Emma Chamberlain began posting her YouTube content in 2017. Almost immediately, her videos went viral, taking viewers by storm. After her first video, a small fanbase formed, and since then, her platform has only continued to grow. Her charisma and laidback personality reeled in an audience that felt they could relate to her personally, many of whom were the same age. From that point in her YouTube career, fans have only seen her content, career and life evolve. The foundation for her YouTube career began with clothing hauls, life vlogs and attempts at popular internet trends. Even through her many successes, her content has remained the same.
Currently, Chamberlain stands at 11.6 million subscribers. Despite her going on hiatus and barely being active on her channel recently, that number continues to grow. Luckily for her brand, Chamberlain’s fans have remained loyal and followed her posts on several other social media platforms. Though she was not seen on YouTube for six months, she made her comeback on the platform last month.
For the past five years on YouTube, Chamberlain has created a “brand” for herself that her viewers seem to feed off of. Her brand has included thrifting and styling clothes, drinking excessive amounts of coffee and maintaining a deep level of transparency with fans.
Through her channel, she has made an impact on fashion based on her own unique style. Many have dressed like her and emulated her fashion choices, and in just a short period of time on YouTube, she has become a fashion sensation.
Unsurprisingly, in 2021 Chamberlain made her first Met Gala appearance with Vogue, dressing up in accordance with the theme by wearing an outfit by a high-end designer. She was styled in a glittery Louis Vuitton ensemble that she absolutely glowed in. There, she brought her charm and conducted several mini-interviews with attendees as one of Vogue’s on-camera interviewers.
This year, she reprised her role as one of Vogue’s red-carpet interviewers and once more demonstrated her charm. Before the big event, she did a Chamberlain-style vlog for Vogue’s YouTube channel titled “24 Hours with Emma Chamberlain Prepping for the Met Gala.” Once more, she was styled in Louis Vuitton, this time wearing an archived piece. As a Louis Vuitton ambassador, the attire did not disappoint; she also accessorized with Cartier jewelry. On the red carpet, she managed to remind the media just how memorable and witty she can be on a whim. That same night, small snippets of her interviews reached social media, going viral on TikTok. One of the most hilarious moments occurred on the red carpet between Chamberlain and rapper Jack Harlow: Their interview left everyone laughing.
From her original YouTube days, Chamberlain has become famous for her love of coffee, drinking it in excessive quantities. In 2019, when she released her very own coffee brand, Chamberlain Coffee, she reached a full-circle moment in her career. Through her enthusiasm for coffee, she garnered a large fanbase; because of that fanbase, she was able to create a coffee brand that stayed true to her values of convenience and using eco-friendly materials.
In another full-circle moment, long-time Chamberlain fans were elated to find out that she would finally be making her appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” She promoted the appearance on Fallon’s TikTok with a heartfelt video titled “From her childhood bedroom to Studio 6B.” Watching her success was definitely a proud moment for fans. The video accumulated over 7,000 comments and 2.1 million views, with many pouring out their love and support for the creator. Another clip on the page showed Chamberlain making a comedic entrance on the show true to her actual personality.
When Fallon asked what it is that drew people to her, Chamberlain had the perfect response: “That’s, like, the hardest question. I think what I do is, put things on the internet and then go like this.” She crossed her fingers.
As an extension of the Fallon show, she also did a segment titled “Barista Confessions with Emma Chamberlain.” She gave free coffee from her brand to people willing to share their deepest secrets. The light-hearted segment displayed not only her natural ability to be funny but also her connection to others through coffee.
As mentioned during the interview, Chamberlain has also ventured outside of YouTube. In 2019, she started her own podcast, formerly known as “Stupid Genius.” Now, on Apple, she releases a new episode of her podcast “Anything Goes” every Thursday. At the moment, there are 121 episodes covering a range of topics. The podcast serves a similar purpose as her YouTube channel, where she discusses her thoughts straight from her bed, in a way that is true to who she is. In this medium, she has gained more success and in 2021, “Anything Goes” actually won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Pop Podcast. The podcast continues to remain relevant and feeds the need fans have to hear her speak.
Chamberlain’s Instagram page contains an entire other facet of her career where she is fashionably expressive. When she’s not on the Met red carpet or at the Oscars making a debut with her boyfriend, she simply just exists. In a series of posts, she shows off her latest outfit or photos of her cat; mixed in there are candid photos of her eye infection or the broken lamp on her floor. Truthfully, even if her posts are objectively plain, any fan of Chamberlain thinks there is more to what she shares on her page.
Emma Chamberlain has easily become one of the most iconic names, which can be attributed to her YouTube career. At only 21 years old, she has achieved a lot, from being a journalist for Vogue to launching her own coffee business. “Impressive” is an understatement and there is no doubt that there is more to come. Since 2017, many people have watched her content and have since continued to follow her evolution as an individual making strides in her career.
