Multi-faceted Canadian entertainer, actress, comedian, author, and television host Lilly Singh is returning to YouTube sketch comedy after years in Hollywood, saying the move is driven by creative freedom, a desire to reconnect with her global audience and the joy of making videos without the pressure of chasing views and viral hits.

In an interview published on YouTube’s official blog, Singh said her comeback marks a shift towards creating on her own terms, with her first major sketch in years, ‘My First Day Back at YouTube’, signalling a new chapter.

Singh, who began posting videos as IISuperwomanII in 2010, said her time in traditional entertainment exposed her to collaborative filmmaking but also highlighted the constraints of working within the Hollywood system.

Projects such as ‘Dollface’ and ‘The Muppets’ taught her the value of production teams, set design and professional writing.

She, according to the interview posted by YouTube on October 15, plans to bring those learnings to her YouTube channel while retaining its do-it-yourself spirit.

The creator said she frequently encountered pressure to make her ideas more commercially palatable.

“On YouTube, there are no gatekeepers demanding I make my brain baby more palatable for the masses,” she said, adding that such restrictions were fundamentally anti-creative.

Singh also argued that audiences are receptive to diverse stories, even as executives continue to dismiss some ideas as too niche.

Her decision to return also follows what she described as a difficult year for her health. Singh said not expressing herself through videos had taken a toll, while returning to character-based comedy had restored a sense of purpose and excitement.

“Coming back isn’t about proving Hollywood wrong — it’s as simple as joy,” she said, describing a shift from the intense pressure of regular uploads to creating for the pleasure of it.

Singh also cited YouTube’s global reach as a key reason for relaunching her channel.

She said traditional distribution arrangements meant many longtime fans in India, the UK and Trinidad and Tobago could not watch her film ‘Doin’ It’.

On YouTube, she said, she can draw on Punjabi and Caribbean references without over-explaining them to audiences. “When comedy gets specific and nuanced, it actually gets funnier,” she said.

The new phase will also bring a different definition of success. Singh said she hopes to distance herself from the metrics that once drove her, focusing instead on improving her writing, acting and production and attempting ambitious ideas on YouTube.

Reflecting on the happiness she felt after completing her comeback sketch, she said creators are “so much more than just views and analytics”.

The first video, featuring appearances by Alan Chikin Chow and Jeenie Weenie, is intended as a tribute to longtime fans, with more content planned for a broader audience.