21-year-old social media star, Emma Chamberlain, has presented her authentic and carefree online persona on social media since 2017. She first started off on YouTube when she was still in high school where she would post vlogs about cooking, taste tests, shopping, traveling or even just hanging out with her friends. Her easy-going and relatable teenage girl personality sparked attraction in many other young females, including myself.
Chamberlain displays such a genuine personality throughout her videos, giving her viewers the impression that you can be your true self online without having to meet the superficial social media expectations society enforces on young women. Watching her videos makes me feel like I’m there with her, which gives me the feeling that I wasn’t just a subscriber, but also her friend. I have always adored how she was never afraid of showing her flaws or speaking her opinion.
As one of her long-time viewers, growing up watching her has helped me grow out of my comfort zone and become more confident and independent. She has also helped me realize that it’s common to feel alone or insecure as you get older.
She always gave off big sister energy with her advice-like videos where she talks about coping with her own problems, such as dealing with anxiety and becoming an adult. I don’t usually see other influencers with large followings openly talking about their inner conflicts the way Emma does. She’s a remarkable role model to the young female demographic with her charismatic presence and her humble, unapologetic self.
As her YouTube channel began to grow, she started to branch off into other media platforms, with the most prominent example being her podcast titled, Anything Goes. On her podcast, she usually does hour-long episodes once a week where she shares her random thoughts from the comfort of her bed. Sometimes when I’m alone, I’ll listen to her podcast as it feels like she’s keeping me company. The podcast also makes me feel like I’m in an advice session as she touches on aspects of life like relationships, friendships, mental health, problems with social media, childhood, womanhood and even her own interesting experiences when moving to Los Angeles.
Chamberlain creates this intimate connection with her audience as she speaks to us through her camera or microphone, making fans feel as if we are there having a conversation with her. The inclusiveness and openness of her content makes her platform feel like a safe space which attracts young women who share the same habits, values and struggles of womanhood and identity.
Today, Emma Chamberlain’s career continues to take off with her extremely successful brand, Chamberlain Coffee. She has formed many partnerships with various companies like CAVA, PacSun and Louis Vuitton. Seeing her evolve into the woman she is today makes me feel like a proud friend, especially after watching her grow up throughout the years and molding herself into an internet icon.