Troye Sivan and Charli XCX's Sweat Tour is off to a smashing start. It got us thinking...how did Troye go from making YouTube videos to selling out Madison Square Garden? And, what happened to the other Australian YouTubers of that era?
So, we decided to investigate...
1. Let's start with Shani Grimmond. Popular for her helpful makeup tips as a beauty guru, she's since taken her online presence from YouTube to other social platforms (amassing over 1.6 million on Instagram and TikTok). In 2018, she launched her very own swimwear brand, Sylk Swim.
2. Often featured in Shani's videos was Michael Finch and let's just say things have changed plenty for the 2014 YouTuber. Michael's creator journey started out as a beauty expert. He shared videos online of his makeup skills and quickly amassed a large following. More recently, he's taken on a different form, taking his expertise into the world of cooking and recipe sharing. He shares videos of his new found passion on his TikTok and Instagram.
3. YouTube was graced by Natalie Tran (AKA communitychannel) in the mid 2000s. Her videos were a global sensation, collecting millions of views with every upload. For many, Tran was the first Asian-Australian representation seen in the video-sharing space that built worldwide success. She was wholesome, relatable and wildly funny. Since her last upload two years ago, Natalie has taken on acting roles, TV presenter slots and is now a judge on The Great Australian Bake Off. Her comedic pursuits still live on as she often guest stars on sketch shows.
4. Danielle (Dani) Mansutti's YouTube career started over 10 years ago with beauty routines and travel vlogs. Like most, she headed over to Instagram to diversify her platform reach and launched an ethical apparel brand, Four Elevens. After stints abroad before COVID-19 hit, her most recent video from three years ago and sudden disappearance from social media has many fans wondering, "What happened?".
5. Lauren Curtis has been around for over a decade. She started her channel back in 2011, at just 18 years old, making beauty and fashion videos. Now, she's taken her learnings over the last 13 years and opened up two e-commerce businesses with a cosmetic focus: Lounge Face and Sunsmock. Don't worry she didn't forget about her roots, making YouTube videos is still on her agenda!
6. Ellie Watson (AKA Elsa's Wholesome Life) is a creator of many talents. She balances life as a mother, business owner, dietitian and author. Her YouTube days started in 2018 with recipes and what I eat in a day videos. Lately, she's been posting more vlog-style edits to her channel and continuing her nutrition blog on Instagram. As for her entrepreneurial pursuits, she owns a business for homegoods and womenswear named The Wholesome Store and also a children and parentswear line named Juni.
7. 2009 marked the year of Chloe Morello's first YouTube video and she hasn't looked back. Like many that started their careers at the time, she took to the platform to share beauty tips and guides to doing your hair. Turning 34 this year, Chloe has been an online presence for 15 years and hasn't let up. Instead, she started sharing her life through vlogs. Her business Sireni is based in Los Angeles, California, selling a hybrid of skincare and makeup. She is also a mother of two.
8. Starting her YouTube journey in the mid 2010s, Lily Brown skyrocketed to popularity after sharing vlogs on her channel. Following the rise of influencers on Instagram, Brown followed suit and has amassed over 330k followers. More recently, she opened her (digital) doors to a pyjama business, Chille, started up her own podcast entitled Red Hot The Pod and finished up a stint with her boyfriend on The Amazing Race Australia.
9. Of late, Brittney Saunders has been the talk of the internet, especially around Australia. The Newcastle native swapped her YouTube career for new heights, launching a number of successful apparel businesses — FAYT the Label, Staple Swim and Form Active — as well as, two podcasts. She and her team at FAYT have gained viral status on multiple occasions for their hilarious #WorkLife TikToks.
10. Isabella (Bella) Fiori hasn't stopped posting on YouTube but her content offering has definitely shifted gears. Starting with beauty videos at the end of 2015, she's now taken a stab at true crime explainers. Bella has taken her pursuits from Australia over to the UK and now resides in London.
11. Cartia Mallan has been a household name since her 2015 YouTube days. Her stream of content has always surrounded vlogs and sharing her personal life. Mallan's signature style truly embodied the 2016 cool-Tumblr girl. These days, she's been keeping busy with her podcast, travels around Europe, modelling for luxury brands and starting her own matcha brand, Highline.
12. One YouTuber that's hit the big time jackpot is Wengie. Originally a lifestyle video maker — focusing on diets, beauty and nutrition — Wendy Jie Huang started her channel in 2013. In 2017, she took on a role as the voice actress for the fourth PowerPuff girl and also released her first song in China. After a string of song releases as Wengie, Huang then adopted the alias WRAYA and began her career as a C-Pop star, which she continues today alongside posting photos to social media.
13. And finally, do you remember the duo RackaRacka? They're twin filmmakers named Michael and Danny Philippou that would make comedic sketch and stunt videos on YouTube. The twins were the epitome of kids having fun, having started their channel at 11 years old. Fast forward through boxing match appearances, making online horror films and collaborating with some of the biggest names in YouTube, Danny and Michael actually directed their own feature film. Talk To Me was produced by A24 and raked in 92.2 million USD at the box office.
Who were your favourite Aussie YouTubers?
Share them down in the comments below.
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