YouTube is an interesting entertainment destination. Nowhere else will you find a bigger time sink with a wider variety of views and opinions, or just different examples of what people find entertaining. There are YouTubers with a massive following whose content I can't even attempt to understand the merits of, and other YouTubers with inexplicably tiny followings whose content is consistently high quality and interesting.
But, I think that's what is so fascinating about the site. There's something for everyone! There is an opportunity for anyone who feels they have something meaningful or interesting to share to put their thoughts out there and find people who can relate.
For people like me with eclectic taste and a wide array of interests, it's far superior to just sitting and trying to find something good to watch on TV.
I'm actually fairly new to getting hooked on YouTube. Of course, since it's inception and growth that has mirrored the rise of social media, it'd be ridiculous to say I never watched YouTube videos before. YouTube is the source of the majority of videos we see shared on Facebook or Twitter. But only recently, in the grand scheme, did I start going directly to the YouTube website to find content and creators to regularly watch.
I would like to start by saying this isn't a comprehensive list, nor is it representative of all of the types of YouTubers I follow and consistently watch. I think, at current count, I'm subscribed to roughly 100 channels. Chances are I will write again in the future about more YouTubers--maybe even with themes. We'll see.
This list is just YouTubers who come to mind when I think of who I watch most and who I feel ought to have a bigger following, and I'm throwing in my two cents and utilizing The Odyssey as my outlet to try to boost, even if in a small way, their recognition.
Without further ado, here are the five YouTubers I'd like to draw your attention to:
Jaclyn Glenn
While Jaclyn has the highest subscriber count of the YouTubers I'm listing here today, I still want to recognize her and point her out to people who may not know of her.
I'd be lying to myself if I said she isn't one of the first YouTubers I think of when considering who I enjoy watching most. The subject matter she covers in her videos is as varied as you'll find. She's notorious for being an outspoken atheist/skeptic, which may be what originally drew me to her channel (I honestly can't remember how or when I found her), but she has so much more to talk about beyond that. While I love that she'll call out flaws in religious logic, she's respectful (when not being satirical) of different viewpoints and remains level-headed with her opinions.
What is most inspiring about her to me is that she's analytical about her own beliefs. While I believe she still considers herself to lean to the left politically, she doesn't hesitate to address certain extreme-left viewpoints pertaining to feminism, lgbtq issues, and the general wackiness the left can exhibit just as outwardly as the right. She sees all ideologies as fallible, be they religious or political, and that's refreshing as heck in a world where more and more people refuse to acknowledge the possibility they can ever be wrong.
Of all the YouTubers I watch, she's the only one I've met in person. I was entirely too nervous and shy to have the kind of conversation I would have loved to have with her, not to mention it wasn't the right setting for a quality conversation, but I absolutely admired her willingness--eagerness, even--to take the time to talk to every single person who approached her in a setting where a meet and greet wasn't the initial intention of her attendance. I've met other famous people--or people with a following, as most of them would rather see it--who weren't nearly as friendly or welcoming.
Kelly Eden
I cannot, for the life of me, remember how the heck I found Kelly's channel, but I couldn't be happier that I did. The above video, for whatever reason, was the one that stood out enough to me that I decided to subscribe to her channel, but it's not representative of the entirety of her content.
I struggled to decide which video to share, but it's almost as if I want to protect some of her more deep and serious content until my readers have a lighter introduction. That's not because Kelly is some consistently serious or sad Youtuber, but because she shares those parts of herself sprinkled in with her mostly more light-hearted, cute, fun (and friggin' hilarious--if you enjoy dad jokes and dark humor) content. It explains my love for her, I think. She doesn't have one consistent theme. She shares makeup tutorials, cosplay videos, art and DIY videos, gaming videos, and vlogs, but she also opens herself up to her followers about her self-esteem, mental health struggles, the loss of her father (the story of which I relate to so hard due to my loss of my mother under similar circumstances), and how she copes with her struggles while also never pretending to have all the answers.
As a bonus point, she has an effing adorable little pomeranian named Toshi who makes an appearance in many of her videos.
Trae Crowder
Trae has a decent-sized following on Facebook, but his YouTube channel's subscriber count isn't yet quite as high. I don't know what to say about Trae other than it's just incredibly heartwarming that he not only wants to tear down the stereotypes about people from the South, but that he appeals to his own demographic's better senses in an attempt to help them get beyond their preconceived notions and see reason.
He can be a bit abrasive, but that's part of his appeal for me. He doesn't dance around the subjects he discusses, but always comes out swinging. His honesty and passion for the subject matter is refreshing.
In addition, his videos are usually a few minutes long at most. If you've got a short attention span, but still care deeply about the topics he brings up, he's the perfect YouTuber for you!
Kaya Lili (Toxic Tears)
I'd kindly ask you to not judge a book by it's cover. That's kind of the point, here. I was first drawn to Kaya's channel from the video above. While I still maintain an alternative aesthetic, in my younger years, I was a full-blown "goth" kid (see below), and I honestly believe if I never had to tone down my look for the working world following high school, or if I had chosen a more creative and artistic career path, I'd still maintain that appearance.
In all seriousness, it's not a phase (mom!), but a mindset.
Beyond just videos about "being goth," Kaya's content is interesting and varied, including makeup tutorials, DIY videos, chats about life, and acknowledgement of her struggles with self-esteem and mental health issues. While her look can put some people off, she is genuinely one of the sweetest, most caring and kind souls with surprising interests and unexpected taste in everything from music to fashion.
I just find it so fascinating that, despite her being a decent bit younger than me and living all the way over in Ireland, I can still relate to so many things she says about life, people, relationships, and the world in general. It makes the world seem smaller and not so scary.
That, and her unique views about animals that are typically considered "creepy" just warms my cold, black heart.
Jake Munro
As it happens, I found out about Jake through his girlfriend, the previously mentioned YouTuber, Kaya.
When I first started following Jake, his content was somewhat similar to Kaya's, including makeup and hair tutorials, but he has branched out and grown so much. It's awe-inspiring.
His content now has a quality to it that is hard to find from most YouTubers. He puts so much time and effort into creating and editing his videos, and spends a lot of money on high quality equipment to put out probably the most visually appealing videos of any YouTuber I currently follow.
Most recently, he and Kaya have gone on a string of overseas trips to various countries, including the USA (where they stayed with the previously mentioned Kelly Eden and her roommate and fellow YouTuber, Dre Ronayne, who will likely appear in a future post), and he somehow made me appreciate the beauty of my own country more while also opening my eyes to the wonders of countries I have yet to visit. I want to visit them now more than ever because of his videos.
Day to day, he has vlogs centered around his own city of Belfast, Northern Ireland. While it's really cool to see what he shows in videos on his travels, even just his local content is beautiful and well made. I sincerely believe he will be a YouTuber to keep an eye on. I'll be utterly shocked an disappointed if his subscriber count doesn't skyrocket over the next year or so.
A bonus to mention is he writes his own vlog music, does vocals and plays guitar in his own namesake band, and he and Kaya run a gaming channel that you should also check out.
So that's all for now! I hope I've helped you to find a new YouTuber or two or five to check out. Keep your eyes peeled for future suggestions.
