Ryan Higa reflects on mental health and his creative comeback

In a recent interview on Michelle Phan’s podcast “Afterglow,” former top YouTuber Ryan Higa discussed his journey from childhood depression and bullying to finding solace in content creation. Higa began making videos in middle school, inspired by a family reunion, and gained fame through his comedic lip syncs and skits. However, he transitioned to streaming during the pandemic, enjoying the less pressured environment it provided compared to traditional YouTube content.

Career evolution: The 34-year-old, who dominated the platform in the late 2000s and early 2010s, reflected on the challenges of maintaining a YouTube career, including maintaining an online persona, creative burnout and the pressure to produce consistent content. “Every now and then I’ll just write to write, but I didn’t feel that want to write in like my last six years of YouTube. It felt forced, like I had to do it,” Higa shared. When asked about streaming now, he described it as an enjoyable “vacation” that he would do for fun even if it weren’t his job. He feels a renewed desire to create again, indicating excitement about working on new projects, though he’s cautious about sharing details in case they don’t develop.
Embracing creativity: Throughout the conversation, Higa reflected on his struggles with mental health, noting that addressing underlying issues has been crucial for his well-being. Moving forward, he expressed a desire to inspire others to embrace creativity and not fear failure. “I like people that try different things and try new things. It doesn’t necessarily mean never been done, but for example, if people are doing the same kind of trend, how can you take that idea and completely make a new idea? To me, that’s just more interesting than just doing the trend,” he said. Higa noted the importance of evolving in creative work, aiming to leave a legacy of innovation and risk-taking.

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