Vivziepop

The Rise of an Independent Animation Powerhouse

Vivienne Medrano, better known by her online handle VivziePop, has emerged as one of the most influential independent content creators in the animation industry. Born on October 28, 1992, she operates under the YouTube handle @spindlehorse and has built a multimedia empire centered around her distinctive animated characters and musical storytelling^[1]. Her journey from art student to animation mogul represents a new paradigm in how creators can bypass traditional studio systems to reach global audiences.

Educational Foundation and Early Career

Medrano's animation career began at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in traditional animation in 2014^[1]^[15]. During her time at SVA, she launched her first YouTube channel "xZoOPhobiAx" and later created the main VivziePop channel in September 2012^[7]. Her passion for animation was sparked early by Disney's "Bambi," which inspired her to pursue the medium professionally^[15]. While still a student, Medrano created her breakthrough animated music video for Kesha's "Die Young" in October 2014, which garnered over 50 million views and established her reputation in online animation circles^[1]. This early success demonstrated her ability to create visually stunning content that resonated with audiences worldwide.

Building a Digital Animation Studio

In 2018, Medrano founded SpindleHorse Toons, her own animation studio based in Burbank, California^[3]^[6]. The studio specializes in 2D frame-by-frame animation and employs talented animation professionals from around the world, allowing the company to handle projects from script development through final production^[6]. This move from individual creator to studio head showcased Medrano's business acumen and ambition to scale her creative vision.

The ZooPhobia Foundation

Before her major animated series, Medrano created the webcomic "ZooPhobia," which ran from 2012 to 2016^[21]^[22]. The comic followed Cameron, a young woman with a fear of animals who finds herself at an interspecies sanctuary called Safe Haven^[21]. Many characters from this early work would later be adapted and reimagined for her animated series, demonstrating her ability to develop rich, interconnected fictional universes.

YouTube Success and Audience Growth

Medrano's YouTube channel has achieved remarkable growth, currently boasting 10.8 million subscribers and over 1.64 billion total views^[7]^[8]. The channel has gained significant momentum, adding approximately 100,000 subscribers in recent months^[9]. Her content generates substantial engagement, with videos receiving an average of 250,000 likes per upload^[9]. The financial success of her YouTube presence is evident in industry estimates suggesting monthly earnings between $37,400 and $841,500, with yearly projections reaching as high as $10.2 million^[9]. These figures reflect not just view counts but the dedicated engagement of her fanbase, who actively support her crowdfunding efforts and merchandise sales.

Breakthrough with Hazbin Hotel

Medrano's most significant success came with "Hazbin Hotel," an adult animated musical comedy she crowdfunded primarily through Patreon^[1]^[3]. The pilot episode, released on October 28, 2019, became a viral phenomenon, accumulating over 94 million views and creating a devoted global fanbase^[2]^[10]. The show's premise centers on Charlie, the princess of Hell, who attempts to rehabilitate demons through a hotel program to reduce Hell's overpopulation^[13]. The series combines adult humor, LGBTQ+ representation, and Broadway-style musical numbers, creating a unique entertainment experience that traditional studios might have considered too niche or risky^[13].

Major Studio Recognition

The success of the Hazbin Hotel pilot caught the attention of major entertainment companies. In August 2020, independent studio A24 partnered with Amazon MGM Studios to develop the series for Prime Video^[3]^[16]. When the full series premiered on January 19, 2024, it set a new streaming record for Prime Video, becoming the most-watched new animated title globally on the platform^[10].

Helluva Boss and Continued Innovation

Running parallel to Hazbin Hotel, Medrano created "Helluva Boss," a spin-off series set in the same fictional universe^[5]. The show follows I.M.P. (Immediate Murder Professionals), an imp-run assassination company operating between Hell and the human world^[5]. Unlike Hazbin Hotel, Helluva Boss remains independently produced and distributed exclusively through her YouTube channel, maintaining creative control while building audience loyalty. The series has achieved remarkable viewership, with its first season accumulating over 200 million views^[11]. Individual episodes regularly attract millions of viewers within hours of release, with season 2's premiere episode surpassing 4 million views in just 15 hours^[11].

Industry Recognition

In 2023, Helluva Boss won the Streamy Award for Best Animation, recognizing Medrano's achievement in online content creation^[18]^[19]. This award highlighted her position as a leader in independent digital animation and validated her approach of building audiences through direct online distribution rather than traditional television networks.

Broadway Talent and Musical Excellence

One of Medrano's distinguishing features as a content creator is her ability to attract high-caliber Broadway talent for voice acting roles. Her Hazbin Hotel cast includes industry veterans such as Erika Henningsen, Stephanie Beatriz, Keith David, Christian Borle, and Alex Brightman^[20]. This collaboration between online content creation and traditional theater demonstrates her respect for musical theater and her commitment to production quality. The musical elements in her work have become signature features, with songs from both series gaining independent popularity and contributing to fan engagement beyond the animated episodes themselves^[13].

Cultural Impact and Industry Influence

Media coverage has positioned Medrano as representative of a new generation of content creators who have successfully bypassed traditional entertainment industry gatekeepers^[4]^[14]. Industry publication Cartoon Brew described her as a "paragon of indie success in animation," noting how major studios and streaming platforms have taken notice of her independent approach^[3]^[14]. Her success has been particularly significant for demonstrating that creators can develop original intellectual property, build dedicated audiences, and maintain creative control while achieving commercial success^[14]. This model has influenced other independent animators and contributed to what some industry observers call a "golden age of indie animation"^[14].

Multiplatform Content Strategy

Beyond her primary animated series, Medrano has diversified her content portfolio with supplementary materials including behind-the-scenes videos, animated shorts through the "Helluva Shorts" series, and merchandise partnerships^[12]. This comprehensive approach to content creation helps maintain audience engagement between major episode releases while providing multiple revenue streams. Her content strategy demonstrates sophisticated understanding of digital audience development, using crowdfunding, direct fan support, and strategic partnerships to maintain both creative independence and financial sustainability^[2]^[17].