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Top Gen Z Influencers – Who are the most famous influencers of Gen Z

Young users of social media platforms, especially those part of Gen Z, are known for being expressive and creative. Both TikTok and Instagram users are highly engaged in the platforms because of the widely diverse content and the ability to personalize their selections. Gen Z Influencers have found a significant niche among the youngest generation and are capitalizing on it.

TIKTOK AND INSTAGRAM INFLUENCE GEN Z

Corona Virus wasn’t the only widespread event to take note of in 2020 and 2021. TikTok and Instagram have become the universal social platforms for Gen Z, young adults born after 1996. 

You can see the effect all over in everyday situations: standing in line at the grocery store, waiting at the dentist office, or head over to a local public school to really be captivated by the influence of TikTok and Instagram on Gen Z. 

Most likely you will see a young adolescent or group of adolescents performing and recording the latest TikTok dance move. Or, they are completely engrossed in their phone scanning for a friend’s latest Instagram post. It is an astounding phenomenon that has taken over the nation.

While SnapChat has the biggest influence on Gen Z of social media platforms at 42 million users in the demographic, TikTok and Instagram have almost closed the gap with 37.3 million and 33.3 million users reported, respectively. 

GEN Z INFLUENCERS ARE THE CELEBRITIES OF TOMORROW

With so many of the Gen Z population flocking to TikTok and Instagram, it is easy to say that the influencers on these social platforms are the celebrities of tomorrow. In fact, if you were to ask any adolescent about their favorite person on Instagram or TikTok, they would be able to quickly rattle off a few names that they follow. 

Gen Z followers have catapulted a few content creators to influencer status and superstardom  already. Check out these famous Gen Z influencers who are making an impact on TikTok and Instagram!

TOP GEN Z INFLUENCERS TO WATCH:

Zendaya

Instagram followers: 148 M

YouTube Subscribers: 3.9 M

Zendaya, full name Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman, was born in 1996 which puts her at the older end of Gen Z. That has not prevented her from making a large space with young adolescents as an influencer. 

She is known as an actress and singer earning a Primetime Emmy Award, a Satellite Award, and a Saturn Award. As a child she was a model and backup dancer, but gained notoriety on the Disney Channel as Rocky Blue on the sitcom Shake It Up. She has also been a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. Her film performances include The Greatest Showman, Spider-Man Homecoming, Malcolm & Marie, Space Jam: A New Legacy, and Dune. In addition to acting, she has released several songs that have hit the Billboard Hot 100 like “Replay” and “Rewrite the Stars”.

Amanda Steele

Instagram followers: 2.6 M

YouTube Subscribers: 2.56 M

TikTok followers: 152.5 K

Amanda Steele was born in 1999 making her 22 years old. She is a video blogger, model, and actress. Amanda is most famous for her beauty and fashion content after starting her YouTube channel, MakeupByMandy24. Amanda has made a splash in the beauty world through a partnership with Maybelline during New York Fashion Week and working with familiar brands like L’Oreal Paris, Neutrogena and Target. 

As an actress, Amanda has starred in a web series, Guidance, and a TV show, Paradise City. She was signed to IMG Models in 2016 and has a collaboration for a sunglass line with Quay Australia. She has been featured in several publications including: Teen Vogue, V Magazine, CR Magazine, W Magazine, Seventeen and Nylon.

Charli D’Amelio

Instagram followers: 48.9 M

YouTube Subscribers: 9.54 M

TikTok followers: 144 M

Charli D’Amelio, TikTok’s biggest star, has only been an active Gen Z influencer for 2 years. Charli is only 17 years old currently, but has a large social media following.  Her big debut was in 2019 as a social media personality and skilled dancer.

Charli began posting dance videos to trendy songs on TikTok and quickly became the most-followed creator on the platform. She is recognized as the first person to reach 50 million and 100 million followers on TikTok. Forbes stated that in 2019, D’Amelio was the second-highest earning personality on the platform. She has since dabbled in other endeavors which include a Super Bowl commercial, makeup line, podcast, docu series on Hulu, a book, and a voice role on StarDog and TurboCat

Charli continues to influence Gen Z on TikTok through a collaboration with Dunkin’ Donuts. Once a normal teenager, D’Amelio has exploded onto the social media scene and expanded her career to include many other monetary opportunities.

Loren Gray

Instagram followers: 23.3 M

YouTube Subscribers: 3.75 M

TikTok followers: 54.6 M

At the young age of 13, Loren Gray started posting videos to Musical.ly (now TikTok). While she is most known for her work on TikTok, she also models and sings as an independent artist. Loren was a signed recording artist to Virgin Records and Capitol Records until early 2021. She has released several singles that include “My Story”, “Kick You Out” and “Queen”.

Loren received nominations for a People’s Choice Award, the Teen Choice Award, and a VMA in 2016. In addition, Teen Vogue and Seventeen magazines did a feature on Gray. She is presently the 9th most-followed person on TikTok. 

Khaby Lame

Instagram followers: 78.7M

YouTube Subscribers: 1 M

TikTok followers: 145 M

Khabane (Khaby) Lane was born in the year 2000 and is based out of Italy. In 2021, he became the 2nd most-followed TikToker, surpassing the infamous Addison Rae. He is well known for his TikTok videos in which he silently pokes fun at over-complicated life hacks. 

Lame first started posting to TikTok after being laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic. He began posting “duets” and “stitch” videos depicting how to perform a complicated task easily. Khaby has since been able to monetize his stardom with merchandise such as shirts, vinyl stickers and decals.

Millie Bobby Brown

Instagram followers: 55.9 M

YouTube Subscribers: 330K

Born in 2004, Millie Bobby Brown, is an actress and model with English roots. At only 17, Brown has a long line of accomplishments in the acting world. Her most prominent role was on a Netflix series, Stranger Things. This role earned her a Primetime Emmy nomination and Screen Actors Guild award at the age of 13.

Brown has also been cast in ABC’s Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Intruders, NCIS, Modern Family, and Grey’s Anatomy. Millie Bobby didn’t stop there however, she starred in a music video “Find Me”, Citigroup commercials, was in the feature film Godzilla: King of Monsters and signed with IMG modeling agency. She is also the youngest person ever to have been featured on TIME magazine’s 100 list.

Noah Cyrus

Instagram followers: 6.2 M

YouTube Subscribers: 2.2M

TikTok followers: 1.8M

Noah Cyrus is related to famous singers Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus. She is also a singer and actress. Born in 2000, Cyrus began her acting career at the age of two in a TV series Doc. Noah can also be seen in episodes of Hannah Montana on Disney Channel’s series and in Hannah Montana: The Movie.  Cyrus has since starred in Mostly Ghostly, Ponyo and American Horror Stories.

Her early success was in acting, but Noah has also made her way into the music industry releasing several singles like “Make Me (Cry)”, “We Are” and “Stay Together”. She has collaborated with top name artists Lil Xan and opened for Katy Perry. Cyrus also has several extended play (EP) albums available including The End of Everything and People Don’t Change.

Olivia Giannulli

Instagram followers: 1.3M

YouTube Subscribers: 1.82M

TikTok followers: 367k

Olivia Jade Giannulli was born in 1999 to famous parents, Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli. You may recognize the name from a bribery scandal and fraudulent application to the University of Southern California in 2019. However, she is known to Gen Z as a YouTuber and Instagram social media star.

Olivia started her Youtube Channel and Instagram accounts in high school and quickly was able to monetize her influence with endorsements from Amazon, Sephora and TRESemme. Giannulli is most prevalent in fashion and make-up and trademarked “Olivia Jade” and “Olivia Jade Beauty”. She has also had small roles in a game show, Dancing with the Stars, and a feature in Operation Varsity Blues.

Jordyn Woods

Instagram followers: 12.6 M

YouTube Subscribers: 451 K

TikTok followers: 1.2M

Jordyn Woods kicked off her career after being discovered on Instagram by a modeling agency. She modeled for Khloe Kardashian’s company, Good American, and walked the runway for Lane Bryant and Christian Siriano. In 2017, Woods walked in a New York Fashion Week show. 

Jordyn has appeared on TV as well landing roles on Life of Kylie, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, VH1’s Hip Hop Squares, The Masked Singer, grown-ish, Trigger and a BET+ film Sacrifice. Since her breakout on the modeling scene, Woods has launched several business ventures including SECNDNTURE, a collection on Kylie Cosmetics, Boohoo.com, and a hair extension line.

Taylor Hill

Instagram followers: 20.1 M

Taylor Hill is an American model born in 1996. Although she doesn’t have a strong presence on TikTok, she makes up for it on Instagram with 18.1 million followers. She is well-known for being a Victoria’s Secret Angel and has worked for other popular brands like Ralph Lauren, Dolce and Gabbana, Givenchy, Fendi, Marc Jacobs, Chanel and Michael Kors.

In 2015, Hill was “Model of the Year” and in 2017 was considered one of “The World’s Top-Earning Models”. She has appeared in a wide selection of magazines that include Vogue, Glamour, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar and Elle. Taylor’s modeling career provided opportunities in TV and film roles such as The Neon Demon, The Fashion Fund, Good on Paper, and The Broken Hearts Gallery.

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David Adler is an entrepreneur and freelance blog post writer who enjoys writing about business, entrepreneurship, travel and the influencer marketing space.

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