New to TikTok? Buckle up.
The 2-year-old video-sharing app is one of the fastest-growing social media networks and gained steam in 2020 as more people found time to watch and create content. TikTok's popularity is showing no signs of slowing down in 2021.
While many TV and movie stars, singers and other "conventionally" famous celebrities have launched TikTok accounts to try to boost their youngest audiences, they are not the most popular TikTokers. No. 1 is Charli D'Amelio, known for her no-frills dance videos. Other top stars include the likes of Addison Rae and Lele Pons. In addition, Frankie Jonas—Jonas Brothers members Nick Jonas, Joe Jonas and Kevin Jonas' little brother, has become a star in his own right thanks to TikTok.
And while the social platform is chock full of your usual mix of celebrities, dancers and lip-syncers, others have used the platform to showcase their cooking skills, comedy, family hijinks and quirky hobbies hobbies while simultaneously inviting people into their private worlds.
So whether you're new to TikTok or looking to add to your growing list of influencers, check out the TikTokers you need to start following:
The "Bonus Jonas" little brother of Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas and Kevin Jonas shines on TikTok, where he has joked about nepotism, recreated scenes from Married to Jonas and oops, accidentally violated the platform's nudity rules. Even Nick has acknowledged that when it comes to TikTok, baby bro reigns supreme. Follow him at @iamfrankiejonas.
The Venezuela-born, Miami raised influencer used to be a Vine star and famously opened up about her experience with OCD, Tourette syndrome and additional personal struggles on her YouTube series The Secret Life of Lele Pons. She's also pretty popular on TikTok, where she posts a lot of dance videos. Follow her @lelepons.
The Connecticut native and Los Angeles resident rose to fame with her dance videos is the No. 1 most followed TikTok star as of November 2020, with more than 105 million followers. Follow her on TikTok @charlidamelio.
Check out Benny's celebrity impressions of the likes of Timothée Chalamet, Shawn Mendes and beauty influencer James Charles. Follow him @bennydrama7.
Also known for her dance videos, the popular TikToker is the highest-earning influencer on the social media platform. Follow her on TikTok at @addisonre.
Tabitha will bring a smile to your face with her infectious positivity and healthy vegan recipes. Follow her at @iamtabithabrown.
Spencer takes beatboxing to a whole new level. Check him out @spencerx.
Tyler offers up hilarious impressions of...your dad. Follow him @tylerjarry.
The influencer, who received the Shorty Award for Tiktoker of 2019, is known for her comedy, makeup and dance videos. She also plays Gemma in the online series Chicken Girls. Check her out @avani.
Natalie parodies the absurd situations and colorful characters one often encounters while working remotely in today's COVID era, such as "the coworker who's still shocked that we have to meet virtually." Follow her @corporatenatalie.
Rod rocks out to relatable scenarios in videos with titles like "Millennials jamming to sounds of their youth to avoid cryin at their corp job," "Millennials ignoring a 'quick question' message at 4:59 pm," and "Millennials drinking their 4th cup of coffee to add spice to their anxiety." Cue Evanescence. Follow him @justme.rod.
The Canadian influencer has garnered a massive following thanks to her relatable comedy skits. Follow her @yoleendadong.
Tyler delivers jokes and sketches about everything from The Great British Bake-Off to LGBTQ+ Holiday movies. Check him out @ghosthoney.
You know the Idaho warehouse worker as the dude who went viral in September 2020 for lip-syncing to Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" while drinking Ocean Spray Cran-Raspberry juice and longboarding home after his vehicle broke down. The song soon reentered music charts, frontwoman Stevie Nicks re-enacted his video and both clips were featured in a TikTok commercial. And as a thank you for the free publicity, Ocean Spray gifted him with a new pick-up truck. Check out his other lip-synching and dancing videos at @420doggface208.
In 2018, the 32-year-old bought an abandoned California mining town called Cerro Gordo for $1.4 million. In March, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, he moved into it as its sole resident. Over the next few months, he began documenting all the cool stuff he found in the town and the mines. His TikTok is like Ghost Hunters meets American Digger. Follow him @brentwunderwood.
Caroline Ricke plays a character who's part '00s socialite, part Legally Blonde's Elle Woods and part Clueless' Cher Horowitz. Follow her @richcaroline.
Christopher dances to nostalgic hits by the likes of Hannah Montana and the Cheetah Girls, the Star Wars theme song and more. Follow him @iamchrxstopher.
Meet Fifi. The transgender comedy performer, who often did standup in Los Angeles, answers questions about transitioning amid the coronavirus pandemic, jokes about politics, and makes acute Millennial vs. Gen Z observations. Follow her @fifidosch.
As the coronavirus pandemic raged, the hospitals were bombarded and this medical worker decided it was time to lay down some ground rules, cheerfully offering "useful tips from the ER." His PSAs are both funny and informative. Follow him @steveioe.
The 21-year-old from Michigan keeps it real with her sassy commentary about everything from celebrities to Chipotle. Follow her @thereal_tati.
The Pennsylvania-born, Michigan-raised and Los Angeles-based star made her debut on YouTube in 2016 with a travel vlog. On TikTok, the influencer branched out to post mostly comedy sketches. Follow her @annaxsitar.