TikTokFrom Australia to the US, New Zealand to South Africa, TikTok creators across the world are redefining culture and making a positive impact on and off the platform. Today, we're excited to unveil The Discover List 2025, a global showcase of 50 "creators to watch” across five categories: Educators, Foodies, Icons, Innovators, and Originators. Inclusive of four standout creators from Australia and New Zealand, this year’s list highlights trendsetters who are inspiring audiences globally.
The Discover List’s featured creators are sparking trends, inspiring audiences around the globe and are shaping the future of content creation.
"At TikTok we are committed to celebrating our incredible creator community. Today we are excited to unveil The Discover List 2025 - a showcase of 50 creators to watch from across the world," said Kim Farrell, Head of Creators at TikTok, "From the Educators who are inspiring their communities to learn something new, to the Icons who have entertained audiences with their unique point of view, we are proud to be a space where new talent can be discovered and authenticity can truly thrive."
"We're delighted to highlight our Discover List honorees as we continue building a unique platform where over one billion people, including 8.5 million Australians, come to be entertained and learn something new. Whether they’re starting trends, or redefining what it means to be an Educator, Foodie, Innovator, Icon, and Originator, these creators are the true definition of authentic expression, and we can’t wait to see what they do next", added Simon Bates, Head of Content for TikTok Australia and New Zealand.
Want to learn more about each of the creators on this year's list? Check out The Discover List 2025 Lookbook for creator bios, additional photos, and quotes!
Australia & New Zealand’s creators to watch are (L-R):
- Educators: @aslanpahari (Sydney, Australia) - Aslan Pahari: Aslan Pahari combines his passion for history and culture with storytelling through engaging videos on TikTok. Utilising his deep knowledge of mythology, language, and South Asian traditions, he uses his platform to share thought-provoking insights, debunk myths, and inspire curiosity in his millions of followers worldwide.
- Foodies: @biteswithlily (Sydney, Australia) - Lily Huynh: Lily is a creator who feels like your food best friend, taking you on an adventure to discover the best food around the world. Whether she’s diving into local street food or recreating mouthwatering recipes at home, her vibrant content has won the hearts (and appetites) of food lovers everywhere. Lily inspires her audience to try new flavours and explore different cuisines, one bite at a time.
- Icons: @juliansewell (Auckland, New Zealand) - Julian Sewell: Julian Sewell is a creator based in Auckland, New Zealand who makes skits that parody Hollywood and pop culture. He is mostly known for his portrayal of 19-time Oscar nominated actress, Paloma Diamond, and the universe of fictional actors & actresses that inhabit it. Paloma's old screenings of the soap opera she starred in from the 1980s is also a big hit on his platform.
- Innovators: @theoshakes (Auckland, New Zealand) - Theo Shakes: Theo is an actor, writer, and comedian from Auckland, New Zealand. You may have seen him on TikTok with 1.6 million followers — he creates captioned comedy on the app with hundreds of characters and impressions under his belt. He's most recently starred alongside Elijah Wood in the 2024 feature film Bookworm.
Read on to see the featured creators in each category!
Educators
From inspiring their followers, to advocating for change, these creators educate their community and entertain along the way. Whether they're teaching languages, exploring new technology, or highlighting ancient history, Educators encourage us to discover something new and to learn more about the world.
Foodies
Foodies are taking viewers on mouthwatering adventures across the For You Feed, inspiring #FoodTok trends around the globe. They’re all adding their own creative spin on cuisine through #cooking, #baking, and more — and it’s all delicious.
Icons
These creators need no introduction — they embody trends and culture and make an impact every day. They're well known on and off TikTok and are changing the game for content creators everywhere. They live and breathe TikTok culture and inspire others to do the same.
Innovators
Innovators put a new twist on what it means to be a content creator. They are pioneers in their fields who have a unique point of view in their content, and are not afraid to experiment and try something new.
Originators
Originators are the artists who share the music we live for. They inspire the aesthetics, the movements, the anthems. Originators are the heart of TikTok — they have a finger on the pulse of culture and create the soundtracks that define the year.
TikTok is a unique place because of our incredible global community, and the process for selecting creators for The Discover List 2025 was also community-driven. Creators were nominated by our global team, and we evaluated which creators have been making a significant impact on and off the app over the past six months. Measurement levers included (but were not limited to): video creations, views, account growth, likes, comments, interactions with followers, and content that has sparked global conversations.
Photo credit for all creator images for The Discover List 2025 is: TikTok/Angella Choe @angellachoe
