The days of calling TikTok just a lip-syncing and dancing app are gone, because it is the next big hub of short-form content. In 2025, a rise of such TikTok creators came, in which we saw new forms of lifestyle, makeup, food, tech, fitness, and more represented in various ways. In 2026, the app’s algorithm is keeping up with this shift from a mere trend-duplicating platform to a new way to get your fill of entertainment and information. The people who have cracked this code are now the strongest rising stars on TikTok.
Keep reading this article to know who the new and rising TikTok stars are, particularly from the USA, that you should watch in 2026.
1. Brooke Monk
TikTok Followers: 38.2M Followers
Brooke Monk is recognized as one of the most popular influencers in short-form media today across all platforms, especially TikTok. Her fun, entertaining videos typically feature everyday adventures she shares with her boyfriend.
With over 35 million followers on TikTok and brand collaborations with brands such as Celsius, she is one of the most successful influencers on the platform. Most of her posts document her beauty and makeup adventures and provide some insights into everyday life.
2. Laro Benz
TikTok Followers: 17M
Laro Benz is a father. He is not just another average dad; he creates unique content that makes parenting entertaining and has become a viral sensation through his TikTok series. With over 13 million followers on TikTok and 3 million subscribers on YouTube, he has amassed quite a following.
His videos feature humorous and heartwarming moments throughout his parenting journey with his daughter, Sachi. He also creates fashionable Fashion Nova videos and shares some wild moments from his life as a parent. If you’re looking for humor and wisdom on being the best parent you can be, Laro’s content is for you.
3. Sarah Ashley
TikTok Followers: 239.1 K Followers
Sarah Ashley, also known as @sarati on TikTok, is an actress, influencer, and fashion model who hails from Texas and now lives in Los Angeles. She has more than 10.5 million followers on TikTok and has received over 226.1 million “likes” on all of her posts. This level of success raises the next question: what is her content-creation strategy?
When she began creating videos on TikTok (formerly known as Musical.ly), she started making a variety of video types, including comedic skits, dub videos, challenges, and dance videos. Her humorous and creative style helped her gain fame on Instagram, and she transferred that success to TikTok. Before becoming a TikTok comedian, she was the “briefcase girl” on the show “Deal or No Deal” and later had a short-lived music career. With her large following, she has become an influencer and received numerous brand endorsements with companies like Geico, CELSIUS Energy Drink, and Dr. Greene’s Ideal Mattress.
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4. James Henry
TikTok Followers: 4.3M Followers
With more than 3.9 million followers on TikTok, @Jameshenry has become a very successful Los Angeles-based (LA) TikTok content creator. The 28-year-old fitness enthusiast’s social media career began on Vine, where he posted his initial vignette in December 2013. He was able to build up a large number of regular posts to over 40K before the app ceased operations and subsequently moved to both the YouTube and TikTok platforms, which exponentially increased his popularity.
His comedic skits, dance, and lip-sync videos have made him very popular with Gen Z on TikTok, and he graduated from Florida International University.
5. Humphrey Yang
TikTok Followers: 3.4M Followers
Humphrey Yang (@humphreytalks) has an impressive background as a financial adviser. He got his start at Merrill Lynch and worked his way up – from there, he built a large and successful career on Wall Street. In addition, his financial expertise was honed through years of service at Facebook as a player experience assistant and at Machine Zone Inc.
While he is now working full-time as an online business owner, he continues to create short videos in his Bay Area apartment for his TikTok channel. As a veteran fin-fluencer, he plans to produce awesome videos on a variety of topics, including non-fungible tokens (NFTs), shopping techniques at Costco, and tips and tricks to avoid falling into debt with predatory credit companies.
6. Brittany Xavier
TikTok Followers: 4.9M Followers
As one of the first fashion influencers to emerge from the millennial blogosphere, @brittany.xavier began her career as a fashion blogger and has recently transitioned to TikTok, where she has found her new home as a content creator and influencer. To promote her fashion blog and drive traffic, she used Instagram when she first launched it.
On TikTok, Brittany has produced a lot of high-quality content, including unboxings of luxury fashion and beauty products, outfit styling tips, and family-oriented videos. She has also collaborated with YSL, Cartier, and Marc Jacobs on several fashion-related projects.
7. Remi Bader
TikTok Followers: 2.2M Followers
The pandemic helped @remibader gain notoriety on social media from late 2020 through early 2021 as an influencer for her realistic clothing transformations. She uses very realistic methods to try on different clothing pieces and offers candid commentary on where different brands excel at providing extended sizing options.
Her authentic approach seems to be working well for her, as she’s been contacted by companies like Aerie to partner with them and has been featured in numerous promotions about body-positive messaging. More recently, @remibader was named a featured influencer for the Victoria’s Secret PINK campaign.
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8. Owen Han
TikTok Followers: 4.5M Followers
Los Angeles-based TikTok creator @owen.han was born to a family of Chinese and Italian descent, so he has been exposed to many different types of cooking throughout his life. He spent a lot of time growing up in Nonna’s kitchen, visiting every region of Italy to taste the great food from each.
After graduating from the University of Southern California and starting out making videos for fun on TikTok, Owen decided to develop his sandwich-making skills by building on his experience there. As a result, Owen has become incredibly popular with fans on TikTok, with 3.2 million followers and 60.3 million likes. He also has brand partnerships and endorsement deals, including an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show.
9. Nzinga
TikTok Followers: 135.2K Followers
Nzinga has been a devoted vegan for more than six years and began developing her plant-based lifestyle long before then. As a child, she was raised in a vegetarian household, where she developed a foundation in whole foods and compassionate eating through Vipassana meditation.
Nzinga’s work has appeared on HuffPost, and she has given many lectures about veganism around the world. She has also worked with major advocacy organizations, including Vegan Outreach and Farm Sanctuary. Whether she’s sharing recipes or discussing her meditation practice, Nzinga always has a calm and intentional voice.
10. Hyram Yarbro
TikTok Followers: 5.5M Followers
Hyram Yarbro (@hyram), a cosmetic expert who grew up on a farm in Arizona and now lives in Hawaii, has created outstanding how-to videos on TikTok for his fan base. Besides making fun, entertaining videos on TikTok, he is also very successful at promoting products on YouTube and Instagram and generating buzz among his followers.
In 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was starting to hit the United States, the New York Times published an article about him entitled “The Gen-Z Whisperer.” His viral presence on TikTok led to a rapid rise to fame as one of the platform’s most popular content creators. Hyram has garnered 6.2 million followers across all social platforms and has received over 288.8 million thumbs-ups for his TikTok videos alone, making him the most-thumbs-up creator of any type on either Instagram or YouTube. He has also been paid by large companies, like Krave Beauty and Glossier, to promote their products on his/her social media.
11. Demi Bagby
TikTok Followers: 14.1M Followers
Demi grew up like any normal child in the San Diego area, playing soccer; however, after suffering from an injury during a cheerleading accident in 2014, Demi’s entire life changed. Demi has quickly become one of TikTok’s leading influencers, currently having over 14.4 million followers and 305 million likes on TikTok (since launching in November 2022). The brands Demi has partnered with/endorsed include, but are not limited to, GymShark, Red Bull, and many others.
Demi has a knack for producing entertaining sport-themed videos, such as yoga, acrobatics, weight training, surfing, rock climbing, etc.) and has found her niche within this fitness-focused video creation, and people enjoy watching her demonstrate her skills within this area.
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12. Alexis Ryan
TikTok Followers: 10.3M Followers
Social media influencer Alexis Ryan has built an internet empire throughout her family’s multiple channels, including FUNnel Vision, DohMuchFun, FGTeeV, TheSkylanderBoy, and AndGirl on YouTube & TikTok. Her handle @funnelvision is one of the best known on TikTok with 7.2 million followers and has had over 72 million likes.
On TikTok, Alexis and her family have made themselves very popular with comedy skits, quirky music video characters, and acting/role-playing games. They use animation and their creative abilities to develop original ways for them to share their stories with a large audience on platforms such as FGTeeV & FUNnel Vision. She has also partnered with top companies, including Coca-Cola, American Eagle, and The North Face.
13. Hank Green
TikTok Followers: 8.1M Followers
A widely known educational vlogger in the U.S., Hank Green, became known on YouTube before creating a TikTok account (along with author John Green) through the “Vlogbrothers” channel. In addition to being an established vlogger, Hank has a long history of creating educational programming, such as “Crash Course” and “SciShow”; therefore, he had already reached a large audience before launching his TikTok account.
Hank’s approach to producing his content involves creating fun yet educational responses to complex science-based questions, sharing helpful techniques and tips he finds useful during his studies of Science, and showcasing his unique, quirky personality in most of his content.
14. Simon and JJ
TikTok Followers: 6.5M Followers
JJ Yosh and his feline companion, Simon, have become a hot ticket on TikTok with their account @backpackingkitty. The two have spent over $116,000 travelling throughout the United States together, enjoying a wide range of adventures, from hiking, kayaking, and mountain climbing to almost anything else you could think of! If you love adventure, then checking out their TikTok account will definitely make you envious as they have garnered over 6 million followers and received a whopping 156.4 million likes in total.
JJ told the New York Times, “I created the content to share my and Simon’s adventure with the world, and people loved it.” Because of his large following, JJ has also generated significant interest among brands such as REI, Mercedes-Benz, and many others, who have used him in marketing campaigns for his reach.
Conclusion
Influencer culture is slowly becoming a legitimate occupation in 2026, and as content types on TikTok rise, what people can watch is also changing. With that in mind, rising stars on TikTok become very important, as they help us understand what exactly works for short-form content. Is it the creator’s presence itself, or is the content speaking for them?
