Lilly Singh (1988- ), aka Superwoman, is a Canadian YouTuber who runs the IISuperwomanII channel. She has beauty, charm, humour – and 4.7 million YouTube subscribers. She mostly does videos about the funny-because-it’s-true stuff about parents, dating and daily life.
Her parents wanted her to become a doctor or a lawyer. She got a degree in psychology from York University, but her heart was not in it. She had always wanted to be an entertainer. Although being a YouTuber was not a solid, respectable profession, her parents supported her so long as she gave it her all. She now delivers 3 million eyeballs a day to YouTube, more than enough to make a living from her cut of the ad money.
Her audience is largely made up of Brown girls ages 14 to 25 in North America – and men in India who, she says, may be watching her videos with the sound off!
She says her biggest advantage is also her biggest disadvantage: being a Brown girl. Some people will watch her simply because she is a Brown girl – it makes her stick out on YouTube – but others will not watch her simply because she is a Brown girl. She is now crossing over to non-Brown viewers, something she did not expect.
Most of the experiences she talks about are universal to the human condition. So, where she used to make videos about “Brown girls” and “Punjabi mothers”, she now makes them about “girls” and “parents” and “guys”. Her oldest video is about how to fold a turban. These days she talks less about her Sikh Punjabi background, yet does not seem to distance herself from it either.
She grew up in Malvern, a rough neighbourhood of Toronto that is heavily West Indian and South Asian:
“Malvern is my home town and I’ve lived most of my life there. I know it gets a bad reputation from some media, but some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned about diversity and people, come from living in Malvern.”
She does talk about racism from time to time. She regards White racists as ignorant people who do not understand that we all belong to one race. She tries not to meet hate with hate. One Love.
She says the Internet is one of the cruellest places in the world because people do not hold back, that the only way to keep the hate comments from getting to you is to believe in what you are doing, to not do it for the views.
She grew up watching Bollywood and Hollywood and listening to reggae, hip hop and Punjabi music. She says hip hop and Punjabi culture go well together.
Her Superwoman persona was not created for YouTube but when she was a girl and needed confidence. She bought a Superwoman ring which she wears to this day.
In her third year at York, she spun downward into depression and had thoughts of killing herself. Having come back almost from the dead she now wants to uplift.
– Abagond, 2015.
Update (November 13th 2018): She is taking a break from YouTube. She has been making YouTube videos non-stop since 2010, but now feels burnt out with the quality of her videos suffering. In 2016 she made $7.4 million, becoming the third highest paid YouTuber in the world. BBC, YouTube.
Update (September 18th 2019): She now has her own late-night talk show on US television, “A Little Late with Lilly Singh” on NBC! It started on September 16th.
Sources: Social Blade (2015), IISuperwomanII (2015), CBC (2014), Republic of Brown (2012), My Roots (2008).
See also:
- IISuperwomanII
- A Message About Miss America
- Sh*t Punjabi Mothers Say – her first video to get over a million views
- RESPONSE TO RACIST BRAMPTON GIRL
- Draw My Life | Superwoman
- What Bollywood Has Taught Me (ft. Madhuri Dixit)
- What Girl Talk Sounds Like
- If People Were Honest On Dates Feat. Jay Sean
- How to be the Perfect Brown Person – unlike most of her videos, this one is bitter and sarcastic.
- YouTube
- The BET Fallacy
- Chescaleigh: Shit White Girls Say … to Black Girls
- Nina Davuluri
- hip hop
- Hollywood
Her eyes are unrealistically beautiful.
LikeLike
I have watched a great deal of her stuff thanks to Timothy delaghetto. I had no idea who she was.
LikeLike
I have to say that I was not impressed when I checked out her channel last year,call it different soh,but i didn’t find her remotely funny and find it bizarre she has such a large following,certain YouTube’s I watch,far more entertaining and so underrated
It’s good that she brings up racism from time to time in her comedy,however this is not totally alien to her because Indians,for the most part have very racist views about black people in general and as a nation,most look down on them
Have you ever wondered why Indians very rarely employ black people to work for them in private buisnes,all the same good luck to her.
LikeLike
Have you ever wondered why Indians very rarely employ black people to work for them in private buisnes,all the same good luck to her.
————————————————————————————
Indians have an intact culture which includes a religion, a language… why should they hire black people when they can hire another Indian who knows and shares the culture?
Don’t be a player hater.
LikeLike
..She is no doubt really pretty to look at, though I think her videos are kinda funny, but not as much as say Shane Dawson and other tubers. On the issue of racism from Indians, having lived on both the East and West Coast-I found it interesting that I encountered more racism from some Indians in New England, whilst the white residents were (generally) a lot less racist-and the ones I encountered on the West treated me with nothing but respect and kindness.
LikeLike
I have been subscribed to her for years now. I like her brown girl shtick.
LikeLike
Thwack’s kind of got a point; how often do you see somebody saying you should “only buy black owned” or go to black stores and businesses…..than complain about someone from a different group doing the same thing.
Projection, hypocrisy, obliviousness?
As for the fame of Superwoman?
She’s attractive, amusing and has a consistent volume of videos.
That and being name “Superwoman” may help bring in the hits that otherwise might go unnoticed.
She also knows how to edit, put up pictures etc….and has good quality video and comes from an economically well off family.
LikeLike
My daughter watches her 😀
LikeLike
@thwack
You have missed the point ,was pointing out that if it comes to employing outside of their own,not just in USA but almost anywhere,Indians are more likely to hire white employees,for whatever reason they are highly reluctant to employ black people.
This lady is Brown and rightly refers to herself that way,just like an Indian who recently got attacked by a group of white folks,says he is constantly called black this,black that..and he responded that he is not black,but Brown and if they were going to insult him,to at least get his color right.
He shared this on radio,what stood out to me ,more then anything was that he was more upset at being called black then being called a bastard among other things.
LikeLike
In this context,black people have to be careful in perceiving that when someone of this decent refers to being Brown,she is not aligning herself with the black race and I only point this out because this site is ‘black’ based by opinion and some may take it that way.
LikeLike
Everybody is black when hung from a tree.
LikeLike
@ anon
Are there any cases of Lilly Singh herself being racist against Blacks?
LikeLike
…@agabond
I do not know of her to be racist,but that doesn’t mean she isn’t,I feel like we see these YouTube stars and have a distorted view of them,we hold them with a high regard because they carry a role
She is highly paid and highly popular,she has to carry of a certain presence,even if it’s just a,facade,even if it is just for the cameras
It’s not cruel speaking from the heart,because for many,stating the facts is hard to deal with..I just say this from a perspective of living in India for a short while and having Indian associates and just seeing how these folk in general are against others,when they are amongst their own kind.
LikeLike
@ anon
She has produced over 300 videos, but all you have is that she looks like people who are anti-Black racists?
LikeLike
I do find the anti-black sentiment of some South Asians interesting seeing as many Indian men really like black women.
LikeLike
@agabond
I just think that it’s a facade,people can easily hide behind it,300 or 10 videos doesn’t say someone can not be a racist,just because she’s popular,it doesn’t mean that her real side is open to the public,that’s all.
LikeLike
(http://youtu.be/3bbYDttFRFA)
LikeLike
So what are you saying Anon and A that we should judge her based on her race and skin color?
Thing about being called something else reminds me of my brother, he’s got some Asian in him and growing up people would call him chink, which would annoy him, he has Japanese, he would say the same thing, that if they were going to insult him it could at least be with the right racist term.
LikeLike
A
I do find the anti-black sentiment of some South Asians interesting seeing as many Indian men really like black women.
———————————————————————————————
Personally, I find the “anti-white sentiment” of black people interesting seeing as many black people stab and shoot each other.
LikeLike
@anon
“I do not know of her to be racist,but that doesn’t mean she isn’t.”
Yeah. That is just like cops saying “I do not know if of that black guy over there to be homicidal, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t.”
Ever heard of the “presumption of innocence”?
LikeLike
@V4
No I wasn’t making any assumption about her personally. Just looking at the colorism of South Asia as a whole (only lighter actors in Bollywood, Singers, newscasters etc) and found it ironic that I knew more than a few Indian men personally who really dig on Sistas. A few Indian women that like Black men too.
LikeLike
@Jeff
I understand that……but you are already assuming she may not be and she could well be,she’s not perfect.
LikeLike
Here in India you have casteism. Brahmins on the top of the ladder and Dalits in the dung heap. Then you have communalism – enmity based on religious affliation. There is also a mixture of both. In the meantime I agree with Kiwi:
nonwhites (everywhere) suck white penis long time ….
LikeLike
@v – 4
I’m saying to NOT dismiss the fact that she can still harbor thoughts about black people
Indians,by a majority tend to share a disdain towards dark skin,they are extremely negative about black people,this attitude is prominent in India-even treating dark skin Indians badly,even locally,you see the way Indians tend to treat black customers.
I have worked in high end retail and in many shops and I noticed that white men were always referred to as ‘sir’ but I have never heard that term referred to black men in that way,when it came to protocol ..they have more respect for white men.
And I’m sure Lilly has seen this too and may be even guilty of it too.
LikeLike
There is no point in me remaining anonymous as I don’t feel I’m saying anything bad,just telling the truth.
LikeLike
Colorism is huge in the Indian community they bleach their skin and they do have a love for whiteness. It the colonialized mindset.
LikeLike
@Mary
yeah, like its any different here.
I give Lilly a shout out for defying her parents and taking a non linear career path. Im sure her Indian parents were horrified she ditched a real career to become an entertainer/comedian.
Good for her.
Parents prefer their children become something white people have produced a clearly defined path to achieve; doctor, lawyer…. there is no “comedian school” where you can get a diploma that qualifies you as a “board certified” comedian.
In addition, she is using her psychology degree in her craft; all good comedians have one even if they lack the piece of paper signed by a white person to prove it.
The Indians with a chip on their shoulder are the ones from the “striver class” trying to make the jump from worker, to shop keeper, to professional; they tend to be materialistic and greedy.
Maybe Lilly’s career choice is an acknowledgement and rejection of it?
I would like to see more good Asian comedians.
Also, black comedians need to expand into nontraditional material, mix in more abstract with the organic stuff.
LikeLike
A little too goofy for me. She’s pretty cool though. It’s just slightly over the top. A matter of opinion of course.
LikeLike
Maxine completely agree but Lily comes across different.
LikeLike
@Mary
No. That is, for the most, not a “colonial mindset.”
In the old days, having a lighter skin meant that you weren’t a peasant. A pale skin meant that you had the luxury that you didn’t have to work on the land, and have your skin tanned to a darker color.
See for more: http://cosmeticsinfo.org/Ancient-history-cosmetics
That said, I know from some Indian relatives that the colonial mindset at least played a part for some people.
LikeLike
“Mary,
Colorism is huge in the Indian community they bleach their skin and they do have a love for whiteness. It the colonialized mindset.”
Linda says,
This one is tough. “colourism” is very prevalent in many non-white European societies…it’s un-escapable (even when white people are a minority, the mindset that lighter is beautiful is hard to escape)
there is a campaign in India called “Dark is Beautiful” (inspired by America’s 60s Black is Beautiful)
https://scontent-b-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/s720x720/374416_396445340467574_2116798610_n.jpg?oh=1f848d86f5ca9c7298dcbbcc0e6c3cea&oe=552B3BC7
LikeLike
From Article on Dark is Beautiful:
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/08/21/dark-is-beautiful-campaign-questions-indias-skin-colour-prejudices/
“Dark is Beautiful‘, founded by a group of women in 2009, has picked up steam in 2013 especially since award-winning actor-director Nandita Das has become the face of the campaign.
Das, who has spoken out against the bias against dark skin in recent years, has been actively promoting the cause in interviews on social media and with mainstream media.
The desire in India for lighter skin is fueled by a widespread belief that dark-skin is ugly and inferior. Not only is fair skin perceived to be a key definer of beauty, but also seen to be an essential element of self-confidence, success, and happiness.
And brands have been quick to tap into this fervor, selling creams, lotions, soaps, cosmetics, and personal hygiene washes promising skin-bleaching.
The so-called fairness industry brings in more than 400 million US dollars per year, more than the sale of Coca-Cola and tea in India, according to The Atlantic magazine.”
LikeLike
and a really in-depth article about India’s colourism issue:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/regajha/is-miss-america-too-dark-skinned-to-ever-be-crowned-miss-ind#.esV09E2e
Is Miss America, Nina Davuluri, Too Dark-Skinned To Ever Be Crowned Miss India?
This is symptomatic of a region-wide obsession with fair skin, owing to a variety of factors.
1) Fair skin, which was originally associated with the educated, reigning Brahmin caste in the ancient Hindu caste system, is contemporarily linked with elevated socioeconomic stature; upper and upper-middle classes are likely not to be working in professions that expose them to the sun.
2) Another commonly cited theory is that over its 200 years of British rule, India internalized the mind-set of whiteness entailing superiority.
Nina would have been too dark to even make it in the Miss India pageant:
Every single one of the young women was taking some sort of medication to alter her skin, particularly in colour… The contestants undergo chemical peels and daily medication, some of which have rather unpleasant side effects.
[One contestant] often complained to the doctor that she felt nauseous and weak as a result of the medication prescribed to lighten her South Indian skin.
Asha Rangappa did the same in The Huffington Post:
‘The fact remains that America is way ahead of India in celebrating a realistic ideal of Indian beauty. In fact, Davuluri is following in the footsteps of other darker-skinned Indian women who have been recognized in America for their talent and beauty, like The Office’s Mindy Kaling or ER’s Parminder Nagra — women who’d never get a second glance in India.’
Linda says,
I don’t think America is ahead of India… the media is just good at what it does as a PR machine, that likes to control the image and narrative to suit their whim.
If the Media is in the mood — they elevate or celebrate “black or brown beauty”
still waiting for the east Asian “Miss America”
LikeLike
@Linda,
re:
So far we have
Miss America – Angela Perez Baraquio (2001) – Filipino-American
Miss USA – Mai Shanley (1984) – Eurasian with Taiwanese mother
LikeLike
OK, so Miss America has covered all the bases –Thanks for the update Jefe 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you Linda! 🙂
LikeLike
Strange thing about superwoman and her fame is…..she’s not the biggest youtuber.
Out of the top 500 she’s 477. Pretty far from the top there. Pretty cool to be in the top 500 but still.
Its weird how view count doesn’t seem to straight out correspond to fame on youtube and vice-a-versa.
@Maxine
Your right; despite her apparent peacenik-hippy “one love, anti-racist” statements and despite having worked with black people with no apparent problems.
We should judge her based on being Indian….life, its an ironic thing sometimes.
LikeLike
I love Superwoman. I found out about her just a couple of weeks ago.
LikeLike
I remember she had an early video in which she proclaimed she woudl never date a black guy
she took the video down and replaced it with some kumbayah crap
I dont remeber exactly what she said but ti was along the lines: she coudl never find a black guy attractive, then listed racist defamtions of black people as if they were reality and based herrejection of all black men on that…
as i said she took the video down
like all racists they hide behind a holy front
LikeLike
@ realnest, if what you are saying is true, then shame on her for her facetiousness
LikeLike
Update: Lilly Singh is taking a break from YouTube. She has been making YouTube videos non-stop since 2010, but now feels burnt out with the quality of her videos suffering. In 2016 she made $7.4 million, becoming the third highest paid YouTuber in the world.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46200866
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5OfFk5c01o)
LikeLike
Update: She now has her own late-night talk show on US television, “A Little Late with Lilly Singh” on NBC! It started on September 16th.
LikeLike