After more than a month of deliberations, YouTube has announced the 16 winners of its YouTube’s Next Vlogger competition.
“With so many applicants, selecting 16 was quite the challenge,” a YouTube representative told the Daily Dot. “We looked at a variety of factors including a unique point of view as a vlogger, an ability to engage an audience in innovative ways and a commitment to regularly developing original content.”
The 16 winners will receive $5,000 in video equipment, $10,000 in promotions, and the mentorship of YouTube celebrities iJustine and Natalie Tran.
Will any of these rising stars be able to compete with established YouTube voices like Jenna Marbles or Hank Green? Here’s a guide to help you decide for yourself.
1) ArielleIsHamming
26-year-old New York City resident Arielle Scarcella is one of the few openly gay women on YouTube. She’s racked up more than 10 million views in two years on her 140 videos, most of which are personal rants.
- Worth watching: “Shit Straight Girls say to Lesbians.”
2) AmazingPhil
This British resident does wacky skits, goofs around on camera with his friend (and fellow winner) Dan, and occasionally discusses pop culture. He’s been on the site for six years, making him a YouTube veteran with 24 million views on 139 videos. AmazingPhil also enjoys drawing whiskers on his face.
3) BlackNerdComedy
Run by a black vlogger and smurf figurine collector named Andre Meadows, this channel has collected six million views on 183 videos in four years. Meadows rails a lot and once admitted Mario treats him better than any woman ever has.
- Worth watching: a Lady Gaga parody, “Super Mario Bromance.”
4) BooShoe37
Matt Schueller is a 20-year-old college student and Seattle resident who wants to be “your future best friend.” He primarily vlogs about Pokemon and Harry Potter from his dorm room, and he associates with the vlog brother’s “nerdfighteria.” Schueller’s a five-year YouTube veteran with four million views on 158 videos.
- Worth watching: “Pirates vs Ninjas.”
5) BREEessrig
Mermaid and pickle-lover Bree Essrig does make-up, advice, skits, vlogs, and interactive videos. She calls her fanbase “Bree-lievers.”
6) danisnotonfire
Occasionally self-deprecating British resident Dan “happens to be an Internet cult leader,” according to his Twitter bio. In two years, he’s collected 12 million views on 49 videos on his primary channel, calls his fans “danosaurs,” and enjoys pranking.
7) GabrielleBernstein
A 32-year-old author, speaker, and self-described “Spirit junkie,” Bernstein wants you to be the “happiest person you know.” Her videos are mostly self-help, and in two years she’s doled out a lot of it, with 600,000 views on 199 videos.
- Worth watching: “Need a Miracle,” a promotion for her recently published book.
8) GetItSorted26
Aspiring musician and comedian Matt Mulholland “talks about penises way too often.” The 23-year-old New Zealand-based YouTube newcomer of seven months likes making fun of the French, playing his guitar, and dispensing advice. He can watch the Nyan Cat video for 53 minutes before flipping out, and his catchphrase is “sort that shit out.”
9) KSicsFaces
Twenty-three-year-old Egyptian-and-proud-of-it vlogger loves making people “smile.” He says this competition is the first thing he’s won in his life and that he talks “too fast.” A vlogger since 2007, he’s collected 30 million views on 145 videos. His most popular videos are parodies of and rants about Justin Beiber.
10) Louna Maroun
A self-described “Crazy Red Haired Rocker,” this 25-year-old is obsessed with the ‘80s and writes songs about tacos on request. The Australian resident has been vlogging or rocking out on her electric guitar on camera for three years. Her 60 videos have gathered 2.5 million views, while her beauty videos, including a Skyrim make-up tutorial, have collected more than two million.
11) missxrojas
A 20-year-old Mexican Brit named Rosianna, she’s vlogged about a wide range of topics, including Kant, stress, Sylvia Plath, nostalgia, smoking, and bacon over the last six years. Rosianna’s 338 videos have been viewed more than two million times, and like BooShoe37, she also calls herself a “nerdfighter.”
12) OhSnapitsJuzDin
Justin, a Filipino vlogger from New York City, loves to perform magic tricks, has a Naruto poster in his bedroom, and doesn’t have a problem making a fool of himself in public. He describes himself as “the YouTube Prophet.” His 50 videos have gathered more than 2.5 million views in two years.
- Worth watching: an “Official LMFAO Party Rock Melbourne Shuffle Training Guide Video.”
13) Scooter Magruder
Cameron Magruder lives in Florida, recently joined the Americorps, and likes vlogging pants-ess. Magruder has been doing “a lot of vlogs on sports” lately because “that’s a huge niche that not being met right now.” The 25-five-year-old has made 37 videos in two years and collected 1.7 million views.
- Worth watching: “Top 100: First World Problems.”
14) TIM H
Tim Hautekiet is another Brit who does goofy skits and vlogs with his friends. One time he did an animated video with Jamie Spicer-Lewis, a considerably more popular cartoonist on YouTube. Tim H is known for his Evolution of Music series and has gathered one million views on his 91 videos.
15) TpindellTV
“As you can see, I’m black, which means I’m funny, really fast, and probably can jump high,” this vlogger says by way of introduction. The aspiring comedian lives in Florida, and his main channel has been viewed more than 8 million times in the last year. His most viewed video on his vlogging channel is a review of a Rihanna music video, watched more than one million times.
16) WilsonTech1
Chicagoan Lamarr Wilson used to be a K-8 teacher and tech consultant, but now he focuses “100%” on his comedic vlogs. He calls vlogging “the most fun thing in the world to do,” and his enthusiasm shows. Wilson has collected 13 million views in two years on 373 videos, with his top viewed videos being about Justin Bieber or Angry Birds.
Photo via YouTube