Bushra Barday, 22, Indian
“I am part of a YouTube channel called Last Saints Music Records, which is essentially a channel that features several singers supported by producers and directors. Currently, there are eight singers on the channel. It covers a variety of genres and also offers music from different languages. Last Saints Music Records was set up in April 2018 and has grown significantly since then.
“I have been singing since I was 10 and have participated in various competitions across the UAE. I earned several medals and garnered recognition from family and friends. However, I always wanted something more and wanted to aim for a higher goal. This led me to a journey of self-discovery which enabled me to discover myself and my talents.
“Initially, I used Instagram as a platform to showcase my talents and as my follower base increased, I received several requests to create a cover version of various songs. This prompted me to start my own YouTube channel which goes by my name, Bushra Barday.
“I chose YouTube as a platform because of its wide reach and the limitations of Instagram. YouTube has become a go-to destination for pretty much everything, ranging from movie trailers to music, etc; in short, it’s everywhere. However, Last Saint Music Records is also on Spotify and iTunes to reach out to more diverse audiences.
“It was my dream to be a YouTube star, to be able to express myself without restraint.
“My parents will definitely be supportive of [my] decision to take up YouTube as a career, as they have always been supportive of me.
“Music is my life. It exists in my every thought.
“YouTube has been changing and adapting itself to its ever-changing, ever-demanding audience. From its user interface to its algorithms, everything has changed. It is very likely that YouTube will be in play for quite some time, because as of today, YouTube is still the biggest video sharing website.”
(Bushra Barday is a graduate of Amity University, Dubai.)
As told to Ashlin Bangera, Intern with Gulf News)
Child Youtubers from UAE and around the World
Jumana Khamis, Staff Reporter
The Brothers Channel Wahaj, 13, and Ali, 12
(More than 500,000 subscribers)
The brother-sister duo launched their channel in 2016 at the age of 10 and 9 years, respectively. “We started the channel because of my love for the camera,” Wahaj told Gulf News. She described their channel as one that shares challenges, vlogs and funny videos. “Most of my interest right now is in my studies. I don’t consider YouTubing a career, because I want to go to university and study dentistry, that is my ambition,” said the eighth grader. Meanwhile, her bother Ali, who is currently in grade 6, said he loved YouTubing before he decided to start the channel with his sister. “I also don’t think YouTubing is my career. I want to study architecture, and my ultimate dream is to become a football player,” he said.
Ryan Toys Review
(18,798,221 subscribers)
At 7 years, Ryan has been ranked by Forbes as the world’s top-earning YouTuber. His channel Ryan Toys Review which was launched in March 2015, is said to have brought in an estimated $22 million (Dh80.7 million) in June 2018 over a period of 12 months. He donates all the reviewed toys to charity.
Hulyan Maya
(1.4 million subscribers)
Hulyan and Maya are the stars of the well-known toy-testing YouTube channel Hulyan Maya. Hulyan, Maya, and their parents have been featured on NBC’s Today show, Yahoo News, and Good Morning America, and are making over $1 million through their successful channel.
Ethan Gamer
(Over 2.3 million subscribers)
Joining YouTube in 2013, British boy Ethan is best known for playing the game Roblox. The 12-year old’s channels are managed by his parents and he replies to his comments under his parent’s supervision. Ethan also has a second channel, Ethan, where he uploads unboxings, challenges, and vlogs.
Nihal Rajagopal
KichaTube HD – Cooking Recipes (32,000 subscribers)
This eight-year-old from India has featured on the Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2016 and is popularly known as Little Chef Kicha. Nihal also attended the Under-25 Summit Bengaluru, India, the largest youth festival, in 2017. His mantra: “I cook, I eat. And I’m hungry for more.”
