From pageantry to ASMR, Mariam Iyunade carves a niche in digital content

When Bakare Mariam Iyunade uploaded her first ASMR video to YouTube in 2018, she was experimenting with a content format that had attracted only limited attention among Nigerian creators. Several years later, the creator, known professionally as Mariam ASMR, has built audiences across multiple social media platforms through videos centred on whispering, tapping and role-play.

Before becoming known for ASMR, Iyunade participated in beauty pageants, winning titles including Miss Isanbi, Miss Glo Ojude Oba, Miss Epe Lagos State and Miss NYSC Edo State between 2016 and 2019.

While studying Pharmacology at Olabisi Onabanjo University, she began producing relaxation-focused videos after discovering ASMR on YouTube. The videos gradually attracted viewers, leading her to continue creating content after graduation.

According to publicly available figures, her YouTube channel has attracted more than 200,000 subscribers and over 53 million views. She also has about four million followers on TikTok and more than 432,000 followers on Instagram.

ASMR, short for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, has developed into a global online genre, with creators producing videos that feature soft speech, tapping sounds and simulated personal attention. Although many viewers describe the videos as relaxing, researchers continue to study the phenomenon and its reported effects.

The growth of Iyunade’s audience reflects the increasing diversity of Nigeria’s digital creator economy, where specialised content has begun to attract audiences alongside comedy, music and lifestyle programming.