The YouTube Dream

There are so many stories abound about artists who have been

"discovered on YouTube" and then went on to become global

success stories in the music industry. Justin Bieber and Dua Lipa

immediately come to mind. From posting songs on YouTube and

singing other people's songs to becoming icons in the music biz.

It's a story that sounds a little too painless for me to fully

appreciate. Remember that old adage 'no pain, no gain" – well

their stories sound painless and yet the results are enviable

without really needing to stretch one's imagination. How on earth

did they move from the casual to the professional seamlessly

with apparently no observable birth pangs?

Nowadays, social media is making wonders in finding the next

celebrity who will amaze the world. YouTube is now in the

limelight as the venue to discover wannabe pop stars. Two of the

top artists discovered on YouTube are Justin Bieber and Carly

Rae Jepsen. Justin Bieber was discovered after posting

homemade performance videos on the site. Carly Rae Jepsen

was in turn discovered by Justin Bieber and helped her rise to

fame.

Many videos uploaded to YouTube get little interest because

they are only viewed by family and friends. A number of YouTube

videos get minimal attention of about 100 views in the first month

after uploading. Then, only 30 percent of uploaded videos get

the attention of viewers more than 200 times.

Today, the stage has become smaller, and the audience has

become bigger. There is always the chance that JayZ or Winky D may be interested to watch a performance on YouTube. It is

easier to gauge the performance of an amateur artist by page

views rather than by applause in a crowded venue. It's more

practical and convenient for to assess a singer's performance

online than setting up auditions for a few potential singers.

However, YouTube is not the key to success and stardom; it's

just another instrument to find your luck.