Who is Nikkie de Jager? Everything you need to know from YouTube to Eurovision

22 May 2021, 18:44

Rachel McAdams and Will Ferrell perform Volcano Man in EUROVISION SONG CONTEST teaser trailer

By Katie Louise Smith

NikkieTutorials is already an icon in the YouTube beauty community, and now she's hosting Eurovision! Get to know the star's journey here.

The Eurovision Song Contest is finally back, baby. One year after the 2020 event was cancelled due to the pandemic, 2021's show has returned in style – and has a co-host that some YouTube lovers will know very well.

This year, 27-year-old YouTuber Nikkie de Jager – or NikkieTutorials, as she's known on the platform – will be co-hosting the event.

Fans of NikkieTutorials will know that she's long been a fan of Eurovision and made it a goal of hers to end up on the show someday. Flashforward to 2021, and she's made it – co-hosting the event and interviewing this year's acts on the official Eurovision YouTube channel. Nikkie will also be making history as Eurovision's first transgender host.

So, if you're watching the Eurovision finals and want to know more about the iconic NikkieTutorials, here's your guide. Here's how Nikkie went from a talented 14-year-old with a YouTube channel to one of the biggest stages in the world.

READ MORE: Nikkie de Jager's Eurovision dress has a touching hidden meaning

How did Nikkie de Jager become famous?

Nikkie started her YouTube channel at the age of 14.

Nikkie first started uploading videos on YouTube in 2008 after being inspired by MTV's The Hills and Lauren Conrad. She first started gaining popularity back in 2015 with her 'The Power of MAKEUP!' video, which is still her most viewed video on the platform with over 42 million views.

As of May 2021, she's amassed almost 14 million subscribers and almost 1.5 billion views. She's also made videos with Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian, Selena Gomez, Drew Barrymore, a number of RuPaul's Drag Race queens and many many more.

Nikkie was named one of the top ten beauty influencers in 2017 by Forbes.

Thanks to her incredible talents as a makeup artist, Nikkie was shortlisted on Forbes' Top Beauty Influencers of 2017 list. In the same year, she picked up two awards: 'YouTube Guru' at the Shorty Awards and 'Choice Fashion/Beauty Web Star' at the Teen Choice Awards.

In January 2019, Nikkie was appointed Marc Jacobs Beauty's very first Global Artistry Advisor.

Nikkie's position with the Marc Jacobs Beauty family is one of her biggest roles to date. In a statement, Marc Jacobs Beauty said: "In this newly created role, Nikkie will be integrated into the brand’s product development process, as well as share her incredible talent and expertise to expand unique content and artistry around the world on both Marc Jacobs Beauty and her own channels." Love to see it!

Nikkie and her boyfriend Dylan Drossaers got engaged in August 2019.

While on a romantic trip to Italy, Dylan proposed to Nikkie with a goooorgeous ring with heart-shaped diamonds. Nikkie shared the happy news on Instagram with a bunch of snaps and a caption reading: “YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES"

The couple unfortunately had to postpone their wedding due to the pandemic, but when it does happen, you already know her bridal makeup is going to be the best damn bridal makeup you've ever seen in your life!

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A post shared by NikkieTutorials (@nikkietutorials)

In January 2020, Nikkie came out at transgender in a YouTube video.

In a powerful video, Nikkie told fans that she is transgender and that she was opening up about it now, on her own terms, because of an attempt to blackmail her.

"Today I am here to share something with you that I've always wanted to share with you one day but under my own circumstances and it looks like that chance has been taken away from me so today I am taking back my own power," Nikkie said.

She then continued: "I can't believe I'm saying this today to all of you for the entire world to see but damn it feels good to finally do it. When I was younger I was born in the wrong body, which means that I am transgender."

READ MORE: YouTuber NikkieTutorials comes out as trans

In August 2020, Nikkie and her fiancé Dylan were robbed at gunpoint in their own home.

Shortly after the robbery was reported on Dutch news outlets, Nikkie released a statement on social media. "Earlier today one of my biggest nightmares became reality when we got robbed under gunpoint at our own home," she wrote. "Dylan and myself got attacked but physically we are okay. Mentally it’s a whole other story."

In December 2020, Nikkie took to social media to let her fans know that the criminals had been arrested.

READ MORE: NikkieTutorials and fiancé Dylan Drossaers robbed at gunpoint in their own home

I'm Coming Out.

In August 2020, Nikkie launched her own eyeshadow palette in collaboration with Beauty Bay.

After years and years of being one of the most respected and talented makeup artists within the beauty community on YouTube, Nikkie released her very own eyeshadow palette with Beauty Bay. The Nikkie Tutorials x Beauty Bay Pressed Pigment Palette features 20 super pigmented and blendable shades.

Nikkie has also appeared on a number of television shows, including The Ellen Show.

Before hosting the Eurovision Song Contest, Nikkie has appeared on several TV shows, including Drag Race Holland (as a guest judge), Dutch reality show Wie is de Mol? and BBC's Glow Up.

Nikkie also appeared on The Ellen Show shortly after coming out, and later spoke about her somewhat negative experience with DeGeneres herself. In an interview on De Wereld Draait Door, Nikkie hinted that the host was 'cold and distant', and that she didn't even shake her hand or say hello before the interview.

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A post shared by NikkieTutorials (@nikkietutorials)

Nikkie is a United Nations Unicef ambassador.

In June 2020, Nikkie also hit another huge milestone in her career when she became a Unicef ambassador. In a Twitter statement, she wrote: "If you told me last year I’d be coming out, living life so freely and openly AND becoming a UN AMBASSADOR I would’ve laughed and walked away !!!!! ???? so honored to carry this title !!!"

Nikkie will promote the UN’s goals in the Netherlands, mainly focusing on gender equality and reducing inequalities.

Nikkie will be Eurovision’s first transgender host.

After co-hosting the semi-finals, Nikkie will take to the Eurovision Song Contest stage as the competitions very first trans host. It's also her first major television hosting gig.

Speaking of the honour, Nikkie told SBS Dutch: “I think it’s an amazing honour that I’ve been able to get this platform and inspire around the world. And I think there are a lot of people out there taking information from me by seeing it’s OK to live your truth, to be yourself and still be able to do awesome things in life as hosting Eurovision is.”

Nikkie is also a huge Eurovision fan, and she even used Eurovision music in her first ever YouTube video all those years ago. And now here she is!