Lilly Singh’s Success Proves the Importance of Digital Media
by Koustubh “K.J.” Bagchi and Livia Luan
Fans of “||Superwoman||” rejoiced when YouTube star, Lilly Singh, announced during an appearance on “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon” that she would be making history by taking over the late night NBC slot on weekdays at 1:35 a.m. EST. When her show, “A Little Late With Lilly Singh,” debuts in September, the 30-year-old Indian Canadian vlogger and comedian will become the only LGBTQ woman of color hosting a major late night show on television. It’s incredible to see this new voice on NBC.
Ever since Singh began producing YouTube videos in 2010, her channel has attracted over 14 million subscribers and won her a spot on the 2017 Forbes Top Influencers List in the entertainment category. She has received numerous awards, released her first feature film, launched her own production company, and authored a book that became a New York Times №1 best seller.
Over the years, Singh — the daughter of Indian immigrants — has also received praise for her humorous and at times irreverent representation of different aspects of the second-generation immigrant experience. Some of her earliest videos appeal to the South Asian community, including “How to Tie a Side Turla Bhangra Pagh (Turban),” “How to be the Perfect Brown Person,” and “Sh*t Punjabi Mothers Say.” In addition, throughout two video series in which Singh plays caricature versions of her parents, she allows her audience to navigate the differences between South Asian and Western cultures and, in doing so, normalizes the experiences of so many of her South Asian viewers. At the same time, she recognizes that her audience is diverse and goes to many lengths to create content that avoids excluding anyone.
Singh’s fame is a testament to the importance of digital media for communities of color who seek to uplift their content to vast audiences. With few mainstream media outlets catering to the preferences of underserved and underrepresented communities, creators, such as beauty guru Michelle Phan and comedian Ryan Higa, have increasingly used the Internet as a platform to develop digital content that is relevant to as broad an audience as possible.
At the same time, Singh’s move to NBC is also a testament to the enduring importance of more traditional and broader-based platforms. Many Asian American subgroups lack reliable high capacity digital access, and this move may give them their first real opportunity to see and experience her work.
While Singh found her voice and gained credibility through her success on YouTube leading to her move to NBC, she demonstrates the importance and power of digital content creators leveraging their creativity and needed perspective to reclaim diverse narratives and impact pop culture. It is a reminder of the importance of understanding the full protections of copyright. Too often, creators from marginalized communities are silenced or intimidated by larger entities that either steal or censor their creative works.
Singh’s rise was fueled in part by the principles of openness and neutrality that govern the Internet today. As Congress debates the best approach to regulating net neutrality on the Internet, policymakers must understand how digital platforms and applications perform a central role in distributing information to communities of color, particularly the Asian American community. Asian Americans spend an average of 12 hours and 23 minutes a month watching videos on the Internet, which is twice as much as the general population. They view 1,000 more webpages per month than any other racial group, and they visit websites more frequently and for longer durations than any other racial group. Asian American YouTube consumption fits within this trend: Asian Americans are 38% more likely than the general population to visit the site, 62% more likely to spend more time on the site, and 72% more likely to visit more YouTube pages.
Thanks to an open internet, Asian Americans — who are more eager than ever to see their faces and hear their stories reflected in the media — can consume digital content that resonates with them. However, right now, the Internet is not protected by real rules, but by companies voluntarily committing to net neutrality that ensures all online traffic is treated fairly and equally and no voices are discriminated against or shut out.
This fundamental principle should now be enshrined in a permanent statute that makes net neutrality the law of the land. It is the only long-term way to preserve a diversity of voices as a matter of both digital equity and social justice. Right now, the Senate is considering how to move forward, and many experts predict the subject will lose steam in a gridlocked Congress. This is not good enough for the Asian American community and for everyone who depends on an open internet to connect, organize, and participate in American life. Congress needs to put the partisanship and polarization aside, and compromise on a net neutrality bill that enshrines four core principles: no blocking websites, no throttling traffic, no blanket paid prioritization, and transparency of disclosures available in multiple languages.
When “A Little Late With Lilly Singh” debuts this fall, Singh will not only enter the realm of traditional media, but also acquire a massive and previously-untapped audience in the United States. Despite these new changes, she remains committed to the tradition of inclusiveness and empathy that defines her YouTube channel. During her interview with Jimmy Fallon, she said, “I’m so excited, because I truly get to create a show from scratch. I get to make it inclusive. I get to create comedy segments and interview people and really create something that I believe in.”
Singh’s success is rooted in the ability of Asian Americans — as well as individuals of color from all over the world — to watch her videos on the Internet. Her rise in popularity and viewership demonstrates why digital content must remain freely accessible to all.
Koustubh “K.J.” Bagchi is Senior Counsel for Telecommunications, Technology, and Media at Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC. Livia Luan serves as the Programs Associate and Executive Assistant at Advancing Justice | AAJC.
