Social media stars: What happens when two young vloggers meet their shero, Lilly Singh
The Canadian YouTube star who is all set to become the first brown woman to host a late-night in show the US has been the inspiration every young girl needs today
brunch Updated: Apr 21, 2019 01:04 ISTThe first time I saw Sh*t Punjabi Mothers Say on YouTube, I laughed out loud because my Punjabi mother – frustrated with my life choices like most parents – is the embodiment of that video.
At the time, I had no idea that the video was made by a 20-something brown girl from Toronto – Lilly Singh – who, in just a couple of years, would go from being a YouTube personality under the moniker Superwoman to a late night show host with NBC – a first in the history of American television where talk shows are usually hosted by white men.
The 30-year-old is amongst the few vloggers who started the desi invasion of YouTube and joined the ongoing revolution in the entertainment business with her do-it-yourself spirit. And that’s how Lilly Singh inspired a whole generation of vloggers in India.
Inspiring homegrown stars
Lilly’s work has given a 360-degree turn to the life and career of 25-year-old Dhwani Bhatt. “Seeing the journey of Lilly – who believes in celebrating her true self – encouraged me to be myself unapologetically,” she says.
“I recognise I have a lot of people watching my videos, especially young girls. Whatever I’m doing now is much bigger than myself!” -Lilly Singh
“I was inspired by the fact that she started wearing sneakers to the red carpet in an age where women wear heels to appear taller,” explains Dhwani and adds how she loved the way Lilly started naming her pimples!
“That she chooses to go make-up free and makes videos with messy hair at times is truly inspiring! She is always in her element. There is never any fakeness,” says Dhwani whose YouTube channel ‘Dhwani Bhatt’ has over 1,30,000 subscribers today.
Born and raised in Mumbai, Dhwani started uploading videos while studying law. She wanted to discover the joy of creating something of her own but lacked motivation, which she derived from Lilly.
Dhwani was good at craft and had started uploading DIY videos. “But, I was never sure about YouTube. So, I had a conversation with my parents and asked them to give me six months to prove myself,” she says.
Around the same time Dhwani came across Lilly’s channel on the recommendation of a friend, in 2013, and the rest is history.
“Because so many people look up to me, I want to practice what I preach. And I don’t want people to tolerate who they are, I want them to celebrate it” -Lilly Singh
But she first met Lilly at the YouTube Fanfest in Mumbai the following year. “She was everything a star should be. She greeted every fan with so much love and killed her stage performance. Watching her film, A Trip to Unicorn Island, where she talks about recovering from depression really moved me. From sharing my make-up routine to how I spend my Sunday – I try to show my real side through my videos just like Lilly,” she says.
Cut to the 28-year-old Debasree Banerjee, a biotech graduate from a remote area in Assam where no one had heard of YouTube, who is now a celeb vlogger in her own right with over two lakh subscribers for her beauty channel ‘Debasree Banerjee’.
Who knew that she’d give up the comfort of a full-time job to create beauty vlogs as a profession, just by being inspired by a Canadian YouTuber?!
“Lilly’s decision to take a break from YouTube made me realise how important it is to take care of your mental health. Two years ago, I was going through a bout of depression. The negativity in the digital space was getting to me. So, like Lilly I decided to not upload any videos for six months,” she shares.
Of course, it had an impact on the number of people who were viewing her channel and many of her fans almost became distrusting. “But I knew it was an important decision for me,” reveals Debasree.
“Stop using Snapchat filters as your profile picture. You don’t look like that!” -Lilly Singh
“I was studying biotechnology in Bengaluru and had no exposure to the Internet but after working for two years, my parents saw how unhappy I was. They encouraged me to quit my job and pursue vlogging,” she says and at that time, Lilly’s videos came to her rescue.
“Initially, it was awkward to be talking to the camera. Now I put out shopping hauls and product reviews along with beauty tutorials. I’ve done endorsements for prominent beauty brands too. Looking at Lilly’s work ethics drove me to make sure I upload videos at least twice a week. Her journey has inspired many young girls as she is one of the few Indian women who had started creating YouTube videos on that scale,” she explains.
Read: When a millennial met a YouTube sensation
A new breed of celebrities
Even in Mumbai’s sweltering heat, Lilly doesn’t stop instilling a sense of inclusion in Dhwani and Debasree at the photoshoot. She talks about her upcoming projects and tells them: “Never stop hustling!” with her signature enthusiasm. She is game for videos and pictures and breaks into a dance between shots. That’s the essence of Lilly Singh. She belongs to a new breed of stars who are authentic, inclusive and revel in their imperfections.
The success of Lilly, thus, cannot just be credited to the 14.5 million subscribers or her award-winning book How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life, her production company, or her videos with Michelle Obama, Priyanka Chopra, Will Smith, Selena Gomez.... No, Lilly keeps it real. And that is how she has differentiated herself from the generation of celebs who built their public personas by being exclusive.
“Digital stars are different type of celebrities, but they’re also joining the party. You cannot discredit them as they have a massive following. Very often, traditional celebrities use them to promote movies and all types of things. They’re their own brands. Both can co-exist and should be treated with respect,” she feels.
Back to the motherland
When I ask her what growing up in Canada was like, she responds with, “Toronto’s really multi-cultural so I didn’t feel like a misfit. But, sometimes I’d be more Canadian than my parents. Sometimes I’d be more Indian than my parents. It was a bit hard to figure out culturally where I fit in with my family, not so much with my community. I had to see which line to walk when it came to traditions – the ones I would follow; the ones I’d question. What movies I’d be watching or the music I’d listen to.”
“I want people to celebrate who they are. That’s why I tweeted about being bisexual” - Lilly Singh
Before starting her YouTube channel, Lilly made several trips to Punjab with her family. Nevertheless, her first trip to Mumbai as Superwoman was the most overwhelming. “The audience was chanting my name. I went to Shah Rukh Khan’s house, and shot with Madhuri Dixit. That made me feel at home!” she reveals.
Keep It Real
The woke YouTuber, comedienne and actor works towards creating content that isn’t just peppered with pop culture, but also sends out strong social messages (like her campaign #GirlLove that aims to educate young girls) for millennials. Her rap songs, often have lyrics that celebrate body positivity. “People should love how they look. There are many years of culture that people need to unlearn. But we have a lot of people fighting the good fight,” believes Lilly.
Her tweet about coming out as bisexual was done with a similar motive. She wants people to be themselves unapologetically. This isn’t to say that she wasn’t apprehensive before making this information public. “Because so many people look up to me, I want to practice what I preach. And I don’t want people to tolerate who they are, I want them to celebrate it. That’s why I decided to tweet about it, and not make a video or do a long post,” she says.
Brown girl in the ring
With her forthcoming NBC show titled A Little Late With Lilly Singh, she hopes that she can bring in more opportunities for women and people of colour. “With the success of movies like Black Panther and Crazy Rich Asians, Hollywood and the world is understanding that people want to see stories from diverse groups. But I hope that there is that shift for Indians. But Priyanka (Chopra), Hasan (Minhaj) and Mindy (Kaling) are doing great work and I hope that this gives people more opportunities,” she muses.
Perhaps this is why the rise of stars like Priyanka Chopra in Hollywood gives her a sense of home in the industry. “We were friends for a long time through texting. The collab was the first time we met. When I’m with her, I do feel like home. I use my Punjabi slang and also use certain cultural references, so it feels like having a sister in the industry,” she smiles.
Staying Grounded
How does she manage to stay grounded in an eco-system where fame and fortune are only a viral video away?
“I make sure I’m always myself. I recognise that many people watch my videos, especially young girls. What I’m doing now is much bigger than myself. I want to create a path for people and show that if you work hard and be nice then you can become successful,” she says.
To think that Lilly’s journey started with her recovering from depression is unfathomable. But today she has befriended half of Bollywood (remember her dancing with Ranveer Singh on bar tables?), is one of the most popular YouTube stars in the world and the only woman who made it to Forbes’ Top Ten Highest-Paid YouTubers in 2017 with an earning of $10.5 million. Even if you don’t watch her videos daily, you end up falling for her affable personality. Ask anyone why Lilly is loved so abundantly. And they’ll tell you this: She’s always herself.
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From HT Brunch, April 21, 2019
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First Published: Apr 21, 2019 00:25 IST