Image via Complex Original
Not every successful musician gets their big break due to sheer luck or nepotism. For many talented artists, making it in the industry involves lots of hard work, dedication, and shameless self-promotion. In the early 2000s it was all about MySpace—the popular social media site that enabled musicians to promote their own music. But once a little video-sharing site called YouTube was born, dozens of aspiring artists flocked to upload videos of their latest covers or original tunes.
In the nine years since its creation, YouTube can be credited with spawning the careers of a wide range of artists. Besides the musicians that are well known for their humble YouTube beginnings, there are dozens of others who many of us may have forgotten launched their careers online. Here are 10 Artists You Didn’t Know Were Discovered on YouTube.
Cody Simpson
This 17-year-old pop star got an early start on his music career by posting videos on YouTube. The native Aussie got millions of hits for his Jason Mraz and Justin Timberlake covers, eventually impressing the likes of Grammy-nominated record producer Shawn Campbell. A record deal with Atlantic Records and two albums later, Cody Simpson has made quite the career for himself.
The Weeknd
Abel Tesfaye, better known as the Weeknd, started posting YouTube videos of his mesmerizing R&B tracks back in 2010. Tunes like “Loft Music” quickly went viral, especially after Drake posted some of them on his own blog. Tesfaye now boasts an impressive musical career, releasing three critically acclaimed mixtapes, a compilation album, and his studio debut, Kiss Land.
Austin Mahone
There’s a reason why 18-year-old pop singer Austin Mahone has such a huge and dedicated fan base (aptly named “Mahomies”). The teen was an Internet sensation. He garnered a massive following (of mostly teenage girls) in 2011 after he started posting his covers of top-40 hits on YouTube—up to two or three videos per week. Now he’s got a record deal with Universal Republic, two EPs, and was an opening act on Taylor Swift’s Red Tour.
Carly Rae Jepsen
You’re probably familiar with Carly Rae Jepsen’s insanely catchy song “Call Me Maybe.” But did you know that it was a YouTube video of Jepsen singing that exact track that helped her land a U.S. record deal? The Canadian-born singer was already making waves in her native country, but after mega-producer Scooter Braun heard word of the budding songstress, it wasn’t until scouring her various YouTube videos that he made a call. The rest is top-40 history.
Greyson Chance
Over 53 million and counting—that’s how many views Greyson Chance’s powerhouse performance of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” has currently raked in on YouTube. The video was such a hit that it caught the eye of Ellen DeGeneres. After a guest appearance on her show, Chance would later become the first artist to sign on DeGeneres’ record label, eleveneleven. And at only 15 years of age, Chance has already released his debut album, Hold on ‘Til the Night.
5 Seconds of Summer
Taking cues from fellow Aussie Cody Simpson, 5 Seconds of Summer started out doing covers of their favorite songs and uploading them to YouTube. Their videos quickly gained popularity, but it wasn’t until a member of British boy band One Direction took notice that they really reached superstardom. One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson tweeted out his seal of approval, and sure enough 5SOS ended up touring with the band, signing under One Direction’s management company, and later releasing their self-titled debut.
Karmin
After a knockout take on Chris Brown’s “Look at Me Now,” people couldn’t get enough of Karmin’s high-energy covers. Soon their videos—ranging from pop to hip-hop to R&B covers—were getting millions of views. So it’s no surprise that, in 2011, the pop duo signed with Epic Records and released an EP, followed by their full-length debut, Pulses, earlier this year.
Charice Pempengco
Filipino singer Charice Pempengco received massive international acclaim after videos of her various performances were posted to YouTube back in 2007. The young and petite singer packed a powerhouse voice, tackling Whitney Houston songs like a pro. Her impressive talent soon led to appearances stateside with Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah. Since then, Pempengco has released two studio albums, two EPs, and even worked in a guest spot on the hit TV series Glee.
Arnel Pineda
Another Filipino YouTube sensation, Arnel Pineda actually ended up taking a very different route than Pempengco and many of the other artists on this list. It was after seeing popular YouTube videos of Pineda’s band, the Zoo, covering classic Journey songs, that Neal Schon of Journey contacted Pineda to audition for the band. After a trip to San Francisco, Pineda was named the new lead singer of the legendary rock band. He’s gone on to do world tours, a Super Bowl pre-game performance, and even a documentary, Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey, with his new band.
PSY
Korean singer-songwriter Park Jae-sang, better known as PSY, invaded international airwaves with his breakout hit “Gangnam Style.” So how did the Korean singer initially get discovered in the U.S.? By Scooter Braun and his quirky YouTube video for the song. After watching the video, Braun flew the singer over to the U.S., and he was later signed to Braun’s Schoolboy Records. And as for PSY’s later success, in December 2012, “Gangnam Style” reached more than one billion views, becoming the most-watched video in all of YouTube history.