Singers Who Were Discovered Online
Gone are the days when aspiring artists could only send out demo tapes and perform at local clubs in the hopes of making it big. The advent of technology has ushered in a new era. Nowadays, we can attend webinars, gamble at an online casino, and buy (or sell) just about anything on the internet.
We can also share our passions and connect with millions of people around the globe. That’s exactly what the following performers did. Check out these 6 musicians who were discovered online.
5 Seconds of Summer
In 2011, a group of teenagers from Australia started posting their band’s cover performances on YouTube. Luke Hemmings, Calum Hood, Michael Clifford, and Ashton Irwin quickly garnered international attention. By 2012, they had signed a deal with Sony/ATV Music
Publishing. 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) have since toured with One Direction and sold over 10 million albums. They have an approximate net worth of US $81 million.
The Weeknd
Known as the Weeknd, Toronto-born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye shot to fame in 2010 after anonymously posting a few songs online. A year later, he had caught the eye of several major publications. By 2012, the singer signed a deal with Republic Records. He has since won a Grammy Award and is often cited as a significant influence of contemporary music.
Justin Bieber
When Justin Bieber was 12 years old, his proud mother posted a video of him singing Ne-Yo’s “So Sick” online. By pure chance, Scoot Braun had accidentally seen the video. Impressed, he showed it to Usher. A year later, Bieber left his home in Stratford, Canada, to record demo tapes. He later signed with Raymond Braun Media Group Records. In 2009, the teen idol became the first artist to have seven songs top the Billboard Hot 100.
Alessia Cara
At 13 years old, Alessia Caracciolo began her own YouTube channel to upload videos of herself doing acoustic covers. She became an instant hit and signed with Def Jam Recordings and EP Entertainment in 2014. Her debut single, “Here,” made it to number 19 on the Canadian Hot 100 and number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2017, the singer made history as the first ever Canadian to win a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.
Mia Rose
During her Christmas break from university in 2006, Mia Rose started her own YouTube channel. She uploaded daily videos of herself singing numerous cover songs, and by 2007, she had signed a record deal. In 2011, the singer won a Teen Choice Award and was a judge on the Portuguese version of “The Voice.”
Shawn Mendes
At 14 years old, Shawn Peter Raul Mendes taught himself how to play guitar from watching tutorials online. In less than a year, he started uploading his own cover videos and became a viral sensation. By 2014, the singer was the third most followed musician on the video-sharing app, Vine. The same year, he signed with Island Records and has been topping charts and winning awards ever since.
The Bottom Line
The internet has opened up new doors and given aspiring artists the opportunity to get the exposure they deserve. Performers like 5SOS, the Weeknd, Justin Bieber, Alessia Cara, Mia Rose, and Shawn Mendes are proof of that.
