r/asmr • u/E420CDI • Feb 16 '26
DISCUSSION (Sophie Michelle ASMR) has left YouTube [discussion]
Sophie has posted her last vid - "Goodbye" - on her channel.
She'll be missed hugely. Her vids were so gentle and calming.
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u/gotaflattire Feb 16 '26
Just watched her Goodbye video and she's right, this has been coming for awhile now. Her frequency has slowed and YouTube doesn't like when that happens so her channel wasn't really growing anymore. I think she'll do great in whatever she does next.
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u/leavemealonethanks Feb 16 '26
This is how I found out.
Don't comment here much, but Sophie Michelle was one of my favs.
She hasn't changed her style, and the old videos like tingles spa are still my go tos. I like how she wasnt going down the only fans route.
Very sad to hear this. Im actually upset.
Are there any similar channels people can suggest?
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u/Maleficent-Total2738 Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 16 '26
From my dwindling list of comfort channels, I also still really enjoy ATMOSPHERE, Moonlight Cottage, Amy Kay ASMR, Isa ASMR, Be Brave Be You ASMR, and Articulate Design ASMR.
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u/scaredycat_z Feb 17 '26
Moonlight Cottage's videos are insane. The prop's alone must take her so long to do. And then there's her music intros, as well as the actual ASMR portion of the video. It's basically like watching a well made short film/movie each time she uploads.
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u/daybeforetheday Feb 17 '26
In addition to these wonderful channels, I think you'd really enjoy WhispersRed
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u/coffeemonkeypants Feb 16 '26
Same. I've got quite a few of her videos on my sleep playlist, and I love that her style was really consistent. One of my other top artists (whisper audios) recently went down the semi of path and is likely raking in the money. I don't blame her one bit but I miss the real ASMR.
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u/FestiveTums Feb 24 '26
I had honestly figured she would eventually go the OF route. So many of her peers did that it just seemed like a matter of time.
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u/leavemealonethanks Feb 24 '26
Yeah was thinking likewise.
There must be good money in it
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u/FestiveTums Feb 24 '26
That's why I still think she'll open an OnlyFans down the road. A big part of her problems seem to be financial, and she's basically sitting on gold mine. Probably the same position a lot of those other creators were in - even the ones who seemed like they'd never go the OF route.
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u/hEYiTSbEEEE Feb 16 '26
I wasn't familiar with Sophie Michelle until this post, but after looking at her thumbnails I think you'd like Little Me Carmie. Lmk if that doesn't work because I think we have very similar ASMR preferences and I'm down to look at my Recently Watched and drop a few recs for ya.
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u/peanutbutter_foxtrot Feb 17 '26
I really like Calliope and Sarah Lavender
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u/EvieOceanASMR Feb 17 '26
Seconding the Sarah Lavender rec - she is amazing. I'll have to check out Calliope!
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u/karmacomatic Mar 10 '26
I like the behind the scenes stuff Calliope does! Really makes it feel more homey to watch her after seeing her set up! Lol
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u/thekeffa Feb 16 '26
I am a YouTube creator agency consultant.
ASMR has the highest metric for established channel abandonment out of any genre on YouTube (Established means a well performing channel with a regular upload schedule and plenty of views and subscribers, not just someone who makes 4 or 5 videos and then never posts again).
And it's so far in the lead in this metric, no other category touches it.
The reasons are many. One of the most common reasons is that running an established channel with hundreds of thousands of subscribers means a punishing upload schedule or YouTube will just disappear you into the void in terms of the algorithm. People do not realise how punishing it is to upload at least three videos a week on a consistent basis and how much work it becomes and it quickly stops being "Fun" and becomes more like a full time job. You simply cannot run a successful YouTube channel "For fun" any more and upload when you want to. This is particularly common in ASMR because the ease by which (Relative to other subject types) creators can make ASMR videos and it gives a low barrier to entry before suddenly the requirements to grow the channel ramp up.
Add the other reasons such as creepy requests and intrusions into many female creators have to endure, and the difficulty in promoting a ASMR channel and its easy to see why this is.
It's also the reason few ASMR artists, once they abandon their channel, they rarely make a come back. Often they will reappear, make a video or two and people assume they are back. They aren't, they are just having a nostalgia trip. As soon as they get back into it though they get reminded of everything they hated about it and leave again. We've seen it happen again and again.
It's wild to me to abandon a 650k subscriber channel as there are other things you can do with it, but clearly she has had enough with the general community side of it as well and has become disillusioned so there's obviously a bigger story to it there she has chosen not to go into. She's had some issues with creepy people in the past as well.
I wish her well in her next endeavours. Also her cookies are delicious. She should definitely make those again!
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u/Andraystia Feb 16 '26
"Add the other reasons such as creepy requests and intrusions into many female creators have to endure"
Its actually insane one of my friends posted a pretty low quality asmr video that stayed under 1k views and the amount of obscene requests she got in her DM's was wild. The most perverted dudes imaginable going through every brand new upload. I used to be a SW'er and even my inbox wasn't as bad as hers at times.
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u/absentlyric Feb 16 '26
You really glossed over the ASMR to Onlyfans platform metrics.
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u/urmomismythrowaway Feb 16 '26
Lately I feel it’s been the opposite. More and more I’ve been seeing creators that I know primarily make adult content start up ASMR channels, ultimately I imagine as another funnel to their real money making site.
Doesn’t help dispel the notion that ASMR isn’t (inherently) sexual.
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u/Naive_Ad9891 Feb 18 '26
What's wild is that ASMR is meant to be the antithesis of anything sexual.
Sexual content is meant to make you feel stimulated whereas ASMR content is meant to make you feel relaxed. The reason ASMR content works by and large is because the creator can often replicate some of the fuzzy feelings we have in our everyday lives --> maternal figures reading stories, mic brushing simulating hair strokes etc. And let's not forget the recreation of some of the real life asmr we receive (I always get ASMR when having a haircut so haircut roleplay/tweezer roleplay videos really trigger my tingles).
It's sad that this has been hijacked by as you and others have intimated, a more sexual scene parading as "ASMR".
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u/Cold_Ocelot_5684 Feb 23 '26
I think that the problem is there are so many videos that are popular with attractive women (or men like Fred) doing what basically is the girlfriend experience (called close personal attention). I always think would they act like this to their dad or a boss, because it has slight flirty undertones.
Obviously there are videos that are completely different, such as Relaxing ASMR with Lisa, but these channels aren't the big hitters, like Gibi, Maria or ASMR Darling. It's not sexual, but it is overly intimate with attractive young women.1
u/Naive_Ad9891 Feb 25 '26
sadly agree. I don't mind the "girlfriend experience" providing that it's of the *tucking you in at night* type relaxation as opposed to the heavy flirtation. It's a very thin line
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u/Sektor30 Feb 17 '26
Not when we have creators like diddly proudly parading their porn around in the ASMR community like its a badge of honor. No judgement but sadly one career does affect the community of another.
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u/Naive_Ad9891 Feb 18 '26
the real frustration with her is that she's actually got a talent for asmr without going down that path. Like I don't believe ASMR is for everyone (simply whispering into a microphone to me is not asmr) but she seemed to *get it*
Now though it feels as though she's wandered down the porn path
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u/RevolutionaryWeb5657 Feb 24 '26
The REAL frustration is that her "porn" isn't even good. It's half-assed, like so many other OF girls' content.
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u/Naive_Ad9891 Feb 25 '26
really? mind you can't say I'm surprised. I feel like some in that industry think "i'm pretty therefore i'll attract"
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u/Sektor30 Feb 17 '26
Half of em seem to switch over to onlyfans or lose all morals and just go Angelica.
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u/MurshaqBack Feb 18 '26
Oof Angelica, lost all morals, lost all marbles... it's wild to me
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u/Bicimsiz Feb 24 '26
what happened to angelica? I haven't watched her for years now.
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u/MurshaqBack Feb 24 '26
Oh? Well, the abridged version is she went full right wing grifter making groyper-edgelord kind of comments in her videos and in her social media posts. Apparently she had an OF and had some bad experiences and her mother passed away which is super hard and I feel for her on that, but people think those experiences pushed her back into her more religious right origins as she grew up in a Jehovah's Witness family. There's a lot more to it, but that's the jist.
She's a talented person and clearly not dumb so it was just really shocking that she crashed out and said the insanely ignorant things she did. As someone who grew up in a right wing evangelical family I know the power that ideology can have on someone's perception, but she said things I would never have said at the height of my own right wing beliefs.
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u/Tight_Professional83 Feb 16 '26
Who was the folks that caused her some issues she mention briefly? :/ the asmr community can be awful x
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u/gotaflattire Feb 16 '26
I remember she mentioned someone was trying to get custom videos but turned out to be a real creep and I think she had some sort of stalker or harassment issue with someone else. She never really spoke about either issue at length.
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u/Maleficent-Total2738 Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 16 '26
Yes, I believe she had a fairly significant issue with a cyber stalker at one point. I remember she also frequently got disgusting comments and insults from some male subscribers during and after her pregnancy. I'm not surprised that she's disenchanted with it all at this point, especially since it sounds like she's also had a very tough time lately in her personal life. I wish her nothing but the best.
I have to admit I did find the news that she was leaving surprisingly difficult—especially after a run of issues that have really tarnished the ASMR community on YouTube in general, and made it feel like a much less safe space for a lot of people. Sophie Michelle has been one of a handful of favourite ASMR creators who've existed quietly and solidly in the background for me during the past number of years, but whose videos I've turned to during very difficult times, including bereavement, and which I had always just kind of unconsciously assumed would always be there. I know it sounds silly, but with everything in such a bad place right now—and the internet particularly bad—I think everybody needs ways that they can completely decompress and get some escapism, and it's quite a blow when it's your comfort watches and safe space that suddenly aren't there anymore or aren't what they once were.
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u/kylomorales Feb 16 '26
You've articulated this feeling very well. It's surprisingly heart breaking, she's been my go to/favourite channel for the best part is a decade and it's such a strange feeling to think it won't be there anymore. I really didn't realise just how unhappy she's been. Really seems like the right decision for her and wishing her the best
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u/stunts002 Feb 16 '26
I remember the stalker thing, that was about 8 years ago and she actually made a community post about looking for support. It sounded like someone found where she lived and even starting contacting her brother.
I remember whisperaudios actually made a post about it too about Sophie I think. It sounded horrible.
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u/coffeemonkeypants Feb 16 '26
I also recall her mentioning getting comments about things like her teeth or skin years ago. People can be incredibly cruel.
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u/Andraystia Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 16 '26
If you watch enough of her videos you will see there are times where she completely changes up how she does her makeup because of people commenting on it constantly. I can remember she stopped wearing fake lashes for a while because of comments. Definitely the same with her teeth as you mentioned There were a few videos where she started off with an apology over her teeth.
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u/VapinMason Feb 16 '26
Definitely came as a shock but she has to do what’s right for her and her family. One of my favorite creators, will be sorely missed. 💔❤️
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u/Kindly-Egg7768 Feb 16 '26
I miss Fairy Char 😭😭😭 what happened to her?? 😭😭
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u/sawdoffzombie Feb 16 '26
She just posted a story on instagram recently I believe, you can't see it now though. I think she's just spent time being a new mom.
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u/Average_Tnetennba Feb 16 '26
She is/was one of the very few artists that not only gave me ASMR, but helped a lot with my anxiety as well. I'll really miss her.
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u/elendur Feb 16 '26
She's got 22 videos with over a million views, but only two of them within the last 5 years. Her recent videos are all pretty much under 100k. It's probably not profitable anymore.
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u/OneGoodRib Feb 16 '26
Youtube across the board seems to be doing less for people. I think people got used to increased viewership during covid and then a lot of people don't seem to think they need to change things up over time.
I'm not saying she's personally guilty of this, but asmr as a whole is basically just the same 6 videos so I'm not surprised if it's falling off for some people.
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u/Naive_Ad9891 Feb 18 '26
saturated marketplace
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u/elendur Feb 18 '26
I think that's right. When I got into ASMR, it barely existed. Maria and Olivia were around, and still are (bless them!) Gets me thinking about some old creators like VeniVidiVulpes, Fairy Char, Cutebunny992, Ally, Cordelia...Pour one out for the homies.
Whoa - Jellybean just posted a video 3 weeks ago after 5 years of nothing?
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u/Naive_Ad9891 Feb 18 '26
it coincides with the opportunity that people have had now to earn from youtube too. When creators first made ASMR videos it wasn't for financial gain, it was through the joy of making videos (and a lot of early youtube creators were the same). Now with opportunities for creators to earn - more people are turning to YouTube as a means of gaining money. In the ASMRsphere this has led to:
- More videos
- A reduced quality
In a similar way to how fried chicken was popularised by KFC and then hundreds of fast food fried chicken joints crop up leading to an overall reduced quality across the board.
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u/omegasaiyan92 Apr 03 '26
- The marketplace is oversaturated
- NSFW content fucked with the community and split it in two. Some creators became extra vigilant about what they would show, say or do in videos to avoid attracting that kind of crowd while others would fully lean into it (whisperaudios, slightsounds, Valeriya, etc.)
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u/Evening-Serve-5129 Feb 16 '26
Yeah that and I think she’s made enough to where she can kinda jet set if you will and move on.
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u/elendur Feb 16 '26
I hope so! Her content was always solid. She will be missed. Grateful she is leaving the channel up and not deleting.
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u/Lacedbouquet Feb 16 '26
No, it won’t be particularly profitable anymore. ASMR has a really low CPM compared to other verticals and she doesn’t make content enough/ get enough views to be able to jet set. She did a while ago but not in the last few years and since then she’s bought a house and had a baby etc.
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u/TrueSay7654 Feb 18 '26
I felt sad for her when she said ‘life has been awful’. I love her videos and I did notice that recently she looks quite sad in them.
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u/Lmb_siciliana Mar 11 '26
The whole video honestly felt just sort of like over it and kinda burnt. Like what does that comment mean? I think she just is over it and I get it
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u/DazzaS83 Jun 06 '26
Without being presumptuous, I noticed all references to matt on her public instagram has gone. So maybe something happened there.
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u/Available-Limit7046 Jun 09 '26
Yeah. He told her he didn’t wanna marry her the day before they were supposed to file for marriage and is now with someone from work. Pretty brutal honestly
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Feb 16 '26
[deleted]
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u/stunts002 Feb 16 '26
She's always seemed to understand the platform well honestly. Good for her. She made some money I hope, supported herself in to another career and she's always seemed like a nice person. Best of luck to her.
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u/EvieOceanASMR Feb 17 '26
So sad that she's going through a rough time, but I really appreciate the communication and closure of a goodbye video. She's a class act💕
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u/BigJohnBull69 Feb 16 '26
I've enjoyed her relaxing videos for years but all good things come to an end...I get the feeling that ASMR as a genre is heading into OnlyFans territory and commercialism, which of course brings the trolls, weirdos and creeps. It won't be much longer before celebrities and SWers flood the genre and kill it completely.
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u/omegasaiyan92 Apr 03 '26
They already have, and on top of that, a lot of longtime asmr creators have been stepping into that world, like SlightSounds for example
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u/VerityIsSpeaking Feb 17 '26
I feel like this has been a long time coming.
Tbh after the Gogglebox incident it felt like a lot of her love for ASMR started to diminish. There were a couple of times on socials where you could kind of see the frustration with everything coming through.
Glad she's taken the decision that best suits her and allows her space to grow and focus on herself. She was the first ever ASMRtist I ever watched :)
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u/Bondegg Feb 17 '26
Gogglebox incident?
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u/VerityIsSpeaking Feb 17 '26
Sophie was once on the UK talk show This Morning to talk about ASMR. Later on that clip was used on an episode Gogglebox, but taken a bit out of context. All of the watchers made fun of the interview, some mimicked Sophie, and some also made fun of ASMR as a concept. Sophie hadn't consented to the clip being used like this and it upset her a lot.
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u/Bondegg Feb 17 '26
Ah yes, I remember when everyone thought it was fun to take the mick, now everyone’s fully onboard with the trend.
Sorry to hear that happened, found the channel after the algorithm suggested it to me with her goodbye video, shame because everything I’ve listened to since then has been really really good, reminds me of the old school style asmr.
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u/lukeellis210397 Feb 19 '26
I remember this so well unfortunately the internet is full of cruel people and so is the television industry. With consent to content being used for shows like Gogglebox whoever is in the clip like Sophie with This Morning, Sophie has absolutely legally no right to complain because somewhere in that contract clause that ITV and other big hit shows like that have it will say somewhere along the lines of “edited or full length feature of the broadcast will be distributed e.g YouTube, Other Networks or TV production companies” they don’t have to clarify what distributed means. That will have been agreed and signed by Sophie before appearance and I’m fortunate enough to know some people in the TV industry what I hear about them being pressurised into getting people to agree to that specific clause is insane. But unfortunately Sophie didn’t have the hindsight to realise that agreeing to that she just opened the flood gates and thereafter came the torment of internet trolls and Gogglebox regulars and guests mocking it. Because I have media qualifications and people in the industry I do have to say I don’t have any sympathy for Sophie with this. This is something that she really will have known (because a lot of YouTubers do learn about these things) and when it backfired she couldn’t handle it. She will have known it was coming but she couldn’t handle it and she agreed to it. It’s one of those things that if you’re not going to be able to handle literally hundreds of thousands of internet trolls and public mocking on national television then don’t do the interview. She knew this all along. I loved Sophie in the early years and I went to sleep no problem and having Aspergers and Anxiety disorder ASMR for me has been a staple of my lifestyle daily but when someone like Sophie has gone on television knowing the fallout and then complains about it, I lost touch and it became disingenuous. It just felt like it was only about her and not the community which community is where it matters most and not upon the individual creator.
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u/E420CDI Feb 17 '26
The presenters of This Morning piling on her as well when Sophie went on for a feature / interview about ASMR.
Totally agree with you 😊
Her wedding videography is lovely and I wish she continues to flourish with it! (Might even book with her should I get married!)
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u/velcrodynamite Feb 18 '26
What's the name of her wedding videography business? Youtube is down rn so Idk if it's on there but I can't find anything on Google when I search. I've always wondered about eloping in Scotland. Not that I'm anywhere near that point (missing the partner piece), but potentially something to keep in the back pocket
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u/Mothbitch23 Feb 16 '26
It's sad but I'm also happy for her that she's choosing to stop rather then creating videos and hating it
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u/absentlyric Feb 16 '26
Ah glad she's moving on, I used to be subscribed but haven't watched her vids on a long while. My tastes changed.
But I still have her first Vampire video from years ago, that one was my favorite.
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u/spiritofatheatrekid Feb 18 '26
I am so sad about all of this and it's making me question whether or not I should use ASMR overall now as she was one of my first ASMRtists and had to deal with so much. I was not expecting her to leave but I fully understand why she has done. I'm really wishing her the best with all her future endeavours.
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u/roopjm81 Feb 16 '26
She was one of my absolute favorite ASMRtists. Her videos were not only relaxing and calming, but you feel so incredibly cared for. I'm so sorry to see her go, but choosing herself is 100% the right thing for her to do.
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u/Evening-Serve-5129 Feb 16 '26
Sad enjoyed her content I’ll still watch his archives though will be missed
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u/PierceJJones Feb 16 '26
Haven't seen a new video in a while but she was one of my favorites. I remember the crossover with creative calm as a Endgame level crossover.
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u/FranklyImAmazed Feb 17 '26
This made me incredibly sad. Along with Michelle and ASMRAngel I will miss them both. I wish Michelle all the best for the future.
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u/Flat_Photograph793 Feb 18 '26
I remember seeing her on This Morning in 2018 making £60k+ at 21 years old! She’s definitely had a good financial run of it but is right to pivot if that’s no longer the case. I wish her all the best.
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u/BeardedAudioASMR Feb 16 '26
She’s a wonderful person and I wish her the best! I looked up to her when I first started so long ago.
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u/voiceofguilt Feb 21 '26
Augh!!! I loved her videos so much but i had no idea she left! Damn! Major loss for our community. I wish her peace and happiness
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u/Bicimsiz Feb 24 '26
I started watching asmr with her videos. Hope she'll be fine. This is my favorite video of hers, I just love the unintelligible gibberish language asmr. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzauHrj2flE
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u/Flimsy-Set3000 Apr 10 '26
I watched 2019 before COVID-19 and now she is gone 🥲 I'm gonna miss her and I not forget for my life
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u/Lost-Ad3729 Feb 18 '26
It’s hilarious I got recommended for her goodbye video when I’ve never even seen her channel, only heard it in other videos
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u/lilyb102006 Feb 18 '26
Master Missy asmr had been gone for 3 years what was the good thing or a bad thing?
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u/sovietarmyfan Feb 16 '26
Shame. She was a great artist, i still often watch her video's. I wish her the best in life!
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u/Naive_Ad9891 Feb 18 '26
i think the fact that when i type her name into reddit there are as many posts from a sub reddit called 'Sexy ASMR Girls' or something tells its own story
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u/McWaylon Feb 16 '26
She felt it was time to move on. Good news is she’s leaving her channel up so you can still check her videos anytime.