An entire generation surrounded by platforms like YouTube, Twitter and Tumblr have taken Internet sources and used them to innovate and express themselves publicly. Some lucky, but persistent, Internet users have leveraged their presence online and turned it into a career.

Some consider Internet fame heavily reliant on luck, but users like Troye Sivan have worked steadfast to transcend the empty expectations of most Internet celebrities by using success to create disturbances in the continuous heteronormative music industry.

Troye Sivan is openly gay, flooding the industry and charts with his frank musical content giving this and future generations music that truly defines individuality and honesty. He has translated his success on Youtube to his career in music in order to influence the youth around the globe.

Sivan’s sexual orientation should be considered irrelevant — except Sivan is adamant with the media and fans that his music is about boys.

With his latest album, Blue Neighbourhood, Sivan released a trilogy of music videos that told the story of a young boy’s adoration for his childhood friend through their adolescence into adulthood. In these videos, Sivan strives to portray an unfamiliar perspective of gay relationships because the media too often over-sexualizes any LGBTQ relationship. Sivan reaches for a more realistic definition through his videos’ characters: playful, innocent and complicated with time.

“Swallow nostalgia

Chase it with lime

Better than dwelling

And chasing time”

— Troye Sivan

“Suburbia,” Blue Neighbourhood

In addition, it is important to consider that many pop stars, like Frank Ocean and Sam Smith, all waited until they experienced a certain amount of success before they talked openly about their sexuality. Sivan came out a full year before his major-label debut.

Impressively, Sivan has created his own opportunities.

Before his full-length album Blue Neighbourhood, he released an EP, TRXYE. He did not do a press tour or interviews. Instead, he relied on the power of his fans to push him to the top of the charts with their support online. Sivan’s single “Happy Little Pill” and TRYXE debuted at the top of the iTunes chart in many countries around the world.

With his fearless honesty, Sivan has aggregated a loyal following that has happily placed him among other young, successful, out artists. Internet platforms were the basis for his fame, success and personality. While in search of a conduit to express himself freely, Sivan, like many others, found a place to openly discuss music, experiences and sexuality. His authenticity has been an untainted means of success for his music and online presence, luring people in with his unregretful honesty and a promise to simply give back to those who listen to his story.