TikTok's top paid influencers – how Addison Rae, Charli D’Amelio and other teen stars are making millions from the controversial dance music app
Forget traditional career paths, the highest-earning TikTok entertainers – Gen Z teens like Dixie D’Amelio, Loren Gray and Josh Richards – are literally dancing their way to the bank and making millions
With every passing decade, the systems, beliefs and ambitions evolve, too. Even 10 years ago, describing yourself as an influencer would likely have been met with looks of bafflement. There were no Instagramers or TikTokers in the early 2000s, but now, they have millions of followers, are considered celebrities in their own right and rake in millions of dollars.
The unlikely battlefield of growing geopolitical tension, TikTok – that irreverent and wildly popular app loved by millennials and generation Z – has seen many users shoot to fame. And since lockdowns began across the world, it’s been an especially interesting time to stalk TikTok and the people who have taken to the app to dance their boredom away.
Let’s see who made the most money while having the most fun, with a list of the top five highest-earning TikTok stars in 2020.
Josh Richards (@joshrichards), aged 18, 20.8 million followers Earnings: US$1.5 million
Apart from making a lot of money on TikTok, he’s also co-founded his own talent management company called TalentX and his own drink business, Ani Energy.
Not one to slow down, this guy is making the most of it with sponsorship deals with Reebok and HouseParty, a merchandise line, YouTube ad revenue and a new song-making deal with Warner Records.
Loren Gray (@lorengray), age 18, 46.1 million followers Earnings: US$2.6 million
