Last year, YouTuber SemideCoco went from 13.5K subscribers in March to 150K by the end of December with videos of her doing peaceful massages, mellow mediations, and scalp checks.

The rapid influx came after the Toronto-based naturopathic student Semide connected with people searching for ASMR content on YouTube. The channel now has over 220K subscribers.

In October 2018, she started her YouTube channel, uploading topics related to PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and slowly ventured into ASMR. Later, she focused more on giving fans what they were looking for – an endless supply of autonomous sensory meridian response videos. 

These audio-focused, stress-destabilizing videos can let listeners experience a tinging relaxing sensation, starting from the top of a scalp and slowly trickling down their spine. Because of calming effect, there’s no surprise why these videos have been in high demand since the pandemic started. 

SemideCoco explained her YouTube success to Bitch Media, “The social isolation and increasing mental and physical health issues intensified by the pandemic drew many viewers to my channel,” she says. “I strongly believe that social interaction, especially in the form of intimacy and physical touch, is essential for our health and well-being, and it has been in short supply during this pandemic.”

#YouTuber SemideCoco saw an increase in demand for# ASMR content, so she increased those videos and even expanded to platforms like @Spotify to meet demand. #Stan #ContentEntrepreneur Click To Tweet

In a 2020 interview, Insider confirmed SemideCoco earns close to $3.15 per thousand views (RPM). She also lists some ASMR audio on Spotify. 

Why we’re a Stan: SemideCoco realized her growing audience turned to ASMR videos to cope with the pandemic’s impact. Hence, she continued to make more content to meet the demand, even expanding to other platforms like Spotify. 

About the author

Shameyka McCalman is a wordsmith whose work often centers around fashion, art, and other creatives of color. She earned her communications degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston and enjoys sifting through clothes in local vintage shops, frequenting nearby plays, and gazing at exhibitions on view in museums.