YouTuber Ethan Payne credits authenticity for Sidemen's success

A member of the hugely popular Sidemen group has put the YouTubers' success in the past seven years down to being authentic with their audience.

Ethan Payne is one of seven members of the Sidemen, who have gained 20m subscribers with their gaming videos, skits and business endeavours.

Payne, from Brentwood, Essex, said the group was a "boyband who do not sing, merely entertain with friendship".

However, his career may never have taken off if it was not for a gap year.

At the age of 18 he had to convince his mum to let him take the plunge into YouTube because she wanted him to go to university.

Payne, now 28, best known as Behzinga online, said he told his mum: "Just let me have a one year. Let me see where I can take it."

Now the internet personality is known for his streaming and fitness videos, and also has 4.5m followers on Instagram.

He still does not have a university degree - but he said he had never looked back over the past decade.

Alongside Payne, the Sidemen are made up of Olajide "JJ" Olatunji (KSI), Simon Minter (Miniminter), Joshua Bradley (Zerkaa), Tobit Brown (TBJZL), Vikram Barn (Vikkstar123) and Harry Lewis (W2S).

Payne said: "Authenticity is just so massive.

"If you are building an authentic connection with people that are coming back every day to see what story you post or see what livestream you're doing. And if you know that people are actually connecting with you, then they are going be interested in what you want to create as well.

"As long as you've always got that core authenticity, your audience are now going to think, 'Oh, yeah, the Sidemen believe in it. I believe in it.'"

Over the past decade, Payne has also been very open about his mental health and heavy drinking - and has used YouTube to advocate for other young people who are struggling.

He has worked alongside Teenage Cancer Trust and he ran the London Marathon in 2020.

Payne said alongside the success of Sidemen, he wanted to be part of important conversations and help people with the videos he puts out.

"It's that creative mindset as well in thinking, 'Can I help anyone with this piece of content?' That means something."

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