Brenda Martinez
03 JANUARY 2021
At the projects* it’s our job to keep our eyes and ears finely tuned to the up-and-coming movements of the zeitgeist and those leading the chargeр innovative influencers.
As fresh niches are born and trends arise, new online creators are emerging to shake up the social media landscape. Cutting through the noise, known for their unique approach and captivating personalities, we’ve rounded up some key figures making their mark on culture to show how the role of the influencer is shifting.
Known for his uplifting brand of “wholesome threats”, Earl’s TikToks follow a simple, effective construct: he’s in front of a green backdrop, gently holding a water gun and your gaze as you read his wholesome, uplifting messages – everything from “your existence adds value to this world. No one else can play your role” to “block their number and learn to love yourself”.
Beyond his TikToks, Earl hosts a Discord server for advice and help, aptly named ????Earl’s Safe Place????. Whereas TikTokers can build community mainly through stitched videos, comments, and songs, by hosting a safe space on a text-focused platform like Discord means Earl’s followers can communicate in real time.
Two models and a very cute couple based in the Netherlands, Max and Jozef are known for being unfathomably chic. They both have feeds so well-curated that you’d want to hang a print of them in your living room. Known for their Gen-Z take on high-fashion minimalism, they’ve walked for Random Identities, created content for Weekday, and recently filmed a campaign together for Back Market.
Jozef also works as a photographer, where he says his work is inspired by mythology and notions of queer utopias. Capturing an aesthetic for content that is calming, elegant, and centered on queer intimacy, Max and Jozef are two of the hottest of-the-moment creators to keep your eyes on.
A self-taught MUA and IG beauty innovator, Bianka paints high-production, otherworldly glamour. Her feed reads like a series of magazine covers, as she’s developed a masterful style for capturing content that’s most impactful on the Instagram layout: close-up, graphic, and editorial-minded photos. Bianka also founded her own lash line, BeWispy. Bianka displays the innovative, entrepreneurial mindset that defines today’s influencer.
Shelby Ivey Christie is a digital fashion historian and the next one on our list of innovative influencers. She’s earning her M.A. in Costume Studies at NYU and previously worked for Vogue, but her Twitter is in a league all on its own. In a recent profile from SSENSE, Melvin Backman writes that “her tweets gesture towards a sort of live archive, an exercise in crowdsourced memory.” Her Twitter threads outline under-researched moments in pop culture and American history through the lens of dress. Her approach to fashion history is refreshing and innovative, a true reflection of scholarship in the 21st century. Just this past week, Shelby was just included in the 2021 Forbes 30 under 30 lists.
Known for her hilarious celebrity voice-overs and hyperpop track features, ChaseIcon is, well…an icon. As one of the innovative influencers, she’s emerged over the last year as a figurehead in queer Internet culture, be that in comedy, music, or reality TV. She was just booked as the narrator in the much anticipated Slag Wars: The Next Destroyers. Her brand as a comedy glamour queen has created a cult following, proving that influence comes down to engagement, not just raw numbers.
Taipei-based photographer, creative director, and digital creator, John Yuyi translates the aesthetics of the Internet into the tangible world, then back again. Her work is hypnotic, combining multiple cultural references into a single image of nostalgic surrealism. It’s Y2K meets modern-day dysphoria. Her work has been featured in magazines and galleries all over the world, with a recent campaign for Reebok featured on a billboard in Times Square in October.
While these social media creators are producing exciting content, what really hooks us in is how they’ve seen the opportunity to create and be something new in the influencer space. They’ve captured cultures’ attention by showcasing their authentic selves and interests online, offering us greater access to the personality behind the image. We’re not talent managers, so this list is unsponsored and wholly sincere. We believe in radical creativity– so we’re here to amplify these innovative creators.
If you’re interested in learning more about unexpected partnerships and what creative partners could be right for you, drop us a line!
Lots of Love,
Brenda and Doug