A Passion to Increase the Media Visibility of Under-Represented Groups

Sam Tsui in Revry’s HOUSE OF PRIDE

In this profile series, Revry is highlighting authentic contributors to the LGBTQ media and entertainment community. We ask questions to find out who they are and where they are going in the future. The questions remain the same but the answers tell their unique story. It’s time to explore and celebrate true representation beyond the limits of Hollywood. 

Independent artist, singer, songwriter and content creator Sam Tsui was among the first musicians to establish a popular music channel on YouTube. With a combined social following of over five million fans, Sam completed a 10-city tour of Southeast Asia and China in 2019, and spent 2020 producing and releasing a full studio album month by month called YEARBOOK. His videos have amassed hundreds of millions of views on YouTube alone. Passionate about increasing the visibility of under-represented groups in media, Sam is proud to be an artist who can represent both the Asian-American and LGBTQ communities. 

Sam Tsui performs in Revry’s HOUSE OF PRIDE brought to you by McDonald’s, a virtual Pride celebration of the LGBTQ community featuring Sam, Shea Diamond, Laganja Estranja and House of Balmain and hosted by Manila Luzon, Ryan Mitchell and Shar Jossell. 

What are you best known for?     

I’m best known for my popular videos on Youtube - including reimagined covers of pops songs (like my viral JUST A DREAM), creative mash-ups (like THINKING OUT LOUD/NOT THE ONLY ONE) and original songs which I write and produce (including THIS PROMISE with my husband Casey Breves and my albums MAKE IT UP, TRUST and YEARBOOK). My online following call themselves “The Samily”, and their dedication and support has allowed me to tour extensively internationally and work with some of the biggest brands in the world.

What is the first video you created? 

I got my start creating viral music videos on Youtube with my friend KURT SCHNEIDER while we were both undergraduates at Yale University. Early popular videos included an a cappella MICHAEL JACKSON MEDLEY and a cover of JOURNEY’s DON’T STOP BELIEVING. Since then, I’ve produced, arranged, directed, edited and starred in hundreds of videos which can be found on YouTube and across the internet and TV. 

What are you working on that no one knows about yet?

A direct-to-viewer platform like Youtube allows me to constantly be creating and delivering new music and content to my fans. In addition to new original music, I’m currently working on a collection of duet covers with my husband Casey Breves.