Emma Chamberlain. The 20-year-old social media superstar with a net worth of $90 million. If you don’t know who she is, you might as well be living under a rock. She took her claim to fame back in 2016 and immediately became America’s “it” girl. Every teenage girl wanted to be her, while every teenage boy wanted to date her. No matter what social media platform you were on, you would see traces of Emma wherever your mouse dropped.
I consider it a flex that I started watching Emma before she ever got famous. She started her impressive career off creating fashion and beauty videos while trickling in a couple of school vlogs. Now, she is collaborating with renowned brands such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton. But, is everything as perfect as it seems?
Chamberlain has grown up in the spotlight, whether she truly wanted to or not. She began posting on her YouTube videos as a fun way to express herself, never anticipating it to become such a big deal. Now, she cannot leave her home without being bothered by the paparazzi. We love to romanticize the lives of these famous people, but they are not always as happy and perfect as they may seem.
One of the reasons why I love Chamberlain so much is that she is so open and honest about her feelings and struggles. She has mentioned on multiple occasions that she struggles with mental health issues, leading her to go to therapy. She has issues with her family dynamic and would be considered a wallflower in her daily life. While looking on the outside, I can imagine that a multitude of people wishes to live a life like hers, but it’s not all cracked up to be what one may seem.
She has had to deal with public scandals and friendship breakups and has recently entered a public relationship that the tabloids are now obsessed with. It’s as though she never gets a break. Chamberlain, without even knowing it, starts every major fashion trend which must put a great deal of pressure on her.
In the last few months, Chamberlain has taken a break from YouTube to focus on herself and her personal needs. She still posts on Instagram and uploads her podcasts onto Spotify, but she has made boundaries in her life so that she can feel happy and satisfied. It is not an easy thing to do to take long breaks off from one’s job and I am so proud of her for taking that step.
Although Chamberlain is only a year older than me, I look up to her as a role model. She does so much and inspires so many people. She is one of the first content creators to make genuine, unpolished videos and that really helped me relate to her. She feels like a friend rather than a famous “other” type of person.
Sending love to Emma Chamberlain during her break. I hope that she feels seen and heard, and knows how loved she is by her fans.