Tyler Oakley Found His Voice Through YouTube. Why He Feels 'Protective' About the Next Generation of Creators (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Tyler Oakley.Photo:Gabe Ginsberg/Getty; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Gabe Ginsberg/Getty; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

In August 2007, then-18-year-oldTyler Oakleywas fresh out of high school and starting his freshman year at Michigan State University. He missed his high school friends and wanted to find a way to stay connected outside of phone calls and email.

17 years and 6.7 million YouTube subscribers later, Oakley, now 35, is one of the most recognizable YouTube creators, having played an integral role in shaping what authentic content creation looks like. His zany personality and passion for pop culture allowed millions of people worldwide to connect with him and in turn, allowed him to discover his own creative flair.

Tyler Oakley.Tyler Oakley/X

Tyler Oakley/X

When he went onto YouTube for the first time, Oakley was especially fixated on YouTube creatorWilliam Sledd’s videos. Sledd was best known for his early YouTube vlog-style videos and his “Ask A Gay Man” series online and after watching “over 90 videos,” Oakley realized that making videos and talking to the camera was something he could do himself.

“When I first decided to make a YouTube video [in college], nobody was monetizing [their videos], doing challenges or collaborations,” he recalls to PEOPLE. “You found a weirdo who had a camera and posted random skits or a school project.”

Oakley’s first video for his friends initially got 50 views, which surprised him because he wasn’t even sure he could name that many people personally.

“I realized that it was fun to be able to just talk and share, as opposed to just calling people up or trying to keep my friends up to date with what’s going on with me,” he says. “From day one, I fell in love with it and I just kept going. Each video got more views and that made me realize this has the potential to reach people.”

He made his weekly videos on YouTube while studying communications with a focus on marketing and social media in college. By the time Oakley graduated and began looking for jobs, his YouTube channel had grown exponentially.

“I was applying to jobs and getting rejected [left and right], but at the same time, I’m having so much fun [making videos], and it’s fulfilling,” he explains. “I was starting to make some income to support myself and it wasn’t anything crazy, but it was [eye-opening] and I realized ‘Oh, this is one of my jobs now,’ and that was the first time it really hit me that this might be a career.”

Unemployed at the time, Oakley made the bold decision to move to San Francisco in search of work and warmer weather. When he eventually landed a job, he continued to make videos on the side while working his 9 to 5.

Online, Oakley found his YouTube “aha moment” when he posted about his pop culture obsessions. He was open about his love ofLady GagaandGleebut was best known for his obsession withOne Direction.

Tyler Oakley with Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson on 1D Day.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

“I realized if I talk about [something] I love or am obsessed with, people connect with that,” he says. “We share this energy… Like you and your bestie going off about things you’re obsessed with together, that’s what it felt like. I will be connected with the people who share that interest as long as I’m authentic with it.”

Speaking about his love for One Direction online opened doors for incredible opportunities like getting the chance tointerview them about their filmThis is Usin 2013 and being a part of 1D Day, the seven-hour-long live broadcast that connected fans with the band.

As his community grew over time, Oakley realized one of his true passions was being an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and social justice and eventually became connected with theTrevor Project, an organization that provides support to LGBTQ+ youth in crisis.

Tyler Oakley at the Trevor Project’s 2014 “TrevorLIVE NY” Event in New York City.Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

“For me, this was an organization I would’ve wanted to know about if I did not have the support system that I had when I was younger,” he explains. As he made more content, Oakley found more intersections between important issues and his passion for pop culture, gay culture and fandom. At that moment, things fell into place and he realized, “This is where I want to exist on the internet.”“I want to use my platform for something that shapes the world into something that I want it to be, or to help people in some some necessary way that urgent,” he continues. “But I also want to have the stupidest, silliest time and be a clown in my own way and entertain myself in turn, entertain others. And that’s kind of been my guiding principle.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.On YouTube, Oakley collaborated with stars likeZooey Deschanel,Shawn Mendesand even former first ladyMichelle Obama, but the biggest takeaway from his time on YouTube was building “connections with other content creators all around the world.”

For three years, each August he would do a month-long challenge where he would make content with a different guest every day, adding up to around 40 videos in one month. One of his favorite videos from the series is the“Edward Fortyhands”video he made with fellow YouTube creator Mamrie Hart, where they duct taped beer bottles to their hands.

“It was a silly, stupid idea we just spent the afternoon filming it,” he reflects, saying that many of the friendships and connections he made are still prevalent today. It also gave him the chance to explore other platforms like TikTok and Twitch, where he will sometimes react to his old content.

Tyler Oakley with fellow YouTube creators iJustine and Joey Graceffa.Jonathan Leibson/Getty

Jonathan Leibson/Getty

Through his collaborations, Oakley branched out into other creative opportunities outside of YouTube and started thePsychobabblepodcastwith his best friend Korey Kuhl in 2014. Oakley describes the podcast — which just came out with its 500th episode — as “a scheduled call with my bestie to talk about the things in pop culture that we’re obsessed with.”In December 2020, Oakley announced he was takinga step back from YouTubeto nurture his creativity and explore other social platforms.

“I have a point of view and perspective that I want to funnel my creativity out of because I was feeling a little bit drained,” Oakley says about his decision to step back from posting weekly videos to YouTube. During his break, he dived into arts and crafts and eventually found Twitch, where he currently streams regularly and shows off his art. “It was like a brand new avenue to feel creative,” he says. “It really reintroduced content creation to me in a way that made me fall in love with it even deeper.”

“During YouTube years, I probably wouldn’t have called myself a creative person, even though, in hindsight, I was absolutely being creative,” Oakley continues, noting he feels more like an artist, rather than just a content creator. “I am still sharing my point of view with the world and it feels really wonderful to be able to continue to share. Not a lot of people can say they’ve been doing it for this long, and to be able to continue doing it feels so like a blessing.”

Though he no longer shares weekly videos on YouTube, Oakley still uploads videos from time to time and clarifies that he will never fully depart from the platform. “I never expected posting on YouTube would turn into anything,” he says. “Everything since has been surprise after surprise, things that I never could have dreamed could happen.”

As the video-sharing platform celebrates its 20th anniversary on Feb. 14, Oakley explains that the thing that made YouTube so special at the beginning was that for the first time, viewers truly had the power to “decide who they want to connect with.”

“I think about all of the voices that have been disenfranchised and were told they [didn’t fit],” he reflects. “Now, they can be themselves and speak for themselves while representing their communities. The more niche and specific, the more fascinating and the more illuminating those stories can be. It’s changed the landscape of what’s allowed to be made and the power is put back into the people’s hands.”

Even now, Oakley remains supportive of the next generation of content creators and aims to be “patient and encouraging” and lend his support, especially when things get messy.

“In a culture that suffers from individual isolation and loneliness, it’s a good thing when people feel emboldened to share themselves and connect with others,” Oakley explains.

“It can get messy to exist in front of strangers and something that accidentally happens,” he continues. “One second you’re making fun little videos and then suddenly you have people expecting you to behave a certain way or speak on certain topics that maybe you don’t feel comfortable speaking on. It can feel really intimidating, so it makes me want to be protective of people who want to do good and want to navigate that moment of attention the best they can. It also gives me a sense of patience and gentle caring for them.”

In his post-YouTube life, the biggest surprise for Oakley has been getting the opportunity to ”reconnect with people who supported me from the beginning and getting to know each other again.”

“It is not my expectation for somebody to be a part of my life on every platform, but if there’s one thing that I have taken away from being on the internet for so long, it’s that I have the opportunity to rediscover them, and they have the opportunity to rediscover me,” he continues. “It’s like the concept of the twin flame where you’ll find each other in the next life. On the internet, it’s ‘Oh we’ll find each on the next platform.’ “

“When platforms ebb and flow, I’m less stressed about it, because, at the end of the day, I wouldn’t consider myself just a YouTuber, a TikToker, a Viner or a Twitch streamer. I am a content creator, and I will find the platform. I will continue to create that content and the next algorithm will connect us again.”

source: people.com