1.Ari was already well-known because of her role as Cat Valentine on Nickelodeon’s Victorious, but it was her YouTube videos that got her signed. The rest is history, thanks to a buddy who brought Ariana’s YouTube covers to Republic Records CEO Monte Lipman.
2.Shawn rose to fame on Vine before going on to become a big pop performer, but he got his start on YouTube. He’d been uploading videos since he was in eighth grade!
3.Ed began his career by playing at local places and frequently uploading recordings of himself singing on YouTube, where he garnered a large following. He wouldn’t achieve true mainstream popularity until he was found on Jamie Foxx’s Sirius radio program and signed to a record deal, but YouTube was one of the first places he gained admirers!
4.Only a year after the site’s introduction, Bo’s comedic song “My Whole Family” became popular on YouTube. He had just intended to share the footage with his college-aged brother. He kept posting his songs on YouTube, and an agent’s assistant ultimately discovered him.
5.When Ellen DeGeneres’ crew found Charlie’s version of “Someone Like You” on YouTube, he was a student at Berklee College of Music. He was welcomed to the concert and signed to her record label, and as his mainstream reputation expanded, he continued to submit songs to YouTube. Later, he would perform alongside Meghan Trainor and sing on the Fast and Furious/Paul Walker tribute “See You Again.” Many of his old videos have now been removed, however, some of his old comedic songs may still be found on the internet.
