Lilly Singh achieved internet stardom as "Superwoman" on YouTube, but bigger things were just over
the horizon.
In 2019 she scored a slot on NBC's late night roster, replacing Carson Daly.
As her profile continues to grow, here are a few things you may not know about the phenomenon
that is Lily Singh.
Besties with Charlize
Arguably the most famous of Singh's famous friends, South African actress Charlize Theron
wound up becoming besties with her after they met at a charity event.
"I went to a dinner with her to discuss all the amazing work she does.
And I was randomly in Italy once for some Google stuff and she was right beside me and
I was like 'Charlize!'
And we became best friends, I love her."
Singh and Theron have been very open about their admiration for one another, both online
and in public.
Singh told Theron that she "amazed" her on Twitter, and the Atomic Blonde star replied
by saying she was "in awe" of the YouTuber.
Theron even kissed Singh on the cheek at a recent event celebrating ten years of Theron's
Africa Outreach charity, which teaches young men and women about the dangers of HIV and
AIDS.
A staunch feminist
While promoting her book, How to Be a Bawse, Lilly Singh gave a number of interviews and
discussed a number of different topics.
But one that came up when she sat down for a chat with Glamour was feminism.
The women's magazine asked her about the response she received after posting a video that explained
why she didn't need a man in her life to be happy, which apparently incensed a number
of her male viewers.
She said,
"One of the most controversial things I've ever said was that I'm a feminist.
To this day, anytime I talk about anything related to women's issues, it's probably the
most backlash I receive.
I think there's still a certain level of intimidation and confusion that comes around a strong female
voice, that video is a prime example of it […] There were a lot of angry guys in those
comments."
Super-generous with her fans
To some fans, Singh really is Superwoman.
The YouTuber proved just how much her supporters mean to her in 2017 when she decided to give
back to a few lucky Twitter followers.
To celebrate reaching 1,000 vlogs on her YouTube channel, she shared $1,000 among the people
she felt needed it most.
Speaking to the BBC, one Malaysian fan explained how Singh offered to cover the cost of a night
out for them and their sick mother, saying,
"Lilly said she would love for me to take my mum out for a night to have dinner and
fun as her treat.
Tell me one celebrity that would do this for their fans.
The fact that she took time out of her day just to connect with her fans and to help
my mum out, that meant so much."
Singh's generosity was also greatly appreciated by a Twitter user named Claudine, who was
shocked when Singh revealed she was going to pay for an upcoming exam.
The ecstatic Dallas resident said,
"I have spoken with her team and I will receive the money in a couple of weeks when I am ready
for the exam.
I feel like this is a dream."
Singh also paid for $100 worth of groceries for an unfortunate fan who had been left to
care for their little brother following the arrest of their mother.
Surviving YouTube burnout
No YouTuber is immune to burnout, not even Lilly Singh.
The platform veteran has been churning out videos since 2010, and, in 2018, the inevitable
finally happened — Singh hit a brick wall.
In November of that year, the internet star shocked followers when she revealed that she'd
become "mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted" by YouTube, admitting
that her output had suffered as a result.
"The thing about YouTube is, in all of its glory, it kind of is a machine and it makes
creators believe that we have to pump out content consistently even at the cost of our
life …"
Part of the problem, she explained, was that YouTube had changed so much since she first
started out, and she just wasn't willing to change with it.
To this end, Singh announced that she would be taking a break so she could rediscover
her "creative energy" and figure out which direction to take.
A few months later she confirmed that she was making changes to her main channel for
the sake of her sanity, including cutting back on the number of videos she posts.
Instead of being a slave to a schedule, she now releases videos only when she has a worthwhile
idea.
Embracing her bisexuality
When Singh went on hiatus at the end of 2018, her goal was to figure out her future on YouTube,
but she apparently did a bit of personal soul searching, too.
She announced big changes to her channel in January 2019, and the following month she
dropped a huge truth-bomb on Twitter.
"Female, coloured, bisexual.
Throughout my life these have proven to be obstacles from time to time, but now I'm fully
embracing them as my superpowers.
No matter how many 'boxes' you check, I encourage you to do the same."
Singh coming out as bisexual was celebrated by her fans and peers alike.
The most vocal reaction, however, came from Singh's South Asian followers, many of whom
hailed her coming out as a huge step for LGBTQ rights in that part of the world.
Writer and performer Afshan D'souza-Lodhi told the BBC,
"In the South Asian community there's a hesitancy for women to take ownership of their sexuality
in the way Lilly has done.
It's amazing news to have her come out like that."
Check out one of our newest videos right here!
Plus, even more Nicki Swift videos about your favorite stars are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.