Leeroy Matata
How important are prominent role models?
Leeroy Matata wants to enlighten with his videos.
© Lucas Coersten, Boulevard Influence
Leeroy Matata reaches over two million people with his YouTube videos. These topics are particularly close to his heart.
YouTube star Leeroy Matata (24) inspires millions of people to think with his videos. On his channel “Leeroy wants to know!” the 24-year-old covers a wide range of topics – including social, personal and political topics. His YouTube channels have around 2.5 million subscribers. He currently supports the “21-day sustainability challenge” from Facebook, which starts on November 15th. In an interview, he explains what is behind it and why prominent role models are so important.
What exactly is behind the “21-day sustainability challenge”?
Leeroy Matata: They say it takes 21 days to get into a new routine. So why not a sustainable routine? More and more people want to live more sustainably, but many are missing effective and at the same time easy to implement tips or inspiration. Facebook launched the “21-Day Sustainability Challenge” to use their platform to give this inspiration and to connect people so that they can motivate each other.
The climate is a global challenge that really everyone can do something about. How sustainably do you live yourself? What do you do without, what do you pay particular attention to?
Matata: I try to ask myself the sustainability question as often as possible in my everyday life: “Is that environmentally friendly? Is there a tangible alternative that saves resources and CO2?” For example, I have reduced my own meat consumption a lot for a few years now and prefer public transport. There are so many little things that you can adjust to your behavior.
From Prince William to Leonardo DiCaprio to Greta Thunberg, there are many prominent faces in the fight against the climate crisis. How important are such role models?
Matata: Role models motivate people to rethink. Therefore, such personalities and their influence and reach, for example on social channels, are extremely important. Accordingly, in addition to the aforementioned, many more are needed to stand up for it; and many more who follow them.
The climate crisis is just one of many topics for which you are drawing attention. On your YouTube channel “Leeroy wants to know!” cover a wide range of topics, including social, personal and political issues. What criteria do you use to choose them?
Matata: Everyone who has a story to tell is warmly welcome to me. I would even argue that everyone has a special story to tell. In this context, we try to bring up socially relevant issues. Together with the team, we are very careful to achieve a good cross-section and to meet as many different fates and people as possible. I am very proud to have such an enlightened and open community that welcomes every topic with a constructive attitude and exchanges ideas extensively with one another and even helps.
Are there any taboo subjects that you don’t want to talk about?
Matata: As such, I don’t have any taboo subjects. As long as a topic is socially relevant, it should be discussed. Everything depends, of course, on how constructively it is done. The mission is a tolerant and understanding togetherness.
You started your YouTube career in 2016, shot a wide variety of videos – from entertainment to interviews to your own illness – and are currently also handling a wide variety of formats. What are you currently working on and how do you find the time for all the projects?
Matata: A lot has happened since I started YouTube. Now, of course, I support the “21-day sustainability challenge” and I will be there for a live talk on Facebook with a climate scientist and an EU climate ambassador. On my channel “Leeroy wants to know” we are busy producing for more episodes; But there is also a lot going on on the “Leeroy Matata” channel in the near future. In addition, we are currently in the second season of “Leeroy’s Podcast” with super exciting guests. And on my Facebook channel “Leeroy wants to know” and up Instagram of course there is always news. So many, many ideas. Fortunately, I have a great team that supports me in all of this, otherwise it wouldn’t be possible.