YouTube star PewDiePie earned S$16.6 million last year

LOS ANGELES — Gaming’s crown prince PewDiePie is king of YouTube celebrities.

The video-game-playing bro, who’s birth name is Felix Kjellberg, is the world’s highest-paid YouTube star, having earned US$12 million (S$16.6 million) over the past year and thereby topping Forbes magazine’s first-ever ranking of the top-paid stars on the Google video platform.

The 25-year-old Swedish gamer has nearly 40 million YouTube subscribers and earns the bulk of his income from advertisements on his channel.

PewDiePie also topped Variety’s list of Famechangers, the digital world’s 12 most influential stars.

The duos of Smosh — Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla — and the Fine Brothers — Benny and Rafi Fine — were runner-ups with $8.5 million. Smosh recently starred in the aptly titled film Smosh: The Movie.

Chanteuse Lindsey Stirling came in fourth with US$6 million. The violinist also made our Famechangers list.

Comedians Rhett and Link — aka Rhett McLaughlin and Charles Lincoln Neal III — and video game commentator Olajide Olatunji — known as “KSI” — tied for fifth with US$4.5 million.

Self-taught make-up artist Michelle Phan was seventh at $3 million.

Comedian Lilly Singh — called “Superwoman” — prankster Roman Atwood and chef Rosanna Pansino came in eighth with US$2.5 million each.

Here’s the full list:

1. PewDiePie: US$12 million

2. (Tie) Smosh and Fine Brothers: US$8.5 million

4. Lindsey Stirling: US$6 million

5. (Tie) Rhett & Link and KSI: US$4.5 million

7. Michelle Phan: US$3 million

8. (Tie) Lilly Singh, Roman Atwood and Rosanna Pansino: US$2.5 million

REUTERS/VARIETY.COM