---
title: 'Why KSI is a Genius on YouTube: The Truth Behind His Rise'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=qoH9Jt4lnKQ'
video_id: 'qoH9Jt4lnKQ'
date: 2026-07-24
duration_sec: 660
channel: 'Paddy Galloway'
---

# Why KSI is a Genius on YouTube: The Truth Behind His Rise

> Source: [Why KSI is a Genius on YouTube: The Truth Behind His Rise](https://youtube.com/watch?v=qoH9Jt4lnKQ)

## Summary

This video analyzes KSI's YouTube success, arguing it's not just luck but a result of strategic decisions. It highlights three key factors: evolving content smartly, leveraging second channels, and being a multi-talented creator. The video provides a blueprint for other YouTubers to grow their channels.

### Key Points

- **KSI's Success is No Accident** [00:14] — KSI's rise from FIFA gaming to boxing and music is often attributed to luck, but the video argues it's due to genius moves every YouTuber can learn from.
- **Evolving the Smart Way** [01:23] — KSI started in a niche (FIFA gaming) to build an audience, then gradually introduced new content types (sketches, music, vlogs) while maintaining his core personality and humor, bringing his audience along.
- **The Power of a Second Channel** [05:32] — KSI's second channel (JJ Olatunji) now outperforms his main channel, allowing him to post frequently without damaging his main channel's reach. This model helps creators experiment and maintain consistency.
- **Multi-Talented Creator** [08:03] — KSI's success stems from his diverse skills: editing, scripting, marketing, and handling pressure. The video argues YouTubers need to be jack-of-all-trades rather than specialists.

### Conclusion

KSI's success is a result of strategic evolution, smart use of second channels, and a multi-talented skill set. His journey offers a blueprint for YouTubers to grow their channels sustainably.

## Transcript

we look every local done something like this so yeah a lot has changed before my um stuff used to be there and like I said black a lot I think even the
biggest Logan Paul fan would admit that ksi has built something incredible on YouTube from making videos raging at FIFA in his bedroom to becoming a turning into an undefeated boxer and a chart-topping music artist along the way
whatever ksi puts his mind to he seems to achieve in this video we are going to on YouTube it can be easy to look at someone who has enjoyed so much success and just say he got lucky but the truth is ksi has made some genius moves that
every youtuber can learn from whether you have ten subscribers or ten million let's find out what he has done that is different to the rest welcome to a ksi different to the rest welcome to a ksi YouTube masterclass so if you're new
big youtubers have used to grow their channels I always try to identify the regular folks just trying to make it I've actually put off making a video on ksi for a long time because when I look at his channels I find it so hard to
unstoppable he just seemed like a talented and funny guy who was in the right place at the right time but then I looked a little deeper and I began to realize that this was no accident ksi has really cracked the code to grow
a huge audience on YouTube what's more interesting is the fact that JJ has while doing so people always say pick a niche when it of content that your audience will know and love and then stick to it I think
this is generally quite good advice but let's take a look at ksi he started out making gaming videos branched into sketches that went into music reaction videos vlogs and even boxing training videos now try put this
content into a niche you can't does this mean that you shouldn't care absolutely not you see what Kara is done to branch into you might think this brings us on to the
first factor behind ksi is YouTube success evolving the smart way so obviously in the early beginnings of any YouTube channel having an itch is pretty much every large youtuber today started with an itch before branching
out as they grew as simple as it might seem it's honestly the area where small youtubers often go wrong many of us try to cover too many areas at the same time and as a result don't experience growth in any of them the YouTube algorithm
Awards creators in a clear niche if your content jumps around the place you'll struggle to build any momentum okay so hold on a minute I've just said ksi doesn't have a niche but now I'm saying that you should you
see with JJ there's a difference well I guess I no longer can fit into a niche this wasn't always the case when he first started out he was a gaming commentary channel plain and simple focusing mainly on FIFA he used this
niche to gain initial attention and grow up a subscriber base but JJ did something very few youtubers ever achieve as he moved into new stars of content he brought his audience with him every time there was very little
fall-off the people who loved his FIFA videos also loved his sketches or his reaction videos and so on if he had just stuck with FIFA videos I don't think he would have ever hit the large numbers he has today but at the same time if he
have never been discovered in the first place the key is in the way he evolved a lot of youtubers who fail to evolve can be placed in two camps some are too fearing that their audience won't like their new content so they are stuck
their growth others change up too dramatically type and hoping their audience will carry over but this is usually the wrong approach to the difference with ksi is he introduced new content types
he introduced new content types gradually over time he started to integrate new content piece by piece until he had fully branched out but it comes down to more than just this a huge part of why his evolution works so well
was because he carried over the jokes the style of content and the personality from his fifa videos into everything he has done since if you compare his videos from 2011 to his content over the last year or two you'll see what I mean
year or two you'll see what I mean [Music] yeah yeah but yes I indeed won the game pitch of the season but somehow seafood
manages to hold on but nature doesn't stop the concentration from this line that's literally nothing teeth who can do he's on the ropes all they can do is shoot ninja and kill him chaos is evolved so much over the
years and became one of the richest youtubers in history but in a way he's never changed at all so really for smaller creators there's a blueprint here find your niche make good contents and build up your audience but when it
starts to feel boring to you or you want to move into new areas gradually transition your content and bring your subscribers with you the best way to do you subscribers in the first place whether it's your sense of humor or your
deeper level if you want to evolve the smart way you really need to think this through it can make or break a channel keeping on the theme of evolving your content over time let's jump into factor number two which is the power of a
second channel now the concept of starting a second channel isn't anything right they can allow you to experiment with different contents make more money and reach new audiences ksi is one of the best examples of how important
second channels can be his has pretty much become his main channel now he's a month on it compared to just 30k per month on his original Channel I've seen this model used by so many large creators they start a second channel
where they actually post more often than on their main channel ksi is posted 27 videos in the last 30 days on his second Channel and one on his main miss the and in the same time period he's posted 14 times on it and only twice on his
main channel why why are youtubers beginning to put more focus on their now obviously ksi has transformed his main channel into a music channel but why do this in the first place the huge amount of it is due to the YouTube
algorithm it's almost like some God at this stage all trends and YouTube's algorithm in some way or a No you to carry out individual performance channel with good momentum and you upload some lower quality videos that
stuff your whole channel takes a hit having a lot of subscribers is actually these days just listen to what tech youtuber mkbhd YouTube would ever say it but finding and subscribing to a new YouTube channel
and then not engaging and interacting with their content actually sends a bad signal to YouTube's algorithms where if you just subscribe to a channel and never watch their stuff then YouTube takes that as a flag that this stuff
isn't interesting and then makes it harder for that stuff to surface so really it comes down to this more videos equals more views equals more money and make lower effort videos without damaging the reach of your main channel
the videos jayjay uploads on the second channel are great but they don't require filming and then having his content separated when he releases a music video or a vlog on his main channel it won't get lost in the daily uploads of trying
not to laugh challenges this is in essence why everyone seems to be to focus on heavy-hitting content on your main channel but stay more consistent on your second so should you start a second channel now obviously it
you've already started in each base channel and you wanted to try something different I'd really recommend it so ksi has made some pretty smart moves while branching out his new content over the years but it was all made possible by
factor number three he is a multi-talented creator one of my pet peeves is when youtubers get thrown into the same category as influencers and minor celebrities I've seen interviews where the likes of ksi clearly not taken
seriously because he's just that air quotes youtuber I think by doing this people are really under estimating how much talent range of skills and work ethic is needed to make it on the platform nowadays the large youtubers
forget that they all started out by themselves with a laptop camcorder and some crazy ideas I heard a quote before saying that the best business leaders in their company ksi is basically the YouTube equivalent
of this he has been on our screen since he was 15 in that time he's had to edit videos record voiceovers right Oh scripts but also market himself and build a business behind the channel and if that wasn't enough he also decided to
high level all while handling the pressure of millions of people looking ksi is an example of one of those rare types of people who thrive with new challenges I'll be honest in my opinion he doesn't get anywhere near enough
credit for what he has built I think the real takeaway here is that to do well on YouTube you need to be multi-talented and in many ways the platform suits jack-of-all-trades instead of specialists even with my own channel I'm
not great at one thing but I'm able to write a story record my voice or animate and put everything together boy fire my most asked question is how do I make my videos so I decided to make an online class with today's video
sponsor Skillshare going through the entire process which you can access for free Skillshare is an online learning community that I always recommend to YouTube I've used it to improve in areas such as voiceovers storytelling and
video editing the beautiful thing about Skillshare is how organized everything is although I love YouTube it can be hard to stick to learning on here with all the distractions this is never a problem on Skillshare if you search my
broke down everything you need to know to make engaging animations for YouTube in the space of about half an hour you'll be able to make your first video Skillshare is actually very affordable as it is but the first 500 people to use
the link below will get free premium access for two months if you want to recommend it I think ksi should actually be in the conversation for one of the greatest youtubers of all time he's shown the
on this platform can be and his work ethic is still there despite all the success he obviously has another side to his story - with the sidemen maybe I'll make a video in the future breaking that down - thank you so much for watching
this long you might as well hit that like button I recently got this in the mail which was such a huge moment for my channel so thank you all so much for the share down below it really helps out my channel especially now in full time on
you in the next one you