Sony Music contract. From there, they began performing professionally in movies like Pitch Perfect while selling their own albums.
Lilly Singh is better known as Superwoman on YouTube. She was quirky, funny, and did impressions that kept people watching for hours. The first video she uploaded only got 70 views, but that was just the start. She continued making great content, and now, she has her own late-night show. On top of that, she’s looking forward to an acting career, appearing in movies like Bad Moms alongside Mila Kunis.
Michelle Phan is widely known throughout the beauty community. She’s one of the original “Beauty Gurus” of YouTube. She helped many young girls learn how to put on their makeup, but she wasn’t happy stopping there. Eventually, Michelle Phan created her own company called Ipsy. Being accomplished, it’s no surprise she landed on Forbes’s 30 Under 30.
Before he was singing for Glee, he was making things like “A Very Potter Musical” on YouTube. Not only did Darren Criss write the music and lyrics, but he also played Harry Potter. The video blew up online, and he eventually got his start with TeamStarKid. Thanks to his talent here, he landed a role on Glee and became the guy we know today.
