Is your sub box lacking some much-needed comedy? Well, look no further than the hilarious Elle Meadows!
You might think we’re just hyping her up, but trust us, Elle is definitely one of the funniest creators on the site today! Don’t believe us? Try watching a few of her videos without your stomach getting in stitches. Try it. We bet you can’t do it.
Elle, or hiyaelle as she’s also known, is a British YouTuber who’s always had the lights of Hollywood in her sights. Growing up in the English countryside, she dreamed of being an actress, but let’s be real, there aren’t many opportunities for a budding actress in the country. So she did what all our faves have done: she picked up a camera and recorded her first ever short film. What was it about you ask? Fairies, of course!
From there, Elle was hooked. “From that point on, I never stopped making short films and funny videos to show my friends and family,” she says. “Then, in secondary school, it dawned on me that I could put these videos somewhere for other people to watch.”
And thankfully for us, that “somewhere” was YouTube.
Elle created her YouTube channel in January 2014, having been inspired by the likes of US vloggers Ryan Higa (“without even intending to, a lot of my video emulate his video style”) and Grace Helbig, with whom she relates “to her awkwardness”.
Elle’s inspirations have grown throughout the years to include Gaby Dunn and Allison Raskin, who she calls “two very talented female comediennes”. Outside of the YouTube sphere, she looks toward television comedies like Gavin & Stacey, Saturday Night Live, and Brooklyn 99 (all A+++ shows, if you ask us), as well as her friends: “Not a hangout with friends can pass without me pausing a conversation to write down a video idea.”
Elle’s channel is a mix of comedic gold and #ultrarelatable content, whether she’s talking about all the things she sucks at or horror movie cliches, or listing the problems overly-enthusiastic people (like herself) have to deal with.
“I love to make people laugh,” Elle says. “I’m not an unfunny person, but I’m not the best at off-the-cuff comedy. So I guess you could say my style of video is more specifically scripted comedy or sketch comedy.
“I guess my videos are awkwardly funny scripted comedy, featuring clones.” And she means a lot of clones – just look at that editing magic!
Along with creating videos on her personal channel, Elle has also teamed up with AwesomenessTV, a channel she credits with having helped expose her to a wider audience, to create the Expectations vs. Reality series, such as her WHAT WE TEXT vs WHAT WE THINK video on the channel.
“My short-term goal is to be able to do YouTube and social media as my full-time job!” she says. “I’ve been working on a career in filmmaking for a long time now, and it’s something I want to continue to pursue.
“Of course, my other passion is acting and I would love [it] if YouTube could lead to more opportunities to do that. Mostly, YouTube is a platform for me to develop my creativity and discover what elements of creating are most suited to me and will continue to contribute to my happiness.”
Elle’s comedy has definitely carved out for her her own little spot in the YouTube world, and we’re glad we have her in our lives to keep us laughing. The site has definitely allowed her to shine and come into her own, a growth you can see throughout her videos. And she’s fully aware of the impact YouTube has had on her life.
“I’m making money doing something I adore. It’s enabled me to spend time pursuing my creative passions. My channel has helped me apply to competitive courses and get on them, something I would have struggled to do otherwise. I got a bloody mentor at BAFTA! How crazy is that?
“I am so grateful for all my friends in the YouTube world and I’m so grateful for all the opportunities I’ve been awarded thanks to YouTube.”
You’re making us tear up, Elle… Could someone grab us a tissue?
Not enough?
It’s a good thing we love promoting YouTubers then, isn’t it? Check out our other channel spotlights and prepare for your sub box to be filled with hours and hours of entertainment:
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