Social media has been an important factor in society. It impacts how we relate to each other, how we stay informed about the world around us, and how we create celebrities.
Sites like YouTube and TikTok have given birth to a whole new crop of famous faces. These celebrities are often called "influencers." This term usually refers to a person who found a following online as opposed to more mainstream forms of media.
However, due to the accessibility of such celebrities, they usually grow beyond their online presence. Some have launched music careers, while others have become film directors or even actors.
Here are eight influencers who went mainstream.
8 Troye Sivan
The South African-born Australian singer famously got his start on YouTube. Sivan began singing covers on his YouTube channel before posting vlogs. From there, he grew his following and began getting attention from various record labels. Sivan eventually signed with EMI Australia and released his debut EP, "TRXYE," in 2014. His debut album, Blue Neighborhood, came out in 2016. Sivan is now a successful pop star and actor. He released his second album, Bloom, in 2018 and an EP, "In a Dream," in 2020. He is also going to star in the upcoming HBO series The Idol.
7 Bo Burnham
Bo Burnham was among the first to start uploading videos to YouTube. He began posting videos on the platform in 2006, a year after YouTube was created. He developed a following when he posted his own original comedy songs. His career extended beyond YouTube when he started performing stand-up comedy. Burnham released several comedy specials, including Inside, which was released on Netflix. The special was acclaimed, as was his film Eighth Grade. Burnham wrote and directed Eighth Grade, which displayed even more of his talents.
6 Addison Rae
Addison Rae began on TikTok, where she was part of The Hype House. Rae signed with WME, a talent agency, in 2020 along with her parents. She released a weekly podcast called Mama Knows Best, with her mother. The podcast is exclusive to Spotify and was later relaunched as That was Fun? With Addison and Sheri. Rae found work as an actress, starring in the 2021 remake of She's All That, titled He's All That. The film received negative reviews from critics, but Rae still signed a deal with Netflix. In 2022, it was announced that Rae would appear in a new film titled Fashionista, which is being produced by Paramount.
5 Shawn Mendes
Shawn Mendes is known today as a pop superstar. His relationship with fellow singer Camila Cabello was closely followed by the media. He even graced the cover of Rolling Stone. However, some people might forget that Mendes actually first became noticed on YouTube and Vine. He used to post videos of himself covering popular songs to both apps. His cover of Justin Bieber's "As Long as You Love Me" gave him the initial boost that he needed. He went on to launch a successful music career with hit single such as "Stitches," "Treat You Better," and "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back."
4 Liza Koshy
Liza Koshy started as a YouTuber who amassed over 17 million subscribers. Koshy has received four Teen Choice Awards, four Streamy Awards, and a Kid's Choice Award. However, her internet fame would soon lead her to more mainstream success. Koshy went on to make her acting debut in the Tyler Perry film Boo! A Madea Halloween in 2016. That same year, she appeared in the Hulu original horror series Freakish as Violet Adams. In 2020, Koshy starred in the dance comedy film Work It, which premiered on Netflix. Koshy has also interviewed celebrities at the Met Gala for Vogue magazine's YouTube channel.
3 Conan Gray
Conan Gray began by making vlogs on his YouTube channel. Gray's early vlogs were mostly focused on his everyday life as well as his artistic talents. He developed a huge following and released his first single "Idle Town" in March 2017. In 2018, Gray released his debut EP "Sunset Season" on Republic Records. His late-night television debut came in 2019 with a performance on Late Night with Seth Meyers. Gray also opened for Panic! at the Disco on their "Pray for the Wicked Tour." Gray has released two studio albums and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
2 JoJo Siwa
JoJo Siwa first appeared publicly on the reality television series Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition. This led her to appear on Dance Moms with her mother, Jessalynn Siwa. Siwa began creating YouTube videos and amassed an extremely large fan base. She developed a large following of children who enjoyed her content. Siwa recorded songs and released a ton of merchandise. She later came out as pansexual and made history when she was on Dancing with the Stars. She became the first contestant to have a same-sex dance partner in the show's history. Siwa has recently been confirmed as a judge on the next season of So You Think You Can Dance.
1 Joe Sugg
This successful YouTuber started his channel in 2011. Two years later, Sugg hit one-million subscribers. He wasn't just satisfied with YouTube, however. Sugg would eventually launch a career as an actor and performer. In 2015, Sugg had an uncredited voiceover role in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water where he played a seagull. He also appeared in the British reality series Strictly Come Dancing, where he reached the finals and finished as a runner-up. Sugg also performed in the West End production of Waitress, playing the role of Ogie Anhorn.
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