On December 18, 2025, TikTok flipped the script on traditional awards shows, rolling out its very first U.S. TikTok Awards, live at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, streamed on TikTok and Tubi. Hosted by La La Anthony, the event celebrated creators who turned 15 second clips into culture defining moments – proof positive that digital creators are increasingly standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Hollywood.
“The power of TikTok comes from our creators.” (Kim Farrell, Global Head of Creators, TikTok)
“It takes me hours to make the content you scroll on the toilet.” (Max Klymenko, Ukraine-born UK Creator of the Year)
This wasn’t TikTok’s first awards show globally. The U.S. awards are the first specifically for American creators, highlighting TikTok’s massive influence in the U.S. creator economy.
🏆 U.S. TikTok Awards Categories
The show featured 14 fan voted awards celebrating creators across different styles and specialties:
1. Creator of the Year
2. Video of the Year
3. Storyteller of the Year
4. Rising Star of the Year
5. Breakthrough Artist of the Year
6. TikTok for Good Award
7. MVP of the Year (Sports)
8. Muse of the Year (Public Figure)
9. My Show Is On Award (TV/Film)
10. CapCut Creator of the Year
11. Okay Slay Award (Fashion/Beauty)
12. Immediately Added To Cart Award
13. TikTok Live Creator of the Year
14. Education Creator of the Year
🏆 Winners, Icons, and Viral Legends
The big moment of the night came when New Orleans-based Keith Lee, with 17.3 million followers, was crowned Creator of the Year - a title honoring his mix of food reviews, family content and support for small businesses.
👉 See Keith Lee’s TikTok:
Filipino-American Bretman Rock snagged Video of the Year for one of his hilariously bold clips that blew up across the platform.
👉 Watch Bretman’s viral energy:
Forty-four year old Paris Hilton won Muse of the Year, cementing her role as a style and inspiration icon.
👉 Paris Hilton's TikTok:
Dallasite Jeremiah Brown, former Love Island USA star, took home Rising Star of the Year, while Californian Alex Warren earned Breakthrough Artist of the Year for blending TikTok fame with musical success.
👉 Jeremiah Brown's TikTok:
👉 Alex Warren's TikTok:
The TikTok For Good award went to Zach and Pat Valentine for advocacy and inclusion (Zach has Down Syndrome), showing TikTok isn’t just entertainment, but also a platform for social impact.
👉 Zach and Pat Valentine's TikTok:
🪩 Red Carpet & Pop Culture Moments
The red carpet was a metaverse-meets-Hollywood mashup, with influencers and celebs like Josh Richards, James Charles, Jordan Chiles and Trixie Mattel slayed before the show even began.
Grammy-winner Ciara closed the night with a live performance blending star power and TikTok swagger - a reminder that music and short-form video are now inseparable in pop culture.
Trivia time! 🧠
• Fans voted directly in-app, giving the ceremony a community-powered feel
• A giant selfie challenge on stage became an event highlight
• The show streamed live on TikTok and Tubi, expanding access beyond traditional TV
📊 U.S. Engagement & Voting Stats
TikTok’s U.S. awards leveraged its 170M+ active U.S. users, who spend an average of 58 minutes per day on the app with 15+ daily opens.
While exact U.S. vote totals haven’t yet been published, international awards drew millions of votes, and hashtags + video posts tied to the awards generated tens of millions of impressions.
🔐 TikTok U.S. Ownership Context
The U.S. awards coincided with a major ownership transition: ByteDance agreed to transfer control of TikTok U.S. operations to a consortium including Oracle (enterprise software company), Silver Lake (private equity firm) and MGX (UAE state-owned investment firm), ensuring the app continues operating under a majority-American board starting in 2026.
This highlights TikTok’s cultural and economic significance in the U.S., even as the platform navigates regulatory and political scrutiny.
📹 U.S. TikTok Awards Winners
🏁 Final Take
The U.S. TikTok Awards 2025 weren’t just a first for America, they were a statement. From Keith Lee’s heartwarming journey to Paris Hilton’s muse status, the show proved TikTok is now a cultural tastemaker, a fan engagement powerhouse and a platform whose influence stretches from entertainment to politics.
Whether it’s billions of views, millions of votes or red carpet moments, the awards cement TikTok’s role as the Oscars for a new generation of creators.
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