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What 20 Years of YouTube Reveals About Creativity’s Future

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Cannes Lions 2025 Keynote

It’s wonderful to be here in Cannes, recognizing the latest in creative storytelling and innovation. I can’t think of a better place to celebrate YouTube’s 20th birthday.

It all began with a 19-second video: “Me at the Zoo.” Then, pioneers like iJustine, Smosh and Philip DeFranco started uploading and solidified “creator” as a dream job for millions around the world.

Video by video, creator by creator, YouTube became a driving force in culture. A place where trends are born, movements are ignited, and creativity is constantly redefined. Anyone with an idea — whether an individual, artist, studio, or brand — can become a creator here.

Today, YouTube is THE epicenter of culture. I’m not talking about forgettable fads or one-hit-wonders we scroll right past. I mean culture with a capital “C.” The place where day after day, year after year, the events, conversations and voices that define the moment break through and leave their mark.

But today isn’t just about celebrating the last 20 years, it’s about casting our vision for the next 20 — and why I believe the next revolution in creativity and brand building will be made on YouTube.

At YouTube, creators have been captivating us since the beginning. In the early days, they uploaded grainy, unscripted videos from their bedrooms. They honed their craft, built communities, and spawned a new creative class.

Today, creators are the startups of Hollywood.

Like most startups, these creators are reimagining the industry that inspired them and creating new jobs for writers, editors, actors and producers. Some are even building state-of-the-art studios.

Take Inoxtag, a creator here in France, who wanted the world to see him climb Mount Everest. He assembled a full crew — screenwriters,, graphic artists, and a lead director.

Last year, his debut documentary, Kaizen, premiered in both cinemas across the country and on YouTube, where it racked up 17 million views in less than 48 hours.

Now these creators  are coming to the biggest screen in the house – the television. Viewers now watch over one billion hours of YouTube on their TVs every day… And for more than half of the top 100 most watched YouTube channels in the world, TV is their most watched screen.

With these audiences in mind, creators are serializing their shows and releasing them in HD, like The Broski Report, a weekly show celebrating pop culture.

Creators are pioneering the new TV… and it doesn’t look like the old TV.

When viewers tune in, they want to watch what matters to them, unconstrained by format, genre or style.

They want to experience the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest, then watch past music performances by their favorite artists. They want to livestream the Cannes Film Festival alongside creators’ red carpet reactions and Palme D’or predictions. They want to watch highlights of the U.S. and France Olympic basketball matchup, followed by a two-hour podcast with a breakdown from NBA legends.

And let’s talk about podcasts, one of the most relevant formats driving culture today. On YouTube alone, one billion viewers are watching podcasts every month.

Rotten Mango, hosted by creator Stephanie Soo, gained over 2 million new subscribers in just a year after she began incorporating video. She’s now topping our new weekly YouTube podcast charts.

Creators clearly have huge cultural power… backed by the relationships they build with their communities of ride-or-die fans. These fandoms don’t just follow culture, they shape it.

And rather than just watching a video, fans put their own unique spin on it. Last fall, Glitch dropped the animated dark comedy series, The Amazing Digital Circus. The pilot episode alone racked up over 300 million views. But the response from fans went even more viral. The songs, memes and spinoff content they created about the show collectively generated 25 billion views.

Fandom itself is becoming a form of creative expression — everything from reaction videos to fan art and more. And one of the easiest ways to jump in is through short form video.

At YouTube, we’re seeing a huge uptick in the amount of people creating — and watching — Shorts.

Today, I’m excited to share a new milestone: YouTube Shorts are now averaging over 200 billion daily views!

One last, critical point about these communities of fans: they don’t just exist online. Fandoms that start on YouTube drive culture in the real world.

In 2013, a group of creators came together over a shared love of gaming, calling themselves the Sidemen. Today, they’re one of YouTube’s largest collectives with more than 150 million subscribers across their channels.

They’ve created their own merchandise lines, opened a physical store, established a fast-food chain, and more. Every year, they compete against other creators in the Sidemen Charity Match. This year, they sold out Wembley Stadium — just like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and BTS.

This explosion of creativity—from fan-made content to real-world moments—proves that fandom is no longer just about consumption; it’s a powerful force steering culture.

Now there’s another important way that creators are showing us what the future looks like: AI.

Like startups, creators are among the earliest adopters and fastest movers when it comes to cutting-edge technology.

I am incredibly excited by the potential of AI tools to empower human creativity.

We’re already seeing this on YouTube. Veo is Google Deepmind’s video generation model which lets you create AI-generated backgrounds and video clips for Shorts. We’ve put this model into the hands of creators with Dream Screen. Last month, Google announced the newest model: Veo 3, which vastly improves video quality and incorporates audio.

Today, I’m proud to share that Veo 3 will be coming to YouTube Shorts later this summer.

I believe these tools will open new creative lanes for everyone to explore. But what’s even more exciting than what you see on the screen, is how AI is helping creatives behind the scenes.

Language, for example, is one of the biggest barriers to growing a global audience. Our Auto Dubbing feature already translates videos across 9 different languages with 11 more coming soon, and dramatically increases the potential audiences a creator or brand can reach.

In the six months since creators started using this feature, we’ve already dubbed more than 20 million videos using AI.

The possibilities with AI are limitless.

A lot can change in a generation. Entertainment itself has changed more in the last two decades than any other time in history. Creators led this revolution.

My bet for the next 20 years? Creators will flip formats, blend genres, and push deeper into the mainstream — as brand ambassadors, big business ventures and visionary storytellers. Communities will continue to surprise us with the power of their collective fandom. And cutting-edge AI technology will push the limits of human creativity.

My biggest bet is that YouTube will continue to be the stage where it all happens. Where anyone with a story to share can turn their dream into a career… and anyone with a voice can bring people together and change the world.

Thanks for being a part of this journey with us.

Showbiz

Nigerian Idol Season 10 Winner Purp Visits Rite Foods

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Purp Nigerian Idol Season 10 Winner Rite Foods

In a moment filled with joy and gratitude, Purp, winner of Nigerian Idol Season 10, paid a courtesy visit to Rite Foods Limited, expressing heartfelt appreciation to the company’s flagship brand, Bigi, for its continuous sponsorship of the hit reality music show.

Accompanied by Raymu, the show’s dynamic runner-up, Purp hailed Bigi’s five-year sponsorship of Nigerian Idol as a beacon of hope and opportunity for aspiring music talents across Nigeria.

“This platform has changed my life,” said the 25-year-old Lagos-born singer, Anu Agosa (aka Purp). “From the early days in church choirs to theatre stages, I’ve always dreamt of moments like this. Bigi didn’t just sponsor a show, they sponsored dreams, and I’m deeply thankful.”

A product of rich musical heritage, raised by a choir-leading mother and shaped by the harmonies of gospel music, Purp’s electrifying performances won the hearts of millions, culminating in her victory and a grand prize that includes a brand-new SUV, N30 million cash, a DStv Explora with a one-year premium subscription, and a music recording deal.

Welcoming the rising star, the chief executive of Rite Foods Limited, Mr Seleem Adegunwa reaffirmed the company’s commitment to youth empowerment and creative excellence.

“At Rite Foods, we believe in platforms that reflect our core values, innovation, excellence, and accountability. Nigerian Idol is one of those platforms, and through Bigi, we’re proud to be nurturing tomorrow’s icons,” Mr Adegunwa stated.

He reminded her that dreams do come through when accompanied by grit and excellence, which is also the story of Rite Foods, praising Purp for her discipline, artistry, and determination throughout the competition, encouraging her to remain steadfast as she embarks on her music career.

“You’ve inspired a generation,” he noted. “Now the real journey begins, and you will always have Bigi rooting for you.”

He added that as a proudly Nigerian and truly world-class organisation, Rite Foods, through its consumer-first culture, will continue to support initiatives that enable Nigerian youths to thrive and be seen, not just locally, but globally.

Purp, visibly elated, described the win as both humbling and motivating, saying, “Winning came as a surprise, but it’s a reminder that hard work and passion always pay off. I’m grateful to Bigi and Nigerian Idol for this life-changing opportunity. This is just the beginning.”

With her vibrant energy, soulful voice, and compelling story, Purp is poised to be one of Nigeria’s next big music exports, and her journey is one that began with a bold belief in herself and the support of brands that dare to dream with their consumers.

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Tiktok Removes 3.6 million Harmful Videos in Nigeria to Protect Users

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TikTok ban

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Over 3.6 million videos were removed in Nigeria on Tiktok in the first quarter of 2025 because they violated community guidelines, Business Post has learned from the platform’s Q1 2025 Community Guidelines Enforcement Report.

In a report released by the popular social media platform, it was also disclosed that in March 2025, about 129 accounts in West Africa tied to covert operations were removed to protect users.

These actions were taken by the Chinese app in a demonstration of its ongoing commitment to user safety.

It was stated that the harmful visuals deleted in Nigeria between January and March 2025 were 50 per cent higher than the videos yanked off between October and December 2024.

TikTok said the latest removals report represents a small fraction of the total number of videos posted by the Nigerian community quarterly; highlighting that the platform has more positive and empowering content.

With millions of positive, educational and entertaining videos uploaded on TikTok every day, TikTok is continually strengthening its ability to identify and remove content that goes against its Community Guidelines.

TikTok LIVE

While TikTok LIVE enables creators and viewers to connect, create and build communities together, in real-time, the platform has intensified its LIVE Monetization Guidelines, making it clearer how some content is not eligible for monetization.

LIVE content enforcement also remained a top priority. In the first quarter of 2025, TikTok banned 42,196 LIVE rooms and interrupted 48,156 streams in Nigeria that were found to violate the platform’s community guidelines.

A global system for localised protection

Globally, more than 211 million videos were removed in Q1 2025, up from 153 million in the previous quarter, with over 184 million removed through automation. The platform’s global proactive detection rate reached 99 per cent, demonstrating continued improvements in identifying and removing harmful content quickly and effectively.

Despite these high-volume interventions, harmful content still represents a very small portion of what users post. Globally, less than 1 per cent of content uploaded to TikTok is found to violate its community guidelines, a testament to its continued prioritisation of proactive safeguards.

Bringing resources to Nigeria’s community, together

In June, TikTok Africa hosted its “My Kind of TikTok Digital Well-being Summit” bringing together experts, NGOs, creators, media and industry leaders from across Sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, to collectively explore, tackle, and improve the state of digital wellbeing both on and beyond the platform.

Part of a suite of announcements made at the Summit and building on a successful pilot in Europe, TikTok is expanding in-app helpline resources to Nigeria, in partnership with Cece Yara, a child-centered non-profit organisation prioritising youth safety and support. This means that in the coming weeks, young users in Nigeria will have access to local helplines in-app that provide expert support when reporting content related to suicide, self-harm, hate, and harassment.

Collaborating with experts, TikTok has also announced Nigeria’s Dr Olawale Ogunlana (Doctor Wales) as a TikTok Digital Well-being ambassador, part of a diverse group of verified healthcare professionals from the WHO Fides Network.

Alongside these efforts and commitment to safety, TikTok encourages community participation through user reporting and education. As part of its ongoing #SaferTogether campaign, the platform advocates for a more collaborative approach to creating a respectful online environment.

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4 Remarkable Ways to Show Your Loved Ones You Got Them

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GOtv packages

In a world full of words, it’s easy to say “I got you,” but it’s the actions that truly count. Whether it’s family, friends, or loved ones who have been in your corner, the best way to show appreciation isn’t always through grand gestures but through the little things that make everyday life better.

That’s why GOtv is leading by example with its We Got You deal, reminding Nigerians that love is best expressed through meaningful action. From now until July 31, this offer is proof that doing something small can have a big impact.

Here are four ways to show the people in your life that you really got them:

  • Be Present, Not Just Available

Sometimes, all someone needs is your undivided attention. Whether it’s spending quality time watching their favourite shows, helping out when they’re tired, or just showing up when it counts, presence matters. GOtv makes it easy to enjoy quality time together, from thrilling football matches and Nollywood hits to laugh-out-loud moments on Big Brother Naija. So instead of just being in the same room, why not plan a fun TV night together and turn moments into memories, one episode at a time?

  • Surprise Them with Something Thoughtful

Being thoughtful doesn’t mean breaking the bank.  Even a small gift that aligns with their interests can go a long way. With GOtv’s We Got You deal, new and existing customers get a free one-month subscription when they reconnect or upgrade, so you can surprise someone by paying for their subscription this month.

  • Support Their Every Win, No Matter How Small

Whether it’s cheering them on during a job interview, showing up for school events, or letting them take over the remote when their favourite show is on, support is love in action. GOtv is constantly expanding its content pool to ensure there’s something for everyone. From cartoons for the kids to lifestyle shows for Mum and epic football clashes for Dad, there’s joy for every member of the family, and supporting that joy starts with giving them access to what they love.

  •  Share Moments That Matter

You don’t need a special occasion to make someone feel special. A spontaneous lunch, a heartfelt message, or even inviting them to come chill while watching Africa Magic or SuperSport can go a long way. Shared experiences create deeper bonds, and GOtv provides a platform to build those moments every day.

GOtv’s We Got You offer is a timely reminder that real love shows up in simple, practical ways. So the next time you say “I got you,” let it be more than a promise but something you live out loud. Reconnect, upgrade, or gift someone a GOtv package today because when it comes to love, actions always speak louder.

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