YouTube's top celebrities draw packed houses of adoring admirers at FanFests throughout Asia
YouTube's top video stars draw throngs of adoring admirers at FanFest eventsin Asia, writes Scott Murphy
It's late May and a security team patrol the outdoor grounds of Singapore venue SCAPE while a series of blockades keeps an estimated 6,000 screaming fans from causing a riot. The crowd of mostly teenagers are there to see the "stars" they follow obsessively.
But the youngsters both male and female aren't screaming for Beyonce, Iggy Azalea or Lady Gaga. Instead, their shouts are aimed at Ryan Higa, Superwoman, Jenna Marbles, Tyler Oakley, Bethany Mota and Vsauce, who have all become famous via YouTube.
The biggest eye-opener ... is the relationship that is built between the YouTube stars and their fans ... That bond is so powerful
"I've waited all night and it's my dream to see them in the flesh," says one girl, who looks no more than 16 years old. Others express similar sentiments, begging for tickets and talking about what it would mean to meet Higa, Oakley or Mota, by casual consensus the most popular of the artists.
Fortunately, the teenager, like so many others over the two-day event, had her dream fulfilled as the full group of invited international and Singaporean YouTubers came down en masse to take selfies with fans, sign autographs, receive homemade gifts and say hello. "I want to meet my fans too," says the 25-year-old Oakley. "It's amazing to see who is watching you on YouTube, halfway around the world."
Once inside SCAPE, ticket holders for the second annual "YouTube FanFest" get to see Higa face off in a hairstyling contest with Mota. Superwoman tells her life story and talks about how everyone in the audience should feel empowered. Vsauce (aka Michael Stevens) wows the crowd with his seemingly endless scientific facts. Audience members ask questions, the YouTubers answer; any lulls in the sessions are filled with banter from emcees Dominic Lau and Singaporean DJ celeb Dee Kosh.
