Colleen Ballinger facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Colleen Ballinger
Ballinger in 2019
Personal information
Born	Colleen Mae Ballinger (1986-11-21) November 21, 1986 (age 38) Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
Occupation	Comedian YouTuber actress singer writer
Spouse(s)	Joshua Evans ​ ​ (m. 2015; div. 2016)​ Erik Stocklin ​ (m. 2018)​
YouTube information
Years active	2008–present
Genre	Comedy vlog
Total views	5.1 billion

Colleen Mae Ballinger (born November 21, 1986) is an American comedian, YouTuber, actress, singer, and writer. She is most famous for creating the internet character Miranda Sings.

As Miranda, Colleen posts funny videos on YouTube, performs a one-woman comedy show around the world, and starred in her own Netflix series called Haters Back Off. She created Miranda to make fun of people on YouTube who sing badly but don't seem to know it. Miranda is a quirky character who thinks she is very talented but really isn't.

Besides her Miranda character, Colleen has her own YouTube channels where she posts comedy videos, lifestyle content, and vlogs. Combined, her channels have over 5 billion views. The Miranda Sings channel has more than 10 million subscribers.

Colleen has also acted in TV shows, web series, and even on Broadway. She has written two best-selling books in Miranda's voice: Selp-Helf and My Diarrhe. In 2023, Ballinger canceled her live shows after facing online criticism.

Early Life and Education

All four Ballinger siblings (from left): Trent, Rachel, Colleen, and Chris in 2015.

Colleen Ballinger was born and grew up in Santa Barbara, California. Her father, Tim, was a sales manager, and her mother, Gwen, was a homemaker.

Colleen was homeschooled in middle school and later went to San Marcos High School. She graduated from Azusa Pacific University in 2008, where she studied vocal performance. She has two older brothers, Christopher and Trent, and a younger sister, Rachel.

Career

Acting and Music

From 2007 to 2009, Colleen worked at Disneyland in California. She also gave voice and piano lessons to children. In 2009, she performed in a production of High School Musical.

She later moved to New York and acted in an Off-Broadway show. In 2012, she appeared in the web series Dr. Fubalous. She also had small roles in other web series like Hipsterhood and MyMusic.

In 2015, Colleen was a guest co-host on the talk show The View. She also appeared in commercials for DiGiorno pizza in 2016. In 2018, she had a cameo role in the Disney movie Ralph Breaks the Internet and appeared in Ariana Grande's music video for "Thank U, Next".

In 2019, Colleen made her Broadway debut in the musical Waitress, playing the role of Dawn. In 2021, she voiced a character named Crandy in the Netflix animated series Centaurworld.

YouTube Channels

Ballinger starting her show as herself in 2014, before changing into Miranda.

Colleen has several popular YouTube channels. Her main channel, Colleen Ballinger, features comedy sketches, Q&A videos, and vlogs about her life. This channel has over 8 million subscribers.

Her most famous channel is Miranda Sings, which has over 10 million subscribers. She also has a vlog channel called Colleen Vlogs, where she shares parts of her daily life and experiences on tour. This channel has over 3 million subscribers.

Through her YouTube channels, Colleen has become a successful online creator. She earns money from ads and sometimes works with brands. In 2016, Forbes magazine named her one of the highest-earning YouTubers.

Since 2021, Colleen and her husband, Erik Stocklin, have hosted a weekly podcast called Relax! with Colleen and Erik.

The Character of Miranda Sings

Miranda Sings at VidCon in 2014.

Since 2008, Colleen has posted hundreds of videos as her character, Miranda Sings. Miranda is a funny and talentless character who believes she is a star. She is a parody of people who post videos of themselves singing badly online.

What is Miranda Like?

In her videos, Miranda sings popular songs very off-key. She also rants about "haters," gives terrible "tutorials," and misunderstands current events. She is known for her catchphrase, "Haters back off!"

Miranda has a unique look. She wears bright red lipstick that goes outside her lip line, dresses in mismatched clothes, and has a funny, crooked smile. She acts very self-centered and socially awkward.

Colleen based the character on some girls she knew in college who were overly confident about their talent. At first, the videos were just a joke for her friends. But in 2009, her "Free Voice Lesson" video went viral, and the character became famous.

Live Comedy Shows

Miranda on stage with her sister, Rachel Ballinger, in 2014.

Starting in 2009, Colleen began performing a live one-woman comedy show as Miranda. She has toured all over the world, selling out theaters in the US, UK, Australia, and many other countries.

In her shows, Miranda sings pop songs badly, gives funny "voice lessons" to famous singers, and interacts with the audience. A reviewer for The Badger Herald wrote that Colleen is "so convincing in the role, you ... will likely forget that there is a normal person behind the red lips."

In 2019, Netflix released a comedy special called Miranda Sings Live... Your Welcome. It was filmed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Miranda in TV and Books

Miranda Sings has appeared on many TV shows. In 2014, she was a guest on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with Jerry Seinfeld. She also played the game Pictionary on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Martin Short, and Jerry Seinfeld.

In 2015, Colleen released a book in Miranda's voice called Selp-Helf. It became a No. 1 The New York Times Best Seller. She released a second book, My Diarrhe, in 2018, which was also a bestseller.

From 2016 to 2017, Colleen created and starred in the Netflix series Haters Back Off. The show was about Miranda's family life and her journey to become a famous YouTuber. It ran for two seasons.

Personal Life

Colleen married fellow YouTuber Joshua Evans in 2015. They announced their divorce in 2016.

In 2016, she met actor Erik Stocklin when he was cast as Miranda's love interest in Haters Back Off. They began dating and got married in 2018. They have three children together.

Filmography

Film

Television and web series

Awards and Nominations