- If you're looking to mix up your TikTok feed in 2021, you should follow these creators.
- Some produce original comedy content, while others make wholesome videos that are guaranteed to lighten up any feed.
- This list includes creators who make everything from bingeworthy cooking videos to creative animation and original songs.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
In 2020, TikTok outgrew its reputation as a video app for teenagers to become one of the biggest media forces driving culture today.
From record-setting follower counts to an expansive "Ratatouille" musical, creators on the app exceeded what many thought was possible in the realm of culture creation.
While many of the biggest names in TikTok — creators like the D'Amelio sisters or Addison Rae Easterling — have parlayed their social media success into branding, TV, and podcast deals, they only represent a small amount of the content available on TikTok.
If you're looking to mix up your feed in 2021, here are 21 TikTok creators that you should follow in 2021.
Carleigh Spence (@teenscientist)
gold digger turned grave digger. his own grave #ProblemSolved
Carleigh Spence, a 24-year-old TikToker better known by her handle @teenscientist ("i am not a teen," her bio reads), was an instrumental force in the wave of Matthew Morrison hate on TikTok earlier this year, Bustle reported.
While she's best known for leading the TikTok charge against the former "Glee" actor, Spence puts out some of the funniest original comedy content on the app. Frequently featuring original sounds, impeccable delivery, and a healthy amount of reverb, Spence's content is a whirlwind that doesn't miss a beat.
The first available video on her account was posted in March, and since then, Spence has amassed over 225,000 followers with her unique brand of comedy and musical humor, culminating in a recently released Christmas EP featuring tracks like "Santa Wuts Ur Sign???" and "The Day Christmas Died."
Erin (@wheelierin)
hehe here u go babes 💖 instant 500k likes for ya 💖💖 ##fyp ##disability ##wheelchair ##greenscreen
Erin, known by her TikTok handle @wheelierin, appears to have posted her first video on TikTok in late 2019. Since then, she's amassed over 280,000 followers with original comedy, jokes about why she uses a wheelchair, and aesthetically pleasing lyric and lip-sync videos, alongside a variety of other content.
While much of her content is comedy-focused, Erin also frequently calls out ableist and sexist comments on her videos, explaining how people shouldn't make certain comments — like calling her "inspirational" or saying that she gives people hope — to people with disabilities.
"The only reason you guys think that I'm inspiring is because you were taught that disabled people should do nothing, and sit in their houses, and not be on the internet or be funny or have a personality," she said in response to a comment on a previous video. "I'm not inspiring."
From correcting a dearth in media representation with videos of "super f-ckin sexy" disabled people to making jokes about able-bodied people duetting her videos for clout to speaking out about having "the world's PHATTE$T A$$," @wheelierin is a candid TikTok creator with incredible timing and wit who's well worth a follow.
Pablo David Laucerica (@pablodlaucerica)
brain is skeptical. brain need reassurance.
A TikTok musician, Pablo David Laucerica has amassed over 330,000 followers with a series of short, jingle-based videos in which he sings about getting anxious for no reason, moments you wish you could forget, and feeling insecure, among other topics.
In addition to being extremely relatable, Laucerica's videos feature deliciously crunchy chords and Bill Wurtz-esque production that harkens back to the mid-2010s. His videos also venture into musical collaborations, teaching stories, and comedy.
If you're looking for a dose of relatable musical comedy — and jingles about being "emotionally unavailable" that'll get stuck in your head for days on end — Laucerica is a worthy follow.
Charlie Curtis-Beard (@charlicurtisb)
If there were ever a time to show me love it’s now! Blow this up so @superduperkylecan see me rap! love you all! ##YESfreestylechallenge ##kyle
Charlie Curtis-Beard said in a video that he moved to LA shortly before the pandemic. When the world stopped, he dedicated his time to making music and building an online presence. The earliest available video on his account was posted in March, and in the months since, he's amassed over 350,000 followers.
It's not hard to see why — from participating in dance challenges to adding his own verses onto Super Mario soundtracks to promoting his EP, Curtis-Beard's musical content is delightful and full of slick wordplay and pop culture callbacks.
Many of his videos feature him adding verses to popular TikTok sounds — "You have to stop asking me to rap over every viral TikTok sound," he jokes in one video. Others videos feature him rapping in 7/8 time, and 5/4 time, and 11/8 time, and a number of other asymmetrical time signatures.
Now, with a new 2020 EP called "Rain in Pasadena" under his belt, Curtis-Beard's signature "Oh my!" is a recognizable calling card on TikTok as well.
Jaden Clark (@drive45music)
work in progress
@drive45music, who according to his Instagram is Jaden Clark, breaks down simple concepts with comedic, snappily edited videos that may leave you spiraling rather than satisfied — but in the best way. It's earned him over 218,000 followers on TikTok.
On an app where users can go viral for filming a 15-second dance clip or firing off a single smart joke, there's also a place for videos that are the clear result of pre-planning and clever editing.
While Clark's videos may seem circuitous as he wanders around, speaking into a recording device, they touch on topics like generational anxiety, the driving forces that motivate us as human beings, and struggling with productivity amid the feeling that you'll just never stop working until you die.
Relatability aside, Clarke's intentionally disjointed and chaotic editing style makes his content instantly binge-able. And, as implied by his username, he makes music too.
Frankie Jonas (@iamfrankiejonas)
##stitch with @aghachi ##nepatism ##CancelTheNoise ##longlivedogs ##coverlettertips
Frankie Jonas, who at 20 years old is the youngest Jonas brother, began to make a name for himself on TikTok towards the end of 2020 after he began to post videos in October. While he's made jokes on his account about his relationship with his older brothers Joe, Kevin, and Nick — in one TikTok he joked about "[getting] by on nepotism" — his content is genuinely funny and reflective of TikTok's Gen Z-focused humor.
As Mashable's Morgan Sung reported, Frankie Jonas has posted hentai tributes on his account, made jokes about "breaking community guidelines by posting a video where you can literally see my penis," and posted the search results for "frankie jonas weed," which are full of 2016 reports about the then-teen being arrested for marijuana possession.
With his growing TikTok fame — as of late December, Jonas had surpassed 1.6 million followers on the app — Frankie Jonas' career success may soon reach the height of his older brothers.
Anania Williams (@anania00)
#blm
Anania Williams posted about hitting 40,000 followers on TikTok on August 3. Just five months later, he's amassed 1.7 million with some of the best comedy content on the app. Williams' content is also frequently deeply empathetic and personal, speaking about racism and homophobia.
With his signature mustard yellow beanie, Williams speaks frankly to the camera in videos that cover everything from people with anime profile pictures to the "rising concern that is the white twink community."
He's perhaps best known for a series of videos in which he films himself running on an empty street, speaking frantically (but also somehow casually) about fleeing from white supremacists, the FBI, or the government.
"A lot of what this page is to me is like, laughing to keep from crying, and I'm really happy that I get to bring a smile to at least someone's faces and spread the word about things going on in our society," Williams said of his TikTok account in a November video.
Nick Cho (@yourkoreandad)
##yourkoreandad found some FANCY grapes! 🍇😱💸
Nick Cho is "your Korean dad." The 47-year-old TikToker has amassed approximately 1.7 followers with a slate of wholesome content in which he greets audiences and then proceeds to speak to the camera while peeling clementines, going through the car wash, and perusing the aisles of a Korean grocery store.
Many of Cho's videos are just pleasant to watch, and he speaks casually and affectionately in a way that's clearly resonated with audiences. Still, others touch on weightier topics. In one, Cho reassures viewers that they don't have to be strong and can ask for help; in another, he speaks directly to transracial adoptees.
Cho told Today that in his videos, he just wants to "be a nice dad who happens to be Korean American." Now a dad to hundreds of thousands of followers, Cho is aware of the emotional impact of his content.
"I watch every duet, and what I'm seeing from so many of you is that you're feeling a lot of feelings," he said in a response to a duet of one of his videos. "I'm here for you."
Caroline Ricke (@richgirlcaroline)
if serving is a crime, give me a life sentence
Caroline Ricke has built a following of approximately 2.7 million over the course of 2020 with hilarious video sketches that draw on her attention-seeking, "rich girl" social media persona. Ricke's TikTok content builds on her previous (and continuing) work on YouTube.
From parody photoshoot videos to skits about being the "first attractive person to be accepted to Harvard Law School," many of her videos turn established TikTok tropes and social media characters into comedy fodder. She also puts TikTok's comment reply feature to good use, using her own comments left on previous videos as lead-ins for new ones.
While Ricke may have started on YouTube, she's become a significant comedy presence on TikTok who's sure to grow in 2020.
Anita Groowe (@anitagroowe)
IG anitagroowe ##foryou ##fyp
Anita Groowe grew her following on TikTok in the last several months of 2020, rocketing to 3.4 million followers in December. A growing TikTok idol — her Urban Dictionary entry defines her as "OUR QUEEN BOW THE F-CK DOWN" — Anita's content is mostly-dance focused, with the majority of her videos filmed in the same location and in a variety of killer outfits.
She's perhaps most famous for creating a dance to the theme song of Disney Channel's "Shake It Up" that's become not only a viral dance challenge, but also Groowe's calling card. Many of the videos she's posted of herself doing the dance have gone viral, amassing hundreds of thousands (and in several cases, millions) of likes.
Groowe has become a beloved TikTok icon, and it seems that her stardom is only going to grow in 2021.
Sandra Jeenie Kwon (@jeenie.weenie)
Cabin crew silent punches 😏😏 #cabincrewlife #jwcabincrew
Sandra Jeenie Kwon's content lies at the perfect intersection of customer service, storytimes, and airplane drama. While, as In The Know reported, Kwon quit being a flight attendant over 10 years ago, she worked as a cabin crew member with Emirates Airlines for two and a half years and has plenty of stories to tell.
Armed with a variety of wigs that allow her to inhabit different characters, Kwon has amassed nearly 4 million followers on TikTok with stories about confronting passengers who make fellow crew members cry, resolving seating conflicts, and flying with her mother.
From travel tips to vindictive passenger stories, it's easy to find yourself scrolling endlessly through Kwon's feed.
Newton Nguyen (@newt)
Sinonim rolls ‼️🥶😈
Newton Nguyen's cooking videos have earned him over 6.6 million followers, and it's not hard to see why. With an engaging style that's part how-to and part vlog, he's become a fixture on cooking TikTok.
His videos are casual, featuring easy-to-follow recipes and innovative titles (think "sinonim rolls"). He's cooked dishes like pesto, grilled cheese, fried rice, and lumpia, but he also regularly posts dance challenges and other kinds of content as well.
"I'm just a regular guy, and not a chef at all," Nguyen told The Los Angeles Times in May. "I'm genuinely having the time of my life while I'm filming these videos, and I think the viewers can tell when content is coming from a real place."
Sink Reviews (@sinkreviews)
Doris in Brooklyn ##fyp ##sinks ##sinkreview ##nyc ##sinktok ##GivingThanks
The enigmatic voice behind Sink Reviews has only been judging pearly basins since November, but the gimmicky TikTok account quickly blew up and has already surpassed 500,000 followers. Sink Reviews is even selling its own merch, and you can get your own sticker to rank your own sink if you'd like.
The format behind Sink Reviews is simple, yet charming — the disembodied male voice eloquently describes the assets and downfalls of a various sinks in New York City (example: "The interplay between bone white basin, silver and gold fixtures, and the lush blue wall absolutely dazzles"). Then, he gives the sink a rating between one and five sinks.
Each sink review is set to an elegant score of classical music. This type of calming yet engaging TikTok format has taken off on the app, and the Sink Reviews' unique choice of content has given it an ironic twist on lifestyle reviews. Give it a follow, and think more critically about your own hand-washing station while you do.
Ivehadenoughofthis (@iheot)
##scoobydoo except every character is ##jamescharles ##fyp
TikTok is full of artists of all varieties, including some exceptional animators. One such artist caught the eye of makeup guru James Charles after they created a viral Scooby-Doo parody series of animations where every character was played by Charles.
"@iheot" on TikTok stands for "I've had enough of this," and the artist has racked up more than 145,000 followers. It's not just Charles who has been animated into cartoon characters by @iheot — they also created a Rugrats parody starring every character as "Kombucha girl" Brittany Broski, an "Among Us" game featuring the voices of the Kardashians, and a skit about Oompa Loompas trying to escape Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.
The animations often rely on the voices of other famous TikTokers, which adds to their viral appeal, but they stand out because of their detailed artwork.
Ryan Beard (@ryanbeardofficial)
Ryan Beard is a former America's Got Talent season 11 contestant who turned his musical skills and penchant for original songs into TikTok fame. With more than 2 million followers on the app, Beard's satirical songs about TikTok's problematic stars and his "Unmotivational Monday" series of harsh truths are as entertaining as they are sobering.
MIT Technology Review reported that Beard put out an album this summer amid fears that the Trump administration would ban TikTok. But luckily, he's still going strong, releasing tracks like "Baby It's Woke Outside!" and promoting them on TikTok.
Beard's music is enjoyable, but what makes his account a true standout is his biting commentary on politics, Gen Z, online creators, and whatever else he puts his mind and keyboard to.
Chrissy Chlapecka (@chrissychlapecka)
BIMBOS, RISE 💖‼️ ##bimbo ##bimbotok ##fyp ##ily ##ihatecapitalism
Chrissy Chlapecka is the unofficial queen of "Bimbo TikTok" — best described by EJ Dickson in Rolling Stone as "a glittery island in the middle of the wasteland of TikTok's infinite scroll, where 'girls, gays, and theys' […] engage in a collective performance of hyperfemininity."
Chlapecka is well-known on TikTok, where she has 1.4 million followers, for her bimbo-styled videos. Before then, she established herself early on with an uncanny Ariana Grande impression and a viral, drunken Sunday morning statement against men's rights.
Chlapecka's style is pink and on point, and her soothing voice plus progressive political platitudes are charming and hilarious. Her satirical comedy chops are just as unmatched as her blonde high pony and black winged eyeliner.
Maren Altman (@marenaltman)
covid 2021 onward as compared to the 1918 pandemic. ##Productivity ##astrology ##covid19 ##MakeItMagical
Like any social media platform, astrology has found its home on TikTok, where dozens of amateur and professional astrologers decode the stars, explain the signs, and make predictions about the future. Maren Altman falls into the professional category, and with more than 840,000 followers she's one of the biggest stars on astrology TikTok.
Altman is probably a familiar face, or at least aesthetic, to TikTok viewers. She's always dressed in red with a bright red matching lip, and her TikToks are fast-paced and informative — even to non-believers. Altman told W Magazine that's she's been an outspoken liberal and been interested in political astrology since she was a teenager, which makes sense, since her accurate predictions about the 2020 election boosted her profile.
In addition to TikTok videos about politics and the coronavirus pandemic, as explained by astrology, Altman also posts the typical astrology fare about romance, friendship, the signs, and more.
Steven Morea (@aprilf00lsday)
##pov i’m ur denny’s waiter
Steven Morea is a comedy TikToker with more than 406,000 followers known for entertaining skits, ad-lib comedy, and popular point-of-view (POV) videos on the app. Morea's humor as an oft-exhausted college student has resulted in dozens of popular TikToks, from him play-acting characters such as a sassy Denny's waiter and a surreal guest on "Ellen."
Morea has become well-known on the "alt/gay" side of TikTok and his antics have made him a rising star in the platform's comedy scene.
Mochi (@nintendo.grl)
what’s in my travel bag?🌸💓 the bag is from @pennycraftsstudio❣️ ##foryou##fyp##sanrio##sanriogirl##mymelody##kawaii##asmr##haul##anime##weeb##otaku##satisfying
"Aesthetic" is practically a TikTok category of its own, and just about anyone with a collection of just about anything can go viral on the app. Mochi, a self-described "West Asian" collector and cosplayer, has attracted an audience of more than 5.8 million followers with her kawaii aesthetics and dizzying collection of anime and fandom objects.
In one of her many popular videos, Mochi pulls out a kawaii (AKA cutesy) cup and plate and assembles a Japanese snack platter. It has more than 24 million views. She also has videos about clothes, cosplay, electronics, decor, and more.
August (@theres.food.at.home)
What’s your favorite flavor of wings? Yes, I was a hooters girl, ha. ##wings ##cooking ##cookingtips ##theresfoodathome ##Catchphrases
Recipe videos are one of the most popular genres on TikTok, with tons of stars whose accounts revolve around making mouth-watering food. But videos from @theres.food.at.home, a play on the "We have food at home" meme that so often accompanies bland-looking home food, is particularly infused with soul, creativity, and flavor.
August, the personality behind the account, is anything but boring. Some of her popular videos include a chicken pot pie recipe, hot wings, and a loaded baked potato. Watching August cook them is almost as fun as eating them would be.
Nabela Noor (@nabela)
my first time watching polar express 🎄💕🥲 12.07.20 ##POPmas ##pocketsofpeace ##holidaytiktok ##holidaysourway ##holidaymusic ##happyholidays ##bekind
Nabela Noor is a Muslim-American lifestyle YouTuber, self-love activist, and founder of plus-sized brand Zeba. Her YouTube channel has nearly 1 million subscribers and has been in operation for 7 years, but Noor really took off on TikTok, where her aesthetically pleasing "pockets of peace" day-in-the-life style videos became incredibly popular.
Noor now has 5.1 million followers on the app, and has continued to post from her airy, light home, where she documents herself taking showers, pouring coffee, lighting massive candles, chopping fruit, tidying, and doing just about anything else you can do in sparkly lighting.
Noor's videos are incredibly calming and pleasing to the eye, and her positivity creates a truly zen place on TikTok for fans to gather.
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