By Alexa Marquis, Features Editor
Internet fame. It’s the kind of fame that allows today’s teenagers with no record-breaking singles, but YouTube or Vine fans in the millions, to sell out arenas while being a feature on a music and social media festival called the DigiTour. Some DigiTour headliners don’t even play music but fans are overjoyed at the fact that they are able to see them outside of their computer or phone screen. Beauty “vloggers” (video bloggers) are featured on subway ads and billboards in major cities. Bethany Mota, famous for posting YouTube videos of her outfit ideas, makeup and hair tutorials, recipes, and do it yourself ideas, landed a herself a collection for Aéropostale and has over 7 million Youtube subscribers and 1.92 million Twitter followers. Recently, Bethany got a spot in the cast of the newest season of Dancing with the Stars and will be dancing with five-time champion, Derek Hough.
The Internet’s “professional fangirl,” Tyler Oakley, went from uploading comical videos about his love for Hollywood icons into interviewing them on multiple red carpets, and this past August he attended the Teen Choice Awards and left with the awards for Choice Web Collaboration and Choice Male Web Star. He currently has over 5 million YouTube subscribers and 3.06 million Twitter followers.
Internet fame is a totally new concept of how to be a successful celebrity without the need for paparazzi or PR scandals. Most of the internet celebrities are famous because of their willingness to share their own personal details and events with their viewers. Jenna Marbles, a blonde who’s not afraid to say what’s on her mind, is one of the most known YouTube stars because of her character. Every week she shares what’s going on in her life with her 13 (almost 14) million YouTube subscribers. The teenagers, who would rather watch people like Bethany Mota, Tyler Oakley, and Jenna Marbles on the Internet rather than what’s on television are the ones making these performers into stars.
Vine is now two years old and has already transformed ordinary 14-19 year olds into global celebrities after they’ve posted 6 second clips. Three high school girls from different parts of the country each have Vine accounts with followers ranging from 465.5 thousand to 4.1 million. Sydney Smith, known as “Sydney ok,” is a 15 year old from Ohio and has achieved her fame from posting Vines containing One Direction and fangirl material. Lele Pons, a 17 year old from Florida, focuses her sidesplitting Vines on everyday topics like crushes, studying (or not studying), and hanging with her friends, but depicts them in extreme ways. Lauren Giraldo, known as “Princess Lauren,” is a 16 year old also from Florida, is most known for surprising strangers with marriage proposals and invitations to group selfies.
Vine has successfully turned a group of teenage boy Viners into the One Direction of Vine. Cameron Dallas, 19, Matthew Espinoza, 16, Carter Reynolds, 17, Hayes Grier, 13, and the one and only, Nash Grier, 16, make up a group called Magcon. The famous Nash has collected 9.3 million followers, which is more than anyone on Vine.
Almost every teenager’s aspiration in life is to become famous and now it is a known fact that you have a more likely chance of becoming just that by signing up for YouTube, Twitter, Vine, Tumblr, Instagram, or all of the above, rather than going to audition after audition for TV shows or movies. But, just because anyone can post a video, it doesn’t mean that anyone can form a large audience. The people who are gaining the most attention are working hard and making sure that what they are doing is constantly impressive to their viewers. YouTube says thousands of channels in its partner program can earn hundreds to thousands of dollars per view.
The Internet is a very powerful tool that shouldn’t be underestimated. It’s powerful enough to turn an ordinary 16 year old into worldwide celebrity just by a few clicks. Young people today with massive audiences have the power to influence an entire nation.