By 1of10 Team in 1of10 Podcast Articles — 08 Apr 2025

How To Go Viral On YouTube As A Musician

Ocean didn’t just post consistently, he got sharper with every upload. From tutorials that barely cracked 500 views to a channel now past 500,000 subscribers, his story is a blueprint in balancing content buckets, trend timing, and genuine creativity. Here's how he built it all, one idea at a time.

Ocean didn’t start with a grand plan to “build an audience.” He wasn’t chasing trends or trying to crack the algorithm. He was just a guy making beats on Logic Pro X, and no one was hearing them.

That changed when he picked up a camera.

What followed wasn’t overnight success. It was years of trial and error, slow growth, and small tweaks that stacked up. From scrappy tutorials to viral moments, from teaching his brother to make a beat to hiring a mariachi band, Ocean found a way to turn music production into something watchable, even if you’ve never opened a DAW.

This is how he went from zero to half a million subscribers, kept his channel funded without chasing every sponsorship, and built a system that’s still growing strong, one video at a time.

1. Starting From Zero: Why He Launched His Channel

Before Ocean hit record for an audience, he was just making beats that no one heard.

“I was making a lot of music, but it was just staying on my laptop,” he explained. “At the time, I started seeing other producers posting content, and some of it was hitting a million views. That’s when I realized, I should at least try.”

He’d been experimenting with music production since 2016, using Logic Pro X, a less-popular DAW compared to FL Studio or Ableton. While others might have seen that as a setback, Ocean saw the opposite: an open lane.

“There weren’t many tutorials showing how to make hip-hop on Logic Pro, so that became my in.”

The original idea wasn’t to become a YouTuber, it was simply a way to showcase his music skills and attract artists to use his beats. His first uploads were rough. No heavy editing. Just a screen recording and voiceover explaining how he made certain melodies or drums.

What helped get him moving wasn’t fancy gear or editing skills. It was realizing that he didn’t need to be everything at once, he just needed to start. That beginning eventually led to something bigger.

2. The First Signs of Growth Came From Small Upgrades

Ocean posted for two years before things really started moving. His breakthrough wasn’t tied to some algorithm trick or a viral trend. It came down to this:

He bought a better camera.

“I switched to a DSLR and the quality 10x’d. My views went from hundreds to thousands very quickly.”

This is where a lot of new creators get stuck. They spend months thinking about when to start, or how to be perfect from the jump. Ocean kept going with what he had, then made smart upgrades when it made sense.

Even more important than the camera was the clarity it brought to his content. Higher video quality made his tutorials easier to follow. Better lighting made his studio setup feel professional. And a sharper image made the thumbnails pop more, increasing clicks.

By early 2019, that small decision to upgrade helped him break from 2,000 subscribers to 10,000. Then, not long after, 40,000.

3. Breakthrough to 80K: One Viral Video Changed Everything

Ocean’s growth from 40K to 80K came off the back of a single upload: a video where his brother tried learning how to make beats.

“It hit a million views in a few months. That video alone brought in 40,000 new subscribers.”

What worked about it?

Relatable concept: Watching a beginner try something new made it more accessible to non-producers.
High replay potential: The video was light, funny, and easy to rewatch or share.
Stronger storytelling: Unlike tutorials, this had a clear beginning, middle, and end.

The takeaway wasn’t just about the topic, it was the shift in tone. He started integrating parts of his daily life, travel, and personality into his videos. It helped the audience connect with him, not just his music knowledge.

4. From 80K to 500K: Building Smart Video Buckets That Compound

Ocean’s next wave of growth didn’t come from a single hit. It came from a repeatable system: video buckets.

Instead of swinging for a viral clip every time, he started focusing on content formats that had already proven themselves, and reworked them with new angles, fresh concepts, or better execution.

What’s a video bucket?

In Ocean’s case, a video bucket is a style or format that serves a clear purpose and can be repeated in different ways without feeling recycled.

For example:

“Working with…” bucket
Ocean made a series of videos where he collaborated with musicians from wildly different backgrounds, a mariachi band, a flute player, etc. These episodes felt novel but had a consistent setup: he brings in someone unexpected and they make a track together.
“Teaching someone to produce” bucket
This is where the viral video with his brother fits in. It was so strong, he could reuse the concept with others, maybe a rapper, a singer, a fan, or even someone famous. The core premise stays strong because the cast changes.
“Breaking down trending sounds” bucket
When drill started to take off, Ocean jumped on it fast. He didn’t just explain it, he made beats in the style, walked people through the process, and made sure his thumbnails and titles reflected what was happening in music at that moment.

This way of thinking gave him both speed and structure. He didn’t need to invent something totally new every time. Instead, he’d test and refine these buckets and wait for one to hit, and when it did, the rest of his videos would benefit.

“After my first viral video, I started getting more views on everything. That’s when things started snowballing.”

That snowball wasn’t random. It was a direct result of posting consistently within a structure, and letting the algorithm learn who to send his videos to.

5. The Secret Sauce: Timeliness Without Being a Trend Chaser

One of the most impactful things Ocean did was tap into rising interest before it peaked. He was among the earliest to publish tutorials about drill music just as Pop Smoke and UK drill were catching attention globally.

“That timing helped massively. There wasn’t much content on it, and people were curious.”

Here’s why that worked:

Early mover advantage: Fewer creators were competing for that search traffic.
Built trust with a niche: He became known for that style, a go-to name in drill tutorials.
Broader appeal: New fans of drill weren’t just producers. Some just wanted to see how the sound was made.

This gave him a crossover effect. His content was relevant to beatmakers and casual music fans alike. He wasn’t just early, he kept the quality high, and that’s why the growth stuck.

6. Keeping Revenue Flowing Without Selling Out

Ocean didn’t just focus on growth, he built multiple income streams around his content without compromising on what his audience came for. And that’s a harder balance than most creators expect.

He didn't rely on just one thing. Instead, he built a blend:

AdSense brought in steady income once the views started rolling, but it wasn’t enough to fund the whole operation.

“It’s not a ton, but it helped me reinvest in gear and editing.”

It became his base layer, not the end goal.

Brand Deals: Let the Right Ones Come to You

Ocean set up a system that attracted brands instead of chasing them. He didn’t do cold outreach or spam pitches. He simply let the content speak for itself.

How?

His contact info was easy to find.
His content was consistent and aligned with what certain brands already sell (sample packs, plugins, production tools).
He leaned toward longer-term partnerships when possible, building familiarity with his audience.

“Most of my brand deals now are inbound. They come to me.”

Instead of doing one-off ads for quick cash, he leaned toward longer campaigns where a company’s name shows up over multiple uploads. That’s how you build awareness and trust with your audience.

E-commerce: The Quiet Moneymaker

Behind the scenes, Ocean runs his own product business, selling sounds, samples, and a course aimed at beginners. It fits naturally into his videos, without ever needing a hard sell.

Revenue breakdown at the time of the interview:

AdSense: ~30%
Brand deals: ~40%
E-commerce (samples + course): ~30%

He wasn’t dependent on any single platform or sponsor. That gave him freedom, and time, to focus on making better videos.

7. Adapting Your Audience While Growing

One of the smartest moves Ocean made was evolving who his content spoke to, without abandoning his core.

In the beginning, his channel was hyper-focused on music producers. People who wanted tutorials. People who already knew what Logic Pro X was.

But once he had some traction, he made a key shift:

“Now I’d say maybe 50% of my audience doesn’t make music at all, they just enjoy watching people create.”

That pivot widened the door.

Instead of just teaching producers how to make drill beats, Ocean started creating content that made music production watchable, even for viewers with zero technical experience.

This approach turned beat-making into storytelling. Into entertainment. Into curiosity.

The Breakdown:

Early content: pure tutorial, niche-focused.
Viral pivot: added personality, lifestyle, broader topics (e.g. “I hired a mariachi band to make a beat”).
Current balance: core content for producers + broader videos for anyone who loves music.

The result? Faster growth and a stronger channel.

He didn’t lose the producers. But now, they’re sitting next to casual fans, people who just vibe with the process, not necessarily the plugins.

And the best part?

Those broader fans still convert. They still buy sample packs, they still click courses, they still show up for videos, because they’re invested in him, not just the technical breakdowns.

“Most of my audience now aren’t professionals, they’re people who love music and enjoy watching the creative process.”

8. Building a Long-Term Vision Without Burning Out

Ocean didn’t hit half a million subscribers by chasing every trend or over-optimizing every upload. He built his channel around one thing: longevity.

“My goal from day one has always been to reach one million subscribers.”

And that kind of goal doesn’t get hit by accident, or by burning out midway.

What stood out in the interview wasn’t just the grind, but the structure behind it. Ocean treats YouTube like a long-term project, not a hustle for short-term spikes.

Here’s what that looks like:

4 hours of focused creative work a day: No distractions. Pure output.
Fitness stays in the schedule: Four gym sessions a week. Energy feeds output.
Consistent routines: Morning walks, meditation, even visualisation, built into the workflow to stay level during creative highs and lows.
Knowing when to stop: “If I try and push it to 8 hours, I might just feel tired. So sometimes, I chill.”

This is someone who knows the line between consistency and collapse. And it shows in the channel’s trajectory.

But it’s not just about avoiding burnout. It’s about:

Planning content buckets he can repeat without draining creativity.
Scheduling uploads around energy, not just algorithms.
Avoiding the trap of over-editing every tutorial to death.
Playing the long game: music creation, DJing, releasing tracks, all while making content about the journey.

Ocean’s routine wasn’t built for short-term virality. It was built to sustain output, sharpen his skills, and keep the channel moving.

“As long as I get four hours of good creation in, I’m happy.”

That mindset is rare, and powerful. Especially for creators juggling art, content, and business all at once.

9. Monetising Without Losing Focus

Ocean didn’t wait until he hit a million views to make money. But he also didn’t chase every monetisation path just because it was available. His income streams are balanced, and built to support the channel, not distract from it.

Here’s how the breakdown looks in 2024:

AdSense - ~30%
Brand deals - ~40%
E-commerce (samples + course) - ~30%

Let’s unpack that.

Ocean made it clear: AdSense isn’t life-changing money, but it gave him just enough to reinvest, better cameras, better sound, better editing tools. That investment, in turn, made the channel grow faster.

He didn’t treat YouTube revenue as a bonus. He treated it as startup capital.

2. Brand Deals: All Inbound, All Aligned

Here’s what stood out:

“I’ve done the outreach before, but it’s never as good as when they come to you.”

Ocean made his email easy to find, let his content speak for itself, and attracted brands that made sense for his niche. Most deals are music-related: sample platforms, plugins, production tools.

But what really works? Long-term partnerships.

“I’d rather a subscriber see the same sponsor for six months. It builds familiarity. Better for the brand. Better for me.”

That’s how you make sponsorships part of the channel, not a bolt-on at the start of a video.

3. Products That Fit the Audience

Ocean doesn’t force the sale. His products, sample packs and a beginner course, are built for the exact audience that watches his videos. New producers want sounds and skills. His content shows what’s possible. His products help them get started.

No aggressive funnels. No awkward shilling. Just smart alignment.

Monetisation as Fuel, Not Distraction

The key takeaway: Ocean’s channel is still built around content. Monetisation supports it, it doesn’t get in the way.

He didn’t flood every video with ads.
He didn’t sell products before there was demand.
He didn’t rely on outreach, he built a brand sponsors came to.

It’s not flashy. It’s not overnight. But it’s sustainable. And that’s what matters if you’re trying to stay in the game long enough to win it.

10. The Hardest Part No One Talks About

It’s easy to think the hardest part of being a content creator is the start. But Ocean made it clear: the real test is what happens after the momentum dips.

“You start getting 10 out of 10… and then you think, is this it? Am I finished?”

That feeling hits different when you’ve already tasted growth. When a 1 out of 10 felt normal. When views were climbing, and then, suddenly, they aren’t.

Ocean talked about this with surprising honesty. Let’s break it down.

The 10 Out of 10 Spiral

If you’re a creator, you know exactly what this means: YouTube’s internal ranking system where 10 out of 10 = worst-performing of your last 10 uploads.

Ocean’s been there:

Back-to-back 10/10s
No clear reason why
Analytics that don’t explain the drop
Content that should work, but doesn’t

That’s where creators often spiral. They chase algorithm theories. Over-edit. Overthink. Burn out.

Ocean’s advice? Zoom out.

Zoom Out, Don’t Panic

“Sometimes it’s just timing. A video flops, but a month later, it picks up.”

Instead of clinging to one video, he focuses on the system:

Check packaging first: title and thumbnail still strong?
Look at timing: is there a better time to release this idea?
If not working, move on fast and prep the next one

He treats each upload as one at-bat. You miss some. But the ones that connect can carry the rest.

Learn to Let Go

Here’s the mindset shift:

“You don’t fixate. You let go. You move.”

The creators who make it to 500K+ aren’t always the ones with the best content. They’re the ones who don’t freeze when things dip.

Ocean’s been through:

Months of 10/10s
Slow periods with no answers
Viral videos that carried the channel
Cycles of growth → plateau → new growth

The skill isn’t avoiding dips. It’s surviving them. Staying consistent when views don’t reward you yet. Creating when the feedback loop is quiet.

Conclusion

The views will dip. The algorithm won’t always reward your best work. Some uploads will miss, and that’s fine.

What matters is whether you keep showing up when it’s quiet.

Ocean’s growth wasn’t powered by shortcuts or one-hit luck. It was the result of showing up, upgrading over time, learning what clicked, and turning that into repeatable systems. He built video formats that scaled, monetised in a way that didn’t feel off-brand, and learned to treat every setback as part of the process, not a signal to quit.

If you’re building something and wondering when the momentum hits: it starts with one upload, one upgrade, one idea that sticks. The rest is patience and persistence.

And Ocean’s just getting started.