With 5.17 million YouTube subscribers, the 27-year-old might be the most successful ‘ASMRtist’ in the world

It would be crass for Jonah Singer to reveal what he makes from being a YouTube content creator, but he will show Guardian Australia his new $100,000 mic. The 5128-C is a head and torso simulator (a half-manikin fitted with ear mics, capable of binaural recording); he’s named it Alex, after a Minecraft character. It lives in his beautiful studio (part of his larger studio and office complex) in Sydney’s inner west. Yes, the 27-year-old is doing all right.

As “Jojo”, Singer specialises in ASMR: autonomous sensory meridian response. It’s the tingly, relaxed sensation that some people get when exposed to “triggers” such as whispering, rustling and mouth noises.

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