The Most Underrated YouTuber of 2019

Yesterday, I released a video where I highlighted my picks for underrated creators that I have been watching, as well as the creator that I think deserves the title of MOST underrated.

After dropping the video, I realized it may have worked better as a blog post. :-D O well, live and learn! (also, I REALLY enjoy making this sort of video so well worth it.)

ALSO ALSO - I asked my internet friend Dani Alexandria if she would be willing to help me cut up the different b-roll sequences from each of the creators so I have something to tease/show while I am talking about them before I announce them. I have a very hard time doing repetitive tasks (9 creators, 3 videos each, download from youtube, skim for non-descript shots — so hard for me) and have gotten extremely bogged down in the past doing similar exercises - but it was important to me to get this video out before the new year. I asked on Instagram originally if anyone would be willing to be “an unpaid intern for 2 days” (which was a HORRIBLE choice of words) - and it sparked a bit of controversy - so I ended up reposting on Twitter in order to make the conversation more public. It got PRETTY heated for a lot of people - there is A LOT of emotion behind the topic of FREE WORK for creatives - and I totally get it.

All said and done I got about 50 people who said they would love to help me on a project for free, but I was hyped to get to work with Dani because we had spent an hour chatting last year about YouTube, her vision and business ideas, etc. I love the internet.

But alas! You are her to find out who I think is the most underrated youtuber/creator of 2019! Let’s go.

One last thing - this is what I mean by “underrated”:

  • being so incredibly valuable that any quantifiable stat (like subscribers, views, likes, awards & recognition) does not match the value you are giving

  • I believe that most of you are underrated - and also believe the it’s a good place to be and a place we should all strive for 

  • You may disagree with me on the definition - but please know that’s what I’m talking about here

Josh Oluamafi

I only recently found out about Josh but have fallen in love with his teaching style and ability to keep me watching.  He works out of LA I Think?! primarily making music videos but his ability to break down what goes into, and also analyze big budget music videos and creations is NEXT LEVEL. I am excited to dive in further and have loved his last couple uploads.

Lizzie Peirce 

I accidentally spelled Lizzie’s name wrong in the video. Just FYI lol. I have loved watching Lizzie make stuff for QUITE some time - but am currently really taken with her most recent foray into art pieces. I believe she has released 3 in the last month - and I click that kind of content so quickly. It reminds me of Peter Mckinnon’s “The Moments Wont Remember Me” or “The Bucket Shot” — it’s what happens when someone with an incredible amount of business acumen (photo and video and just plain business) and an amazing ability to teach (tutorials, instructional, etc) decides to put out something that IS the thing they teach - so much to be learned yet way harder for the YouTube Algorithm to understand and suggest. Anyway Lizzie, you are crushing it you make amazing stuff - THANK YOU.

Eric Wen

Eric is currently on a series where he is breaking down the communication methods and tricks and mentalities and modalities of other creators who are making waves - I just love his heart I love the way he thinks and he brings so much insight to the how. It has been amazing to watch his skill sharpen over the last year.

Iz Harris 

Iz is currently crushing... life. I mean what?! What? She's got this wonderful way of communicating - she is eccentric and ecstatic at times, extremely calm at others - but the way she crafts her videos are just next level - she is one of those creators that I normally have to add to watch later when she uploads because I feel like i need to give her videos my full attention when I watch them - editing style and technique mixed with amazing photography and storytelling - plus she was launching a huge empire business the entire time she was making videos this year? While being a mom - which is like taking 3 full time jobs while also voluntarily giving up sleeping.  LIKE WHAT?

Becki & Chris

This year Becki and Chris planned and executed a 6 part series called "Cold Island" - I am absolutely in awe of it. Just the amount of focus, dedication, planning -- EDITING! incredible. I also know how hard it is to remember to record while on an adventure, and they did it so well - incorporating various types and styles of footage - they also decided to use a 2.39:1 aspect ratio for the piece - it is a documentary that lives on YouTube, and it is one of those things that I feel honored to have been alive during the creation of! Seriously, I am considering clicking that playlist up there and just rewatching (for the 4th time) instead of finishing this blog post - which by the way I am re-writing because I lost 80% of it. Persistence. Dedication. If Becki and Chris can make a documentary and release it on Youtube - I can re-write a blog post. I didn't mention this in the video - but this series also majorly informed and reshaped my content strategy for 2020 (which I am hoping will have much more of a coherent series-like feel on my channel). this series also inspired my Musicbed giveaway series. All that is to say - it AFFECTED me.

Jonathan & Nathan: Methodbox 

This next channel I just love, cause they do an INCREDIBLE job at sort of peeling back the curtain and showing us what's going on inside their mind, our mind, pop culture - I just love the way they think and love the way that they craft their videos. I go the chance the spend the week leading up to the release of the above video with Methodbox - and we spent hours talking about the release strategy - title, thumbnail, how should it coincide with the Yes Theory release. All of it. They treat their videos like multimillion dollar business opportunities - which is incredibly smart of them - since they are.

Brittney Janae

I think I originally found Brittney on instagram where she does something called "timeline tuesdays" and she posts a split screen of the edit, while showing the playhead - anyway, she knows her stuff, she works in premiere, she's doing amazing work off of youtube and she is graciously sharing that experience with us on youtube.

Brandon Washington

I LOVE when people are willing to give away the tips tricks and lessons learned about building a business - when I started my daily vlog I wasn't sure how I felt about it, because there is this fear based poverty mentality thing where you get afraid to give away your good stuff cause what if someone steals it. Well this next channel is doing just that, giving away incredible value. He recently started a series called business mondays and is dropping SERIOUS facts about building a video production business.

Alex Gasaway

the most Underrated creator of 2019

And that brings us to the most underrated creator of 2019. Alex has an obvious commitment to the craft - storytelling skills that are next level. The ability to hold your attention for an entire video - which is one of the most important yet hardest aspects of making videos on YouTube. She's also figured out a way to incorporate seamlessly so much mission and purpose in her videos. She is currently in a series called creators for a cause. Just like, every single video I watch it blows my mind. And I end up watching again - trying to learn how she does it. Doing amazing things for the community and highly underrated and poised to pop in 2020.

And lastly

This is to you - if you’ve ever posted a video that got 16 views or a BANGER photo on insta that got 13 likes…

Keep going. We see you. Your time is coming. You’ve got this thing. 

The Most Underrated