Maddy Santamaria

FROM CU DENVER TO YOUTUBE VLOGGER

YouTube, one of the most popular websites on the internet, is home to music videos, tutorials, and art. Business major Maddy Santamaria has used YouTube for just that.

Santamaria joined YouTube in 2010, but started posting videos three years later. Her first video ever posted was a music cover of “The Lazy Song” by Bruno Mars. She now has 172 subscribers, and posts videos monthly.

“I never intended to start a YouTube channel.”

Maddy Santamaria

Business Major | Business School

“I never intended to start a YouTube channel,” Santamaria said. “It started out as music covers, and then it went into makeup tutorials and travel videos.”

Santamaria first started watching YouTubers like Claire Marshall and Michelle Phan, who do makeup and hair tutorials and vlogs—video blogging their daily lives regularly. Santamaria slowly followed into their footsteps.

“I wanted to learn hair tutorials and makeup tutorials,” she said. “It looked pretty easy, and I tried doing the stuff and eventually started learning from that. It’s a learning process for me.”

Santamaria enjoys being a YouTuber, despite all the stereotypes that come with it. Many YouTubers are paid by sponsors, but for those who aren’t, the quality of a YouTube video can determine the amount of views a user can get.

“YouTubers are known for more higher quality videos,” she said. “They have to spend so much money on the nicest cameras, lighting, and products. That could be a negative stereotype because you’d have to have money in order to be a successful YouTuber, which isn’t true. You can make the most of what you have.”

Santamaria learned how to film and edit videos using iMovie. She was surprised by the amount of factors she’s had to think about when filming. Wardrobe, makeup, and music are just some components to think about— something she didn’t realize.

“It’s a really, really long process,” She said. “You have to be dedicated for it. Figuring out an idea to create a video is probably the hardest because you don’t want to be the same as everybody.”

For Santamaria, YouTube is a great way to communicate with others. She finds the opportunity to teach others and be creative, ultimately creating a platform unlike any other.

“[YouTube] allows for communication all around the world,” she said. “There’s no limitation to what you can put on there. It allows you to find your calling.”

As a full-time student, it’s hard for her to balance both school and vlogging. However, Santamaria would love to pursue video-making as a career one day, and maybe even have a cosmetics line.

“If I could just get paid to basically do whatever I do in my daily life, that’s like the best job ever,” Santamaria said

—Dilkush Khan

photo courtesy Maddy Santamaria