YouTube Millionaires: Lilman Is Building His Brand On “Constant, Entertaining Complaining”

By 05/20/2021
YouTube Millionaires: Lilman Is Building His Brand On “Constant, Entertaining Complaining”

Welcome to YouTube Millionaires, where we profile channels that have recently crossed the one million subscriber mark. There are channels crossing this threshold every week, and each creator has a story to tell about YouTube success. Read previous installments here.

This week’s installment of YouTube Millionaires is brought to you by Bright – a learning platform focused on real conversations that level up your life. 


And now for something a little different.

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Here at YouTube Millionaires, we’ve occasionally had guest features for folks well above one million subscribers on YouTube and folks who have found success on other platforms. This week, we’re spotlighting Lilman, who recently passed one million followers on TikTok and is now focused on growing both his audience there and his audience on YouTube.

When Lilman–who’s 17 and based in Birmingham, England–joined TikTok in November 2019, the app was an escape from real life and the rest of the internet. He’d been trying to get a dance-focused YouTube channel and Instagram account off the ground, and trying to balance time-consuming, cross-platform, long-form content creation with high school classes was proving particularly stressful.

TikTok was a window out of that stress. It was also, he discovered, fertile ground for virality: By December 2019, he’d found a viral hit in his humorous Birmingham Mandem Reacts series, where he responds to other TikTokers’ content with “bursts of Birmingham energy.”

@lilman_tokHow Birmingham Mandem Would React prt ??😂😂 #react to @charlidamelio #lilmangang #battyfish♬ am i famous yet – emily

The first Birmingham Mandem Reacts video netted Lilman more than half a million views. The second brought 2 million. Two months after he joined TikTok, his account hit 100,000 followers.

Nowadays, he’s at more than one million–and though TikTok is still his main platform, he hopes to take his success and return to YouTube, with the goal of reaching 100,000 subscribers this year.

Check out our chat with him below.

Tubefilter: How does it feel to hit one million followers? What do you have to say to your fans?

Lilman: It feels crazy to hit one million followers on TikTok. It always gives me hope for my future because at my age, achieving what I have already sets me off to a good start. My supporters are the waviest gang out there!

Tubefilter: Tell us a little about you! Where are you from? What did you get up to before discovering TikTok

Lilman: I’m a 17-year-old from Birmingham and always had a passion for content creating. Before I discovered TikTok, I was already creating content on Instagram and YouTube. My niche before TikTok was heavily dance-based, but I always wanted to show the scene my personality, and TikTok gave me the opportunity to do that. I studied media at school, but I have a stronger passion for my own brand.

Tubefilter: How and when did you first find out about TikTok? What made you decide to join and start making your own content?

Lilman: I first discovered TikTok through a friend in October 2019 and then started my own account on Nov. 5. The reason I joined TikTok is because both school and social media at the time were getting quite stressful. TikTok was the only thing that kept me happy and the only thing I had fun with through all of that.

Tubefilter: How would you describe your content niche? What can viewers always expect when they tune into a Lilman video?

Lilman: Short bursts of Birmingham energy and constant, entertaining complaining! (crying laughter face)

Tubefilter: When did you start collecting TikTok followers? Was there one specific video that went viral or hit the #foryou page and brought people in, or has your audience been growing steadily over time?

Lilman: I got my my first ever burst on the FYP with a “D Block Europe” sound on TikTok within my first month on the platform.

I went from like 400 followers to 3,000 in a day, and the video garnered more than 100,000 views. But what REALLY put me on the scene was when I started the Birmingham Mandem Reacts series. Birmingham Mandem Reacts helped me see fast growth, with episode one getting 500,000 views and episode two getting over 2 million views. Partly to do with my accent and humour, I garnered 77,000 followers by time it was December 2019, and then hit 100,000 followers in January 2020.

Tubefilter: How does your production process work for TikTok videos? How long does it take to conceptualize/film/edit videos? How often do you post new content?

LilmanIt takes me about five to ten minutes to make a TikTok. It doesn’t take me too long, as my TikToks aren’t planned. I try and post at least once a day.

Tubefilter: You also have a YouTube channel and Instagram account. Do these tie into your TikTok content? How do you balance making content for all three platforms?

Lilman: Each of my channels are quite different, but still very much still within my brand in that it’s funny, entertaining content, whether it’s a 15-second Tiktok or a 10-minute YouTube video. In 2020, I was posting two videos a day on TikTok. This year I’ve been focusing most of my time on YouTube, but I’m still posting regularly on Tiktok.

Tubefilter: Generally, what do you think draws creators and viewers to TikTok? What makes it a unique and engaging platform? Why is it more appealing to you than other platforms?

Lilman: TikTok appeals to creators and viewers because the content is so short, which suits people’s attention spans nowadays–so shortform content is ideal for everybody, in my opinion. TikTok is where you go for that quick content, making it stand out from other platforms.

Tubefilter: Have you worked on any collaborations with other creators or any sponsored content with brands? Do you have any brands or products of your own?

Lilman: I’ve worked with a few brands and a few creators. However, there’s nobody like me on the platform–therefore I do a lot of solo content. I’m also really excited to be working on some of my own products, which I’ll reveal more about later this year!

@lilman_tokWHO REMEMBERS FRUIT JELLYS😂 ##lilmangang ##battyfish ##fruitjelly♬ original sound – BRUMIEST TIKTOKAH‼️

Tubefilter: What else do you get up to outside of TikTok? Walk us through an average day!

Lilman: An average day for me is 24/7 focusing on my brand. There’s not a day that goes by when I’m not focused on my future. I just spend time with family and work on my brand.

Tubefilter: Are there any TikTok creators who inspire you with their content?

Lilman: Because there’s never really been anybody like me on the app, I haven’t really been inspired by other creators. However, popular YouTuber/rapper “DDG” is my only idol. His work ethic and mindset is kinda what pushes me to do well.

Tubefilter: What’s next for you? Any plans looking to the future?

Lilman: I want to grow my YouTube channel as close to 100,000 subscribers as possible and be a full-time entertainer, whether that’s on social media or mainstream platforms. I’ll also be appearing at some live social media-related events later this year (depending on if current U.K. lockdown restriction easing goes to plan) among some other really exciting things.


This week’s installment of YouTube Millionaires is brought to you by Bright – a learning platform focused on real conversations that level up your life. 

On Bright, participants receive unprecedented access to learn from their favorite creators, icons and experts within an intimate, live video chat setting. More than 1500 talent are on the waitlist to lead Bright Sessions for audiences looking to improve their lives. Fans come face-to-face with their favorite talent, ask questions and are able to make requests from the VIP area while joining talent on the Bright Stage for direct exchanges and personal learning among other Bright interactive features. 

For more info and to experience conversations that level up your life, head over to Brightlive.com.

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