YouTuber Colleen Ballinger has denied grooming her young fans.
In a YouTube video on Wednesday, the 36-year-old, also known as her character Miranda Sings, responded to reports that she had used direct messaging to maintain inappropriate relationships with fans – including minors.
“A lot of people are saying some things about me that aren’t quite true. It doesn’t matter if it’s true though just as long as it’s entertaining to you, right?” Colleen began her 10-minute song, accompanied by a ukulele. “All aboard the toxic gossip train, chugging down the tracks of misinformation.”
Earlier this month, former fans shared screenshots of text messages between themselves and Colleen and alleged that the messages indicated an attempt at exploitation.
“Many years ago I used to message my fans, but not in a creepy way like a lot of you are trying to suggest. It was more of a loser kind of way, but I was just trying to be besties with everybody,” she sang.
Calling the experience “weird”, Colleen admitted, “I’ve poured my heart out to you, and because of that I feel like I’m talking to my friends, but in the beginning of my career I didn’t really understand that maybe there should be some boundaries there.”
Colleen insisted she hasn’t messaged her fans for years because she “took accountability” for her behaviour and then refused to admit to the “lies and rumours that you made up for clout”.
“It doesn’t matter that these things aren’t true, everyone just believes that you are the type of person that manipulates and abuses children,” she continued. “The only thing I’ve ever groomed is my two Persian cats. I’m not a groomer, just a loser who didn’t understand I shouldn’t respond to fans.”