This is the script for the ‘infinite scroll podcast’ episode: “The Sister Squad & Parasocial Nostalgia for This Iconic YouTube Era”
There are so many moments from the 2018-2019 influencer era that still live on in internet culture— whether it was the viral egg photo or the college admissions scandal that had everyone invested. But one thing people can’t seem to let go of is the Sister Squad.
If you were online at the time, you definitely remember them. But just in case, let’s do a little rewind. The Sister Squad was made up of some of the biggest creators of that era: Ethan and Grayson Dolan (together, the Dolan Twins), James Charles, and, of course, Emma Chamberlain. These days, Emma is obviously the biggest name of the group, but back then, she was only just starting out.
The members of the Sister Squad and their rise to fame
Emma started her YouTube channel in June 2016, but the oldest video still available is a “TRY-ON THRIFT HAUL” from June 2017. She has deleted her earliest content, likely as her content evolved and she became more aware of her brand — something many of us end up doing as we get older– whether we become a famous influencer or not. Though she only officially started uploading in 2016, she had been a longtime fan of YouTube, saying in various interviews that she had grown up watching creators and making videos with her friends for fun.
Her decision to start posting publicly was influenced by her dad, who encouraged her to find an outlet outside of school. In a 2019 interview with the NYT, she explained that she was struggling to find something she genuinely enjoyed, and YouTube became that creative escape. But her first real breakthrough came in 2017 with a dollar-store haul video, which unexpectedly went viral. From there, the growth was explosive— just two years after launching her channel, she had already amassed 8 million subscribers. Today, that number sits at 12.1 million.
There were a couple of key factors that differentiated Emma from other YouTubers before her.
First, it was her editing style. At a time when most YouTubers followed a very professional format, Emma’s videos felt fresh. She relied on rapid jump cuts, zoom-ins, awkward silences, and real-time footage of herself editing while lounging in bed. This fast-paced, self-aware approach resonated with viewers and has since been widely imitated by other creators.
Second, her relatability. Unlike the polished, aspirational influencers dominating YouTube at the time, Emma leaned into being unfiltered, and even self-deprecating. She made videos about everyday activities— thrifting, getting coffee, chatting to the camera— turning mundane moments into entertainment.
And finally, her collaborations— particularly with the Sister Squad. By the time she moved to LA in 2018, just a year after going super viral, she was already one of the fastest-growing creators on the platform. But teaming up with James Charles and the Dolan Twins only solidified her status in the space, exposing her to an even wider audience.
James Charles is a notable figure within the beauty community. The Sister Squad era was before James faced numerous scandals, so keep that in mind as we recap all this.
I’m sure we all remember how James went viral, but his rise to fame was also relatively quick. His journey started in 2015 when he began posting makeup content online. While he was steadily gaining a following, his real breakthrough came in late 2016 when a photo of him retaking his senior portrait with a ring light went viral.
From there, he leveraged his viral moment into a full-fledged influencing career. He became CoverGirl’s first-ever male brand ambassador, appeared on The Ellen Show, and soon cemented himself as one of the biggest beauty creators on YouTube. He, of course, became known for his colourful makeup tutorials and his constant use of the word “Sister.”
James clearly had a knack for creating (or perhaps capitalising on) viral moments. From the “Flashback Mary” picture to the Sister Squad, James wasn’t just a beauty guru— he was a defining figure of this era of YouTube.
And finally, we have The Dolan Twins. Grayson and Ethan Dolan actually gained popularity online before either James or Emma. As twins, they started posting content on Vine around 2013– sharing exactly what you’d expect for two teenage boys at the time. Some videos were “comedic” and others were, of course, thirst traps. While the Dolan Twins were not exactly a part of the Vine creator collective, MAGCON, they were associated with some of the members, namely Cameron Dallas.
The twins soon pivoted to YouTube, making their channel on March 10, 2014. The first video available on their channel today is titled “The Blender Challenge” and was uploaded July 13 of that year. The two blended various ingredients together and had to take a sip at the end – a video concept that feels very of its time.
Nevertheless, the twins developed a very loyal fanbase, with much of their following being teenage girls. Ethan and Grayson also ended up moving to LA from their home in New Jersey when they were 15 years old, which allowed them to really lean into content creation while also doing online school.
The origins of the Sister Squad
Now, that brings us to the beginning of the infamous Sister Squad – the informal creator collective that Emma, James and the twins were part of. The group’s first collaboration was posted in June 2018, with three videos posted across Emma, James and the Twins’ YouTube Channel.
On Emma’s channel, the Dolan Twins and James Charles essentially gave her an “LA makeover.” In the video titled TURNING ME INTO AN LA GIRL FT. JAMES CHARLES & THE DOLAN TWINS, James did Emma’s makeup, they picked out what they deemed an “LA-appropriate” outfit, and even gave her a crash course on the so-called “LA attitude.”
While the four definitely had great on-screen chemistry and seemed friendly, there was an interesting dynamic at play beneath the surface. Emma was still new to the YouTube scene, whereas James and the Dolan Twins had already established themselves as major creators. This often led to them poking fun at Emma— especially for her outfits and the way she presented herself. Looking back, it’s ironic, considering Emma has since solidified herself as a Gen Z fashion icon.
Meanwhile, the four filmed an IHOP mukbang for the Dolan Twins’ channel, while James taught Emma and the twins how to do makeup on his own channel. All three videos were massive, with James’ video currently sitting at 31 million views, the Dolans’ at 23 million, and Emma’s at 25 million.
During the mukbang, they reminisced about how they first met and became friends. Ethan originally DM’d James after noticing him commenting on his content, while Grayson discovered Emma’s videos on YouTube and reached out to her. They all became friends, and Emma— who was already a fan of the Dolan Twins— became part of their circle after they went bowling together.
Fatefully, in James’ makeup video, he introduced the group as his “Sister Squad” — a name that would go on to be forever associated with the group. It stemmed from James’ constant use of the word “sister” during this era.
Now, there were no shortage of iconic moments throughout the Sister Squad era. With this in mind, we wont be able to cover them all – but we have included a few notable ones.
Iconic Sister Squad videos
One video that many social media users consider to be the peak of the Sister Squad era is their road trip to Las Vegas. Posted on Emma’s channel, this vlog is arguably their most iconic— and one of their most viewed videos—sitting at 40 million views.
The 20-minute vlog follows the group as they drive to Vegas and document their trip, which included ziplining, shopping, and splurging on designer items. This was the height of flex culture on YouTube, where creators regularly showcased their wealth through luxury hauls and over-the-top purchases. And while the Sister Squad leaned into a more casual, relatable style of content, they still fed off this culture, incorporating elements of flex culture even in their seemingly carefree videos.
Part of what made this video so iconic was how much it felt like a teenage dream came to life. For many viewers, who were around the same age as the Sister Squad, watching a group of teens road-tripping to Vegas, shopping for designer items, and just having fun was pure escapism— especially for those still stuck in high school.
Beyond that, the group just had an undeniable chemistry. They seemed like the kind of friends everyone wanted to have, and Emma’s vlogging style only amplified that feeling. While all of them let viewers into their world, Emma’s willingness to record anything and everything made her videos feel the most immersive.
Aside from the Las Vegas trip, the Sister Squad’s gift exchange video became some of their most iconic content. This video, uploaded in December 2018, was a major moment for fans, but it wasn’t the first time the group had surprised each other with extravagant gifts.
Back in August 2018, for example, James posted a video titled “BEST FRIENDS BUY EACH OTHER OUTFITS,” where they paired up and picked outfits for one another. In the video’s description, James even noted that their makeovers “totaled to over $10,000!” At the time of recording, this is actually the most viewed Sister Squad video, currently sitting at 41 million views.
But this video was just a prelude for what was to come. For Christmas that year, the Dolan Twins posted gift exchange videos to their channel, while Emma’s contribution to the collaboration was more vlog-style content, where they took a “family photo” with Santa. This became an iconic video in its own right, mostly because there was a clip of James dramatically wiping out in the middle of a shopping centre after picking up Christmas sweaters for the group. On top of this, James posted a video where the group made gingerbread houses… but more on that later.
In the video, the twins spliced together footage of them shopping for gifts with each person’s reaction to receiving them. It was clear that everyone in the Sister Squad went all out, turning the gift exchange into something bigger than just a casual holiday tradition. Some of the most memorable gifts included Grayson building a skatepark for Ethan, Ethan giving James a customised “Sister” bench, and Grayson gifting James a personalised “Sister” piano. The extravagance of it all made the video feel like a mix of heartwarming and over-the-top— a perfect reflection of Sister Squad content.
By the end of 2018, it was clear that the Sister Squad had cemented their influence on YouTube. Their popularity was undeniable, to the point that they were featured together in YouTube Rewind 2018, appearing in a scene where they sat in a car floating through space.
Fan theories about Ethma
Aside from just making engaging content, part of the reason people were so obsessed with the Sister Squad was the speculation around Ethan and Emma — or should we say Ethma.
Now, we don’t want to go too deep into all the speculation because, at the time, Ethan and Emma were both really young, and it’s ultimately a private topic. But it’s worth talking about how viewers reacted to their alleged relationship— because Ethma fans were locked in, with next-level detective work taking place.
Obviously, this would have been really overwhelming for both Emma and Ethan, especially if they were navigating their first serious relationship. But a few key moments gave fans just enough to work with, and they ran wild.
It all started in May 2018, when Emma collaborated with Tana Mongeau at Playlist Live. The video has since been deleted, but in it, Emma admitted she had been a long-time Dolan Twins stan— and that Ethan was her favourite.
“I was a huge Dolan stan… It’s not that I grew out of it, I just realised that they’re too hot for me and then, at that point they became unattainable,” Emma said. “Honestly, so, like, for the whole time, it was Grayson, right? And then once I stopped looking at pictures of them and watched the videos I was like, ‘Maybe I’m Ethan.”
Once the Sister Squad started hanging out, fans started connecting the dots. YouTube was quickly flooded with (somewhat invasive) compilations of the group, with people pointing out subtle moments where Emma and Ethan felt like they were in a relationship.
One of the earliest clues was a 4th of July jet ski photo that Emma and Ethan posted together. In hindsight, fans of male celebrities and influencers always spiral when they’re seen with a woman, so this wasn’t exactly new (nor is it valid, to be honest).
But the real moment that sent fans into a craze happened later that year when YouTuber Tom Ward interviewed Emma at her house. In the background of the video, fans spotted Polaroids of Emma and Ethan together. Then, suddenly, the video was deleted and reuploaded with the background blurred.
Later, came the Dolan Twins’ lie detector test video, where Ethan was almost forced to admit he was dating someone. And, of course, the Sister Squad haunted house video, where Grayson seemed to reveal Emma was Ethan’s girlfriend— but bleeped out the label in editing.
“We love when Grayson exposes Emma’s and Ethan’s relationship,” one user commented.
There was also the crusty lips tweet in early 2019. At some point, Emma got dragged online for having “crusty lips,” and Ethan came in with the defence: “Her lips deffffinitely aren’t crusty,” he tweeted in response. He later tried to play it off, saying it was just because Emma was always talking about Chapstick— but fans did not buy it.
There were plenty of other little moments that kept Ethma theories alive, but those were some of the big ones. And while Emma and Ethan may have played into it at times, there’s no denying that the pressure must have been insane. This was likely their first serious relationship, and they were constantly being watched and scrutinised. It’s something worth remembering when it comes to influencers— so many of them are young and trying to figure things out, and this kind of intense observation isn’t healthy.
The demise of the Sister Squad
With all that said, it’s pretty safe to assume that all of this took a toll on the friend group. While we don’t know exactly what led to the Sister Squad’s breakdown, fans definitely picked up on a weird vibe between the four toward the end of 2018.
One of the biggest red flags came during the same collab cycle as the gift exchange video— but it was the video posted to James’ channel, titled “Best Friends Build A Gingerbread Dream House ft. Emma Chamberlain & Dolan Twins.” James actually admitted at the start of the video that this wasn’t their first attempt at filming it.
“Fun fact for you, we’ve actually already filmed this video once last week and it was probably the worst video we’ve ever filmed,” James said at the top of the video.
Fans noticed the tension, but at the time, most of the blame fell on the audience. People argued that the pressure from fans— especially with the obsession with Emma and Ethan— made it impossible for the group to act normally. And while that was probably part of it, in hindsight, many believe there was more going on behind the scenes. This is especially because this Christmas collab cycle ended up being the last time the group made content all together.
As one user commented two years after the video was posted: “The energy in this video makes me so uncomfortable. Like with Emma and Ethan obviously being in a fight, and with James making all these sexual jokes towards Grayson. It legit seems like the only people being nice to each other are Grayson and Emma. No wonder why they stopped hanging out.”
There was some concern around the dynamic between James and Grayson at the time. For instance, at the end of 2018, James seemed to address the speculation in a series of tweets. While it remains unclear who exactly James was referring to, many fans took it as a reference to his friendship with Grayson and the way James would play up having a crush on him. Though this tweet could have also been about Ethan and Emma.
That being said, many fans would go on to defend James, saying that it was all for entertainment purposes. But after the BYE SISTER scandal, people started looking back at their interactions a little differently. Whether it was just for the cameras or not, the whole thing left viewers feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
Now, BYE SISTER is essential knowledge for the chronically online, and if you are reading you probably know what went down. But to make a very long story short, on May 11th 2019, James’ career came crashing down overnight. While on tour in Australia, the beauty guru woke up to a 43-minute video by his friend and mentor, Tati Westbrook… titled “BYE SISTER…”.
PIN ITIn the video, Tati made several accusations, including claims that James was disloyal and money-hungry — which came about after James posted an Instagram Story promoting SugarBearHair after attending Coachella with the brand. For context, SugarBearHair was a direct competitor to Tati Westbrook’s Halo Beauty. Aside from these claims of betrayal, Tati also accused the then-teenager of using his fame to manipulate straight men into sexual relationships.
Almost immediately, James lost millions of followers (2.6 million subscribers in three days to be exact). Around this time, many fans also noticed that Emma, Grayson and Ethan were no longer following James — seemingly being the final nail in the coffin for the Sister Squad.
As we all know, James later posted two response videos. The first, titled “tati,” didn’t go over well, with many people finding it inauthentic, leading him to eventually delete it. His second video, “NO MORE LIES,” changed the course of the scandal. To date, it is still his most viewed video on his channel – currently sitting at 57 million views. In the video, James set the record straight, providing receipts and saying that Tati’s accusations hurt him deeply. Soon, the narrative had shifted entirely, with the internet back on his side.
Even so, these allegations— along with the supposed “weirdness” between him and Grayson— have lingered in conversations about James and his reputation. This has only been compounded by the other scandals he’s faced, particularly those involving allegations of inappropriate relationships with minors.
Where are the Sister Squad now?
With that being said, it’s clear a lot has happened between the group since the ill-fated Gingerbread house video. At the time, most fans didn’t realise it would be the last time the Sister Squad would collaborate. After that, there were a few instances where Emma worked with The Dolan Twins and James separately, but never as a full group again.
Initially, many assumed the split was due to The Dolan Twins coping with the tragic loss of their father, who passed away from cancer at the beginning of 2019. The twins understandably stepped back from the internet for a time, which was widely supported by their fans. However, the reaction from some corners of the internet was intense, with certain fans trying to find ways to attend their father’s funeral or wake, adding even more pressure to an already devastating time.
Later that year, Emma did reunite with the twins for a YouTube video. In one video, The Dolan Twins “became” Emma Chamberlain, while on Emma’s channel, they attempted to take high school finals. One of the last times Emma was publicly seen with Ethan Dolan was on July 12, 2019, when HollywoodFix caught them outside a SoulCycle class. When asked if they were officially dating, Ethan and Emma responded with, “Who said that? Have we said that? Not yet…”
In 2020, Emma refollowed James on Instagram, and on September 2nd, they collaborated again on two videos— “Emma Chamberlain Picks My Outfits For A Week“ and “Doing James Charles’ Makeup.” They lightly acknowledged past tensions, with James even hinting at it in a TikTok where he and Emma play-fought, captioning it: “an accurate depiction of the last 2 years 
.” However, Emma has since taken down her collab with James— with fans speculating that it was due to the allegations that later surfaced about James’ relationships with minors.
Since then, the former Sister Squad members have reflected on that era— without being too direct, of course.
In July 2020, for example, the Dolans twins made a video “Addressing assumptions about us…” where they addressed the Sister Squad. While they didn’t go into specifics, they made it clear they hadn’t kept in touch. “We actually haven’t talked to them in a while,” Grayson admitted, reinforcing that whatever happened behind the scenes wasn’t just about growing apart— it was some kind of legitimate split.
James has made similarly vague comments about the Sister Squad. In December 2020, he did a career ranking video where he placed the group in the “probably not again but happy for the experience” tier. He explained that they were all at different points in their lives and careers and needed to go in “different directions.”
“When I think back on it, this was a big, big part of my career. It lasted for an entire year, so there are definitely a lot of different moments that would be ranked at different places throughout this list,” he reflected. “There’s no denying that the Sister Squad was a huge, huge part of my career. And, honestly, as much as I hate the word ‘iconic,’ it was really, really cool to film these crazy, over-the-top videos with, at the time, my best friends in the entire world.”
Then, on May 28, 2022, James Charles released a video titled “Reacting To My Most ICONIC Videos,” where he revisited a Sister Squad video of them buying outfits for each other. While watching, he reflected on that period, saying, “Watching the video back makes me emotional, this was such a beautiful time in my life… I just loved being with that group of people so much.”
While James and the Dolan Twins have made occasional comments about the Sister Squad, Emma has arguably alluded to it the most. This is likely because she remains the most active in media and continues to create personal content through her podcast.
In August 2020, during a HollywoodFix paparazzi interview, Emma was asked if a reunion with the Dolan Twins was possible. She responded with, “No promises on that”— a comment that many fans took as confirmation that their alleged relationship was over.
Two years later, on Call Her Daddy, Emma opened up about feeling used by certain friends and the transactional nature of friendships in LA. She said she felt taken advantage of— especially when it came to YouTube collaborations. While she enjoyed doing collaborations, she often felt pressured to participate because certain creators were more successful than her at the time. Though she didn’t name names, many fans speculated she was referring to the Sister Squad.
Aside from that comment, Emma hasn’t really discussed specific friendships that frequently. But she has spoken about her previous relationships — which sleuths often connect to Ethan. For instance, in the episode of the “Anything Goes” podcast when Emma revealed her nicotine addiction, she spoke about a previous partner who shamed her for vaping. Listeners associated this to Ethan, partially because of timelines but also because the Dolan Twins were very public about being sober.
But last year was when Emma seemingly started opening up about the relationship more. In a podcast episode with Owen Thiele from August last year with the title “having a sleepover with owen thiele,” Owen asked if Emma had ever been cheated on, where she said: “That’s a great question. You know, I would say technically, no. However, for a long time, I felt like I did. One of the guys I dated— we broke up and then got back together, but it wasn’t really official. I kept saying, ‘We can’t hook up unless you’re only talking to me,’ but the communication there was so spotty that he was fucking everyone”
Most recently, in her “what my meltdowns have shown me” episode, posted in November 2024, Emma revealed more details about her first breakup with her first romantic relationship. While she doesn’t explicitly name the person, fans have drawn connections to Ethan Dolan, particularly because Emma mentions she was around 17 at the time and frequently attended SoulCycle— coinciding with the period when she and Ethan were often spotted together. Emma shared that the breakup was particularly difficult and that, despite the separation, they continued to hook up. This ambiguity left Emma in a painful situation, where she was still emotionally invested, despite his lack of commitment.
Ethan has not publicly addressed the speculation surrounding his past with Emma and her comments. The Dolan Twins have largely retreated from the online space, staying out of the public eye except for a few notable updates. In 2023, the twins shared that they had created a short film together, marking one of their few public projects since stepping away from social media. Additionally, in mid-2024, Ethan shared news of his marriage to Australian model Kristina Alice.
As of 2025, no members of the Sister Squad follow each other on Instagram (aside from Grayson and Ethan).
Though short-lived, the Sister Squad era marks an impactful moment in internet culture history. The collective highlighted the power of a YouTube friend group both from a career growth perspective and also from a parasocial perspective. For many young YouTube viewers at the time, the Sister Squad was one of their first experiences having a parasocial relationship with a group, rather than an individual creator. And navigating that parasocial relationship when the group dynamic changed has led to an overwhelming amount of nostalgia for the time these creators had together— as noted in the intro.
Six years after the Sister Squad era seemingly came to an end, it’s still debated whether the group were really friends offline or if their friendship was all for show. Many fans believe they played into what the audience wanted– including the Ethma rumours– while others are convinced that the group’s bond was authentic.
Ultimately, though we’ll never know for sure what was true and what was exaggerated, one thing is for certain– the impact that the Sister Squad had on their audience and the trajectory of the respective careers of Ethan Dolan, Grayson Dolan, Emma Chamberlain and James Charles was real.
Listen to the full episode via the ‘infinite scroll podcast’ on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.