Lilly Singh — YouTube sensation and unofficial queen of Canada — is about to conquer late-night television.
The comedian, who hails from Scarborough, Ont., is taking over from Carson Daly on NBC. Starting in September, “A Little Late With Lilly Singh” will be in the 1:35 a.m. nightly time slot.
Continuing her career-defining trend of breaking barriers, Singh’s hosting position will make her the only woman currently helming a late-night show on any of the four big U.S. networks, according to Variety.
“A huge shoutout to all the women who have been before me and are currently in the space because I couldn’t have done it without them paving the path,” Singh says in her announcement video on Jimmy Fallon’s show.
“An Indian-Canadian woman with her own late night show? Now that is a dream come true,” Singh said in a news release sent to several outlets. “I’m thrilled to bring it to life on NBC, and I hope my parents consider this to be as exciting as a grandchild.”
The multi-hyphenate star first rose to fame as a comedian and vlogger on YouTube, where she posted videos as a way to fight through her depression. She posted her debut video on the platform eight years ago, and has since garnered 14 million subscribers, along with nearly six million more on Twitter and over eight million fans on Instagram, making her one of the most successful YouTube personalities of all time.
She’s also acted in several projects including “Bad Moms” and HBO’s “Fahrenheit 451” — and she’s even done a stage show tour called “A Trip to Unicorn Island.”
In 2017, the York University graduate released the book “How to be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life”. She’s collaborated with makeup giant Smashbox on a red lipstick called “Bawse”, and teamed up with Me to We to sell #GirlLove bracelets and necklaces to support the education of girls around the world.
Singh is perhaps best known, though, for making lighthearted fun of her Punjabi immigrant parents, played by Singh herself. Beyond her relatable spoofs, she’s been candid about why she calls herself a feminist, ending in-fighting between girls, her relationship with her parents, and the importance of confidence and self-love.
The 30-year-old took a break from YouTube late last year to focus on her mental health. In 2017, Forbes listed her as one of the top 10 highest earning Youtubers, earning a reported $10.5 million. Singh is the first Canadian woman, and first South Asian Canadian to crack that title.
In February, Singh came out as bisexual, an announcement many hailed as a potentially massive step forward for immigrant communities’ acceptance of same-sex relationships, thanks to her widespread popularity.
That broad appeal is likely exactly what network TV is hoping to encapsulate with this show.
“Lilly is truly a star and we’re thrilled to welcome her to our NBC family,” NBC’s Doug Vaughan shared in the news release. “She is a multi-talented performer who will surely have a great rapport with not only all her guests but also with our devoted late-night audience. We can’t wait to get started.”
The show will reportedly feature interviews and comedy sketches, like many other late-night television staples, but will also include “signature elements,” Variety said. She also told Fallon that the show will be similar to her YouTube channel but bigger and better.
Singh will also be a producer on the show, along with Polly Auritt, who is the head of Singh’s production company, Variety reported.