6 pop stars who started out on YouTube: from Justin Bieber and The Weeknd to Shawn Mendes, Troye Sivan, Alessia Cara and Conan Gray – but who was completely anonymous at first?

Sep 25 , 2024

The Weeknd, Alessia Cara and Shawn Mendes all got their start on YouTube. Photos: @theweekend, @alessiaspastpresentfuture/Instagram; Invision/AP

For years, the internet has given unknown musicians the chance to prove their talent and gain fans regardless of big record labels’ opinions of them – just ask Lady Gaga

These days, musically gifted teenagers share their songs and covers on YouTube, and before you know it they’re opening for Taylor Swift like Shawn Mendes, or appearing on SNL like The Weeknd

Social networking site and music sharing platform MySpace may seem like a relic to today’s TikTokkers, but talent once rose to the top there.

“I’ve been a part of MySpace long before I was ever even signed to Interscope Records,” Lady Gaga admitted in a video in 2008. “I think the internet is so wonderful and has done so many amazing wonderful things for my career.”

Fast forward to 2024, and many of the world’s hottest new artists would say the same thing – except now it’s YouTube that has the power to propel a gifted musician to the big time.

Here are six pop stars who started out posting videos on YouTube.

1. Justin Bieber

Before Justin Bieber shot to global fame, he had been covering songs as a kid. Photo: Universal Music

Justin Bieber’s rise to fame began when his mum posted a video of him singing a Ne-Yo song on YouTube. “It had a hundred views, then 1,000 views, then 10,000 views,” Bieber later told Good Morning America.

Infamous talent manager Scooter Braun discovered him while browsing the platform, which led to a meeting with Usher and a record deal in 2008. His debut single, “One Time”, released in 2009 – and the rest, as they say, is history.

2. Troye Sivan

Troye Sivan in 2018. Photo: Shutterstock

Troye Sivan gained recognition by uploading music covers and original songs on YouTube when he was just 12, according to Rolling Stone, but it was when he began vlogging that his personality shone through and his music began to gain traction. “That was an awesome chapter,” he told The Standard. “It was wild. We were sort of the first internet celebrities.”