MANILA, PHILIPPINES, September 4, 2019 -- YouTube unveiled the winners of NextUp Manila 2019, a contest that gives Filipino creators a chance to realize their full potential and help them elevate their YouTube career. This year’s batch features a diverse set of emerging talents including a law student, farmer, seafarer, home-based professional, celebrity and music artists who are ready to make more meaningful and relevant content online.
The winners of NextUp Manila 2019 are: indie powerhouse Reese Lansangan, law student Lex in Motion, poultry farmer from Bicol Dwight Tamayo, cycling enthusiast Mark More, Cebuana corporate employee turned content creator Rea Ninja, talented entertainer Charlotte F. and free-spirited men’s beauty guru Kuys Kiko.
Also in the roster of winning creators are long-time celebrity Nadia Montenegro, student and lifestyle vlogger Raya Maurelle, fitness enthusiast Aileene, maritime chief engineer Chief MAKOi and rising singer-songwriter Caleb Santos.
"NextUp continues to grow not just in the number of applicants but also in the level of diversity. Every year, we see more and more creators joining the contest from outside Manila representing various languages, topics and passion points. This proves that anyone can make it on YouTube," said Marc Lefkowitz, Head of Creator & Artist Development, YouTube APAC. "We hope that this trend will continue to further signify that YouTube is truly a home for every creator."
As part of their NextUp journey, the winners will participate in a week-long Creator Camp where they will get a crash course on production techniques and receive in-depth training to further build their channels. NextUp alumni, YouTube stars and industry experts will also mentor them as they create their dream video projects.
The winners will take home a voucher worth P100,000 to level up their production gear. They will get guidance and strategic account management support from the Creator and Artist Development team of YouTube.
"YouTube’s growth in the Philippines has been exciting and we are committed to sustaining this momentum through initiatives like NextUp," said Vishal Sarin, Director of Content Partnerships, YouTube SEA. "With NextUp, we strive to help current and aspiring Filipino creators to hone their talents and skills, and enable them to create meaningful content on YouTube. For the past three years, NextUp has discovered local talents and we hope to continue this contest to support more emerging creators in the country."
NextUp was first launched in the Philippines in 2017. To date, it has launched some of the country’s successful creators like Renee Dominique, Benedict Cua, Team Lyqa, Hype Streetball, Lesha, Elle Uy, Nate Punzalan and more!
Subscribe to the NextUp winners’ YouTube channels to follow their journey and see what they have created during the camp. Join the conversations online with the hashtags #YTNextUp and #YouTubeSpaceMNL.
MEET THE YOUTUBE NEXTUP MANILA CLASS OF 2019. This year’s batch of winners features a diverse set of creators who are ready to take their channels to the next level. They are (clockwise) Kuys Kiko, Mark More, Dwight Tamayo, Lex in Motion, Chief MAKOi, Caleb Santos, Charlotte F., Nadia Montenegro, Raya Maurelle, Rea Ninja, Reese Lansangan, and Aileene.
NextUp 2017 alumna Renee Dominique shines bright on stage as she performs her recent collaboration with Jason Mraz, Could I Love You Any More.
THE PHILIPPINES IS A YOUTUBE NATION. YouTube has been continuously growing in the Philippines, with more than 20x growth in the number of channels with both 100,000 and 1,000,000 subscribers since 2016, shared Marc Lefkowitz, Head YouTube Creator & Artist Development for APAC.
Vishal Sarin, Director of Content Partnerships for YouTube SEA, shares YouTube’s commitment to unleashing the creative potential of Filipino creators as it brings back the annual Pop-Up Space in Manila for the fourth time.
YouTube executives gather in front of the stage for the grand reveal of the NextUp Manila 2019 winners. Photo shows (from L-R) Manager for Content Partnerships and Entertainment Pablo Mendoza, Strategic Partner Manager for Creator & Artist Development Enrique CuUnjieng, Creator & Artist Development Manager for YouTube APAC Chris Klapwijk, Director of Content Partnerships for YouTube SEA Vishal Sarin, Head of YouTube Creator & Artist Development for APAC Marc Lefkowitz, APAC YouTube Spaces Coordinator Soraya Umewaka, and APAC and Tokyo Spaces Operations Lead Jigisha Mistry Iyengar.
YouTube NextUp has been supporting the growth of diverse and talented Filipino creators since 2017. Photo shows NextUp Manila 2019 winners with some notable alumni Helen Payawal, Team Lyqa, Reneé Dominique, Beverly Cumla, Joel Minas, Patrick San Juan of KITHARA, Lesha, and Benedict Cua, as well YouTube executives.
