Tyler Oakley
WORDS: BEN KELLY
PHOTOGRAPHY: RAE MARSHALL
YOUTUBE STAR TYLER OAKLEY BRANCHES OUT WITH A NEW BOOK AND DOCUMENTARY FILM
YOUTUBE BOY
At just 26, Michigan born Tyler Oakley already boasts 500 million views on YouTube, where he holds court in varied, fun videos aimed at the youth of the world. As a loud and proud LGBT voice who does admirable political and charitable work, he carries a weight in this online community that is as powerful as more mainstream personalities like Ellen DeGeneres and RuPaul.
It’s difficult to conceive of what it means to be a YouTube star until you spend some time watching those who get it right. Tyler is one such star. A brief click through his most popular videos shows a confident personality – one that’s more aware of self presentation than most TV stars. He attempts formats you literally couldn’t find anywhere else, and engages continually with an army of loyal fans.
Since he began posting videos in 2007, his following has slowly built up to such dizzying heights that he can expect between 500,000 and 1 million views on a video within its first week. Altogether, he has almost 8 million subscribers, and 500 million views. “It kind of took me by surprise when it became something bigger,” he explains, “because that was never my intention. Back when I started out nobody was doing books or tours or anything like that, and now to get those opportunities, it’s mind blowing.” In 2012, through a combination of advertising revenue and a collective of opportunities resulting from his online fame, he was able to ‘go full-time’.