LILLY SINGH
From YouTube Sensation to the First Female Host of a Late Night Show, Breaking Gender Barriers One Project at a Time
“Not every story needs to be about everyone, but there should be stories for everyone.”
Lilly Singh is a multi-talented entertainer, TV host, writer and advocate. She is a formidable champion of dialogue, passionately advocating for inclusivity and diversity through her words, actions and platform.
Born on September 26, 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, Lilly grew up as the second daughter in a Punjabi Indian household with immigrant parents. From an early age, she sensed her grandparents' disappointment towards her gender. Becoming acutely aware of society's preference for males, this firsthand experience of inequality became her driving force to prove society wrong through her career.
Finding Her Creative Outlet on YouTube
In the early 2010s, Singh uploaded her first YouTube video during a period of depression, seeking a creative outlet. Lilly experienced a surge of unexpected success by sharing comedic sketches and vlogs on her YouTube channel, “llSuperwomanll”. Infused with cultural references to her Indian heritage and witty portrayals of her immigrant parents, her sketches resonated deeply with the South Asian community, swiftly gaining popularity. With her charisma and infectious energy, Singh grew her audience to 14.5 million subscribers, making her a household YouTube star.
“No one on YouTube really looked like me. There, to my knowledge, was not another South Asian woman talking about relationships or issues they were having with their family or, like, their period or, like, all these things that were considered taboo.”
Pushing Boundaries: A Courageous Journey into Late-Night TV
In 2019, Lilly embarked on a groundbreaking journey by hosting her late-night show, "A Little Late with Lilly Singh," marking a historic moment as the first openly bisexual female of South Asian descent to enter the predominantly white male arena of late-night television. However, her push for inclusivity encountered considerable challenges, including budget constraints, a challenging time slot, the pressure to conform to traditional late-night standards and the impact of COVID-19.
“The thing that pushed me over the edge to do it [becoming the host of a late night show] was the opportunity to do something historic and try to just chip away at that path I was trying to pave and I found that to be important because if I said no they might ask someone else who doesn’t look like me and then that would have been a lost opportunity.”
Despite facing numerous challenges throughout her two-season run as a late-night host, Singh tirelessly worked to amplify underrepresented voices, contributing to the progress made in diversifying late-night entertainment. Drawing from her experience during her time as a late-night host, she bravely tackled a new challenge by delivering her insights in a TedTalk, where she discussed the misconception that mere representation or inclusion is sufficient in achieving gender equality by laying out the ways to build a more inclusive space.
“Now, I've been fortunate enough to sit at a few seats, at a few different tables. And what I've learned is, when you get the seat, trying to fix the seat won't fix the problem. Why? Because the table was never built for us in the first place. The solution? Build better tables.”
Amplifying Minority Voices
Since then Lilly has moved on to various exciting projects including creating her very own production company called, Unicorn Island Productions, where she produces stories that champion underrepresented voices of women, the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) and the queer community. She also set up the Unicorn Island Fund, her social impact initiative, where she dedicates her time towards advancing gender equality through fundraising and supporting impactful initiatives aimed at fostering inclusivity and empowerment.
Singh continues to pave the way for underrepresented voices, leaving an indelible mark on the future of entertainment and social progress and we can’t wait to see what she has in store.
Sources:
Anthony Padilla - I spent a day with LILLY SINGH
CBC News: The National - Lilly Singh Talks About A Trip to Unicorn Island
Colin and Samir - The Full Story of Lilly Singh
TED - “A Seat at the Table" Isn't the Solution for Gender Equity
