She's Back! YouTube's First Controversial Viral Star Lonelygirl15 Resurfaces After 8 Year Absence
byImarketer77-
YouTube's original viral star, Lonelygirl15, returned to the Internet on Thursday after a nearly eight year absence.
The reincarnation comes 10 years to the day after Lonelygirl15's first video, which gained her channel hundred and thousands of followers, making it one of YouTube's earliest viral sensations.
The vlogs, which followed the life of a 16-year-old girl named
Bree, were ordinary in nature. Bree would discuss her home life,
complaining about homework and being home-schooled. She'd gush about her
friend Daniel, and goof off in front of the camera.
But Lonelygirl15's popularity soon took off. Her Myspace page
was flooded with follower requests. Fan sites and forums popped up, with
her costars building a network of their own popular channels. The New York Times even built a recurring blog about her.
Things in Bree's life got a little more serious as the show
continued on. She revealed her family was highly-religious. There was a mysterious ceremony that she had to perform in. And then her parents "went missing", forcing Bree and Daniel to go "on the run".
Eventually, it was revealed that the seemingly true tales were
actually a work of fiction by actress Jessica Lee Rose and filmmakers
Miles Beckett, Mesh Flinders and Greg Goodfried – causing controversy
and making Lonelygirl15 one of the first YouTubers to amass mainstream
press (eat your heart out, Tyler Oakley).
Despite their hoax exposure, Lonelygirl15 continued on for over
two years with enormous popularity, with Rose winning a Webby Award for
Best Actress for her work. Lonelygirl15 was even named 2007's top web
celeb by Forbes.
Jessica Lee Rose as Lonelygirl15
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Bree seems to be up to her old mysterious tricks in the
Lonelygirl15 video – though instead of discussing her life, she's
heightened the sci-fi factor, seen in
teen-novels-turned-blockbuster-franchises like The Hunger Games or Divergent.
The piece begins with a computer screen where we can see someone
(Bree?) typing mysterious code. It then flashes to a title screen for a
video titled "What to do if you're selected?" – calling back to the
"religious ceremony" Bree was involved in early on in her YouTube
career.
Bree then appears – though in a glitchy feed, as if she's been hacked.
"Did you think that because they were quiet this was over?"
Bree says. "Isn't that when you're supposed to worry, when the guys in
suits and symbols disappear all at once?"
"They didn't go anywhere, kids," she adds. "You did. The world doesn't just freeze when you close your eyes."
While it's unclear what will follow with Lonelygirl15, it's clear Bree will be providing some answers.
"Questions deserve answers," she says. "It's the only thing that
satisfies them and I have many. But are you here, or am I talking to
myself? I guess you could say I'm the lonely girl, now."
