L'Anse Creuse Alumna Wins Big in YouTube Contest

Harrison Township native Meghan Tonjes brings truth to the adage “hard work pays off.”

The 25-year-old L’Anse Creuse High School alumna recently became one of 25 winners in YouTube’s NextUp contest, an initiative designed to help video creators boost their careers.

Tonjes, a self-taught singer-songwriter who plays guitar, won $35,000 to create a new project, buy equipment and jumpstart her musical career.  She also won a four-day trip to New York City to attend a YouTube creator camp, where winners were mentored and taught production techniques by industry experts.

Tonjes has gained more than 138,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel, and her videos have been viewed nearly 8 million times since she joined the site in 2006. As a result of her growing online presence, she was invited to appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in Burbank, Calif., where she performed in January.

Getting started on YouTube

Growing up with a love for music, Tonjes bought a guitar at age 19 and started teaching herself to play.

“About six months into playing and writing, Facebook and YouTube and all of these social media sites started popping up,” she said. “So, I created an account with my college email username, Tonjesml, and put up a few videos of me singing original songs. I definitely didn’t realize then that something I was doing so randomly would become such a big part of my life.”

Tonjes was accepted to YouTube’s Partner Program in 2009. Partners are able to earn money from their videos through advertisement revenue sharing.

Each week, she covers a song requested by viewers as a part of “Request Tuesday,” which she started as a way to get her audience involved.

“I play guitar and sing and usually grab whatever is around my desk–silverware, popcorn seasoning, earrings–and use them as instruments too,” she said. “If I’m not making a video with a cover song or an original song, I am vlogging. Basically, I’ll make videos talking about my life or what is happening with my music.”

Tonjes also heads a collaboration channel called Project Lifesize, which focuses on issues of body image, self-esteem and acceptance.

“YouTube has not only been a place for me to make videos and put out music, but also to create friendships,” she added. “A perfect example of how much of an impact the site has had on my career is last year when I went on tour. I drove around the east coast for a month playing shows. While on that tour I only paid for a hotel room one night. Because of my friendships on YouTube, I had a couch or a guest room to stay in every place I went.”

Winning YouTube’s NextUp contest

In March, YouTube announced they were looking for up-and-coming partners who produced impressive content, had an expanding audience and wanted to advance their YouTube careers.

The possibility of getting involved in the life-changing experience in New York inspired Tonjes to submit her video entry.

YouTube invited the public to vote for their favorite from a list of contest finalists. A panel of YouTube representatives then judged a final list of partners and announced the 25 winners in May.

“We actually had video chats with some of the employees running the camp,” Tonjes said about finding out she had won. “They completely surprised us, pretending that the contest results wouldn’t be announced yet, so they completely caught me off guard when they told me. I’m pretty sure I started crying.”

Tonjes said she plans on using the prize money to pay off college debt and upgrade her video equipment and computer.

“I knew that getting rid of that debt could really allow me to travel more and focus on music,” she said.

Tonjes said attending the creator camp in New York allowed her to think more clearly about her career and what she’s able to accomplish with music and using the Internet.

“The Internet is changing, the music industry is changing,” she said. “We’re living in a time where a girl making music in her bedroom really can be in charge of her own career. The camp just made me think about how to really make the most of this crazy, amazing experience."

Connecting to community, upcoming projects

Tonjes is a longtime Harrison Township resident, who spent a few years in Detroit, where she earned a bachelor’s in digital media studies from the University of Detroit Mercy.

She said living in metro Detroit has influenced her music career in positive ways.

“Being from a small boating town has definitely given me a lot of time and space to write the songs I do,” she said. “The shows I played and musicians I met in metro Detroit really helped me grow as a performer. I’m definitely proud to have come from where I come from, especially after having traveled a lot this past year.”

In May, Tonjes hit the road with YouTube’s DigiTour, a six-week national tour featuring prominent YouTube musicians. She performed in Grand Rapids and Nashville, Tenn.

Tonjes in the process of finishing a new album, titled “This Year.” The album was recorded at SDP Studios in Port Huron. It will be available at the end of this summer on iTunes and dftbarecords.com.

Her debut full-length album “Be In Want” was released in February 2009. The self-released album features 11 original songs written by Tonjes. Later in 2009, she released a digital EP called Be Mine, which features six original songs.

“Right now, the possibility of playing shows with the musicians I’ve spent years listening to is really something I’m pursuing,” she said about her future plans. “Really, the ultimate goal? I want to wake up and write music instead of going to an office.”

Check out Tonjes’ YouTube channel at youtube.com/tonjesml, or visit her website: meghantonjes.com.