Who is Ms Rachel, the mega star of children (and parents) on YouTube in the United States?

What, you don't know Ms. Rachel? Don't worry, in France, she's a complete unknown. In the United States, on the other hand, Ms Rachel is a huge star, followed by nearly 8 million subscribers on social networks, and most of whose videos on YouTube exceed 100 million views. Mega heavy.

His specialty? Educational musical content for babies and toddlers. Videos praised as much by speech therapists as by parents, without forgetting the children, who worship it, so much so that the New York Times calls her “the Taylor Swift of toddlers”.

A very identifiable look and speech

Denim overalls, t-shirts and candy pink headbands in her hair, Ms Rachel is recognizable at first glance. There is also his voice, particularly identifiable, with a childish tone and very strong diction. A speech that hits the mark with the youngest, for whom she concocts videos of between 60 and 90 minutes to help them develop their language.

She mixes songs, easy-to-remember nursery rhymes, animations and small choreographies. She also interacts directly with the children behind their screen, asking them questions – “what is hidden in this box?” “, “where is your elbow? »-, and leaving a few seconds of silence to let them respond. A phenomenal success.

As evidenced by the video entitled “Baby Learning With Ms Rachel – First Words, Songs and Nursery Rhymes for Babies”, its biggest hit, which has more than 'one billion views on YouTube.

A former kindergarten teacher

It must be said that Ms Rachel, real name Rachel Accurso, has extensive experience working with children. A former preschool Music teacher, this 41-year-old YouTuber also holds a master's degree in music education and early childhood development from New York University. She set up her YouTube channel in 2019, with the help of her husband, “Mr Aron”, a pianist and former music director at Broadway, to help their two-year-old son overcome his language delay.

“She searched unsuccessfully for slow-paced videos focused on language development to supplement their son's speech therapy services. She therefore decided to fill the void with her own videos,” it is stated in a long portrait produced by the New York Times. If Ms Rachel's content very quickly found its first fans, the Covid health crisis in 2020 caused the channel's audience to jump.

But what should we think of a YouTube channel aimed at such a young audience – before the age of 3 –, given the great vigilance recommended with regard to the exposure of the youngest to screens? The American daily highlights the real educational interest of these videos, “a sort of oasis on YouTube, which is full of the television equivalent of junk food for toddlers”. Better a few minutes of Ms Rachel than unsuitable content. On the side of Guardianthe British newspaper praises the notable qualities of these videos for children who suffer from language delays or even autism spectrum disorders.

Victim of cyberbullying

The American YouTuber is also a hit on social networks, this time with parents. On Instagram or TikTok, she distils her advice in the area of ​​language development and provides some insight into the different stages of children's learning.

A true media empire, Ms Rachel's channel is gradually becoming a business in its own right. She thus signed a collaboration with a toy brand which markets soft toys bearing her image – a success, obviously. She also wrote a book, Ms. Rachel and the Special Surprise : Encouraging Speech and Learning Through Play and Musicpublished by Random Houses.

Alongside her videos, Ms Rachel also shows generosity, which does not please everyone. Ambassador for the NGO Save the Children, she raised funds for Palestinian children in Gaza. A commitment which resulted in him being the victim of cyberharassment, forcing him to temporarily close the comments on his various channels, reports the site of Guardian.