Kingsley Announces 2014 As His Final Year on YouTube

Right before New Year’s Day, Kingsley has announced on Twitter that the upcoming year would be his final on YouTube. Viewers can look forward to new videos from the YouTube superstar up until December of 2014.

2014 will be my 5th and final year on YouTube. I’m going to have a lot of fun with it and I hope you guys (cont) http://t.co/ZN5SsgY1SZ

— Kingsley (@kingsleyyy) December 31, 2013

On why he plans to leave, Kingsley told NMR:

I always gave myself a time frame to be on YouTube because I want to finish university. I feel like five years is a good landmark, you know? I’ve been extremely lucky to have a stable audience and will never take it for granted. I’ve had some good ideas over the years, a couple flops and I have a couple of things left to try, but I never want to upload just for the sake of uploading. I want to stop while they still enjoy me and not run my channel into the ground for no reason.

Plus, YouTube’s changed a lot, and so have I. When I first started uploading, I was fresh out of high school and it was the coolest thing ever. Everyone was so nice and down to earth and there was such a sense of genuine community. It was enjoyable, it was random, it was a hobby. People were making videos to make others happy. It was so laidback and so AUTHENTIC. Now, YouTube’s a business for most people, and there’s just so much stupid shit going on behind the scenes, it’s ridiculous. People get so many subscribers and followers on Twitter, and they think they’re Beyonce. People start off their channels with the intention of “fame” and “popularity” and everything’s so calculated and fake and bandwagon-y. People are begging for likes and retweets and it’s just like … sit down. If viewers wanna click “like,” they’ll click “like.” If they wanna retweet your tweet, they’ll fucking retweet it. You don’t have to bribe them; they’re not dogs.

A lot of YouTubers have elevated themselves and it really just takes the soul out of what YouTube once was. Or maybe all that stuff was happening years ago, and I just didn’t notice until I grew up, who knows? That being said, there are still some kick ass people on YouTube whose heads haven’t flown to space with Sandra Bullock, and I really hope to collaborate with them in my final year. 

Kingsley has amassed over 2.6 million subscribers and 286 million views since starting his YouTube channel five years ago in 2009, making him one of the most popular creators today. He gained his loyal fandom through his trademark comedic vlogs and video skits on pop culture and everyday life. Some of his most viewed videos include his annual “Overexposed” series commenting on the year’s biggest moments, people and content.

On what he would miss the most after his exit, Kingsley said:

I’ll just miss the viewers the most. I feel like the only reason I’m still making videos even at this point is for them. They get so happy — ha ha — and say the nicest things, and it just feels good to know you’re bringing happiness into someone else’s life. It was really cool to interact with and entertain so many people from all over the world.

In addition to Kingsley’s last year of videos on his channel, fans can look forward to his brand of hilarity daily on his www.the-overexposed.com website as well as his co-hosting duties with ClevverTV and ClevverNews.

For more Kingsley:

KINGSLEY TALKS THE-OVEREXPOSED.COM, HIS NEW ENTERTAINMENT WEBSITE [INTERVIEW]

KINGSLEY: MY TOP 3 INSPIRATIONAL LGBT YOUTUBE CREATORS [#PROUDTOLOVE SERIES GUEST POST]

KINGSLEY CELEBRATES 200TH YOUTUBE VIDEO BY SHARING HOW HE MADE IT ‘BIG’ [VIDEO]

KINGSLEY Interview | YOUTUBE PERSONALITY