11 YouTubers Who Smashed It In 2017

Is there anything more heartwarming than seeing those around you achieve their hopes and dreams?

From musical releases and books to short films and tours, it’s safe to say 2017 was a BIG year for many of our favourite YouTubers. Whether it be on the site or off, it was a year that saw them striving to achieve long-held goals and embark on journeys that saw them reaching for the stars. Reporting on and watching these achievements has been both heartwarming and fun. In fact, we’ve loved it so much that we felt the need to dedicate an entire article to them.

Here they are: 11 YouTubers who smashed it in 2017!

Sam Saffold-Geri

Kicking off our list is the one and only Sam Saffold-Geri, who we think killed it this year.

Not only was he announced to be a Creators For Change fellow, but he also won the Creators For Change Award at the Lovie Awards for his short film, A Welcoming Place, which was commended for its confrontation of xenophobia. On top of that, he made an appearance on the Filmmaking Panel at August’s Summer in the City, and the Small, Rising, Established Panel at VidCon Europe, as well as participating in the Alzheimer’s UK Glitterbrows campaign.

What’s next for Sam? We’re not sure, but you can bet we’re excited to find out!

Emma Blackery

This year was without a doubt a huge one for Emma Blackery. (We seriously don’t think it could have been any bigger.) Musically, she really started coming into her own. The beginning of the year saw the release of her Magnetised EP, for which she embarked on a supporting UK tour that saw her achieve her dream of playing the Shepherd’s Bush Empire. She also performed a headlining set at Summer in the City, won the SitC award for Song of the Year, and had her EP cover art featured at an Apple Keynote event!

Outside of music, Emma attended VidCon Europe, participated in the Alzheimer’s UK Glitterbrows campaign, appeared on the Musicians on YouTube Panel at SitC, and became a bestselling author with the release of her debut book, Feel Good 101!

From the sounds of her 2018 New Year’s resolutions, we don’t see Emma slowing down anytime soon!

Rose Dix and Rosie Spaughton

2017 was a big year for Rose Dix and Rosie Spaughton! Not only did the pair make appearances at both Summer in the City and HelloWorld, but they also took home the Best Vlogger Award at the BBC Radio 1 Awards and the Vlogger Award at SitC. Oh, and did we mention they were our June cover stars?

This year also saw the two embark on one of the best stage shows of the year! Hitting both the UK and the US, their Exposed tour saw audiences being treated to hilarious chats, comedic takes, and a lot of oversharing – it was like we were watching one of their vlogs! The tour saw Rose and Rosie in their element, and we hope to seem them back on stage in 2018!

dodie

Honestly, what hasn’t dodie done this year? Musically, this was her biggest year to date. Not only did she embark on multiple tours and perform at her first ever festival, but she also released her You EP and aced a headlining set at Summer in the City! Oh, and we can’t forget she also announced a UK tour and Camp Bestival appearance in 2018.

Want more? Well, she had her own pop-up shop at the YouTube Space London, appeared on panels at both SitC and VidCon Europe, won the Breakthrough Award at the SitC Awards, and released her debut book, Secrets for the Mad, which features a collection of stories, songs, and photos.

If dodie’s 2018 is anything like this year, then you can guarantee it’ll be a whirlwind!

Alex Bertie

It always feels like Alex Bertie is constantly on the go, and his busy schedule this year is evidence of that. This past August, he appeared on the Gender Identity Panel at Summer in the City, and in November he released his autobiography, Trans Mission: My Quest to a Beard. The book, which is Alex’s first, is a written account of the journey he’s been sharing via his YouTube videos and features stories of how his transition has been.

Through his work this year, Alex has continued to spread awareness about trans issues, and we’re sure he’ll carry that on into 2018 and beyond.

Hazel Hayes

2017 saw Hazel Hayes directing one of year’s best (and most intense) online series. Titled PrankMe, the series follows UK-based YouTube prankster Jasper Perkins as his online pranks grow out of control. It debuted in full at Toronto’s Buffer Festival, where it won the award for Excellence in Storytelling.

Along with PrankMe, 2017 saw Hazel appear on various panels at Summer in the City and continue to grow her YouTube channel. In particular, her Tipsy Talk series featured a host of big guests this year, including Daisy Ridley, Jack Black, and Taika Waititi.

The year overall has seen Hazel grow and mature as a filmmaker, and we know 2018 will only continue that growth.

Daniel Middleton

You’ve probably heard about Daniel Middleton a lot lately, as he was recently named by Forbes as the year’s highest-paid YouTuber, a title that comes as no surprise given how much he’s achieved in 2017.

To kick off 2017, Dan embarked on a US tour, performing his live show in venues across the country. In April, his YouTube Red series, DanTDM Creates a Big Scene, premiered on the YouTube Kids app – the show features Dan and his animated friends overcoming obstacles while taking their stage show on the road. On top of that, the DVD version of his live show broke sales records and he appeared in YouTube Rewind, participating in the most epic of slime fights!

Who knows what 2018 has in store for him?!

Grace Victory

2017 was a big year for Grace Victory. One of the big things to happen was the release of her debut book, No Filter, which sees Grace offering advice and speaking about various topics, such as mental health and domestic abuse. But she didn’t stop there. Along with the book release, Grace spread her voice across the UK, teaming up with BBC Three to help spread awareness about mental health issues and giving a talk at the TEDxUCLWomen event this past November.

Given all she achieved this year and her ever-growing presence online, we can only imagine what 2018 will bring for Grace!

Hannah Witton

Hannah Witton accomplished a lot in 2017. She started off the year with the release of her book, Doing It, which discusses the topic of sex in a both open and educational way. Not only did the book win Book of the Year at this August’s Summer in the City Awards, but it also spawned its own UK tour. (Which even included a sold-out show in London!)

Doing It aside, Hannah also appeared on panels at VidCon Europe and Summer in the City, attended Toronto’s Buffer Festival, was listed on Marie Claire‘s Influencer List, and put on the first ever Banging Book Club live show with co-hosts Lucy Moon and Leena Normington!

See, we told you she accomplished a lot.

Carrie Hope Fletcher

If there’s one person who’s had a big year, it’s Carrie Hope Fletcher. From performances to literary releases, she’s been here, there, and everywhere in 2017, and it’s left us excited to see what 2018 has in store for her!

This year, Carrie performed in two musicals: The Addams Family, which saw her performing in both the UK and Singapore, and The Christmasaurus. Oh, and did we mention her role as Truly Scrumptious in 2016’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was awarded the Best Actress In A New Production Award at the 2016 BroadwayWorld Awards? In the world of books, Carrie not only released All That She Can See, but also announced she’d be releasing a new novel in 2018! And as if that wasn’t enough, she announced four solo concerts for this coming March, two of which sold out almost immediately!

2017 has left us asking one question: is there anything you can’t do, Carrie?

So there you have it…

11 YouTubers who absolutely smashed 2017! It really has been a massive year for many of our faves and we look forward to seeing what 2018 has in store for each and every one of them. If this year is any indication, then we think it’ll be pretty awesome.

Don’t want to let go of 2017? Neither do we:

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