TikTok Awards 2025: Live updates from the red carpet, winners list, performances, and more

The night’s most coveted award, Creator of the Year, was presented by Paris Hilton — and went to Keith Lee, drawing the biggest cheers of the evening. Inside the venue, the crowd erupted into chants of his name: “Keith! Keith! Keith!”

Fighting back tears, Lee made it clear this win was anything but expected.

“When people say they didn’t think they were going to win, that’s not an understatement,” he said. “I never in a million years thought I would be standing on this stage.”

Reflecting on his journey, Lee spoke candidly about self-doubt and how TikTok helped change his life.

“I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t be in rooms with people. I doubted myself. I still doubt myself to this day,” he shared. “TikTok allows people to spotlight the underdog.”

Pausing, overwhelmed by the moment, Lee added simply: “This is for me. This is amazing.”

In the spirit of Lee’s Creator of the Year win, TikTok announced at the end of the show it will be contributing $50,000 to Feeding America.

If the room needed a reset, Ciara delivered it.

Running through a medley of her greatest hits — several of which have enjoyed major resurgences on TikTok — Ciara didn’t just perform for the app, she performed with it. The choreography leaned directly into TikTok-familiar moves, making the set instantly recognizable to anyone who has scrolled the platform in the past few years.

Mid-performance, Ciara reflected on how grateful she is for TikTok, especially as an independent artist, crediting the app with giving her music new life and continued relevance. In a show that’s had its share of technical struggles, her performance brought a noticeable surge of energy and joy back into the room.

It was a reminder of TikTok’s full-circle power in the music industry: songs from earlier eras, revived by the algorithm, now fueling the night’s strongest live moment.

Bretman Rock took home Video of the Year at the 2025 TikTok Awards, though he wasn’t in attendance to accept the honor.

The winning video features Bretman and his flock of chickens set to “Anxiety” by Doechii, a clip that has garnered more than 8.6 million likes on TikTok.

Instead, he sent in a video message — and made sure it was peak Bretman. “I really wish my chickens were here to accept this award,” he said, “but they are at home cockadoodling right now and trying not to get in trouble with the HOA.”

Even from afar, Bretman’s personality carried the moment, reminding everyone why his videos continue to dominate the platform.

Accepting MVP of the Year at the 2025 TikTok Awards, Mariah Rose took a moment to zoom out.

“There are so many more important things going on than the things that we stress about,” she said. “And we are so blessed to be able to make silly videos for a living.”

She closed by thanking “the girls and the gays” for holding her down.

Zach and Pat Valentine, known together as @valentinebrothers, took home the TikTok For Good Award — accepting the honor onstage with their mom.

They wrapped their moment with a heartfelt line about their mission: to change perspectives one heart at a time.

Accepting the I Was Today Years Old Award for educational creators, @lawbymike shared the mission behind his content.

“I started making videos because I wanted to make the law seem less intimidating and to help people stay calm in stressful situations,” he said.

The award recognizes creators who turn complex topics into accessible, practical knowledge, and @lawbymike’s calm, clear approach to legal education has helped millions feel more informed and less overwhelmed.

Elizabeth Esparza (@eliesparzaa) has won TikTok LIVE Creator of the Year at the 2025 TikTok Awards.

Couldn’t have said it any better, Mr. Fantasy.

Things took a delightfully unhinged turn when a Labubu cannon appeared onstage, with Rei Ami and Ashby Florence firing Labubu plushies into the crowd.

“Open wide,” Ashby told the audience as the cannon launched. The moment quickly escalated from playful to slightly overwhelming — including a hot-mic moment where Ashby was caught saying, “Jesus Christ, it’s a weapon,” while walking off the stage.

The crowd loved it. Ashby looked mildly terrified. The Labubus flew anyway.

Paris Hilton accepted Muse of the Year at the 2025 TikTok Awards and closed her remarks with her signature phrases: “keep sliving” and “that’s hot.”

The phrase — a blend of “slaying” and “living” — has become DJ Hilton’s latest calling card, perfectly fitting for a night celebrating internet-shaping influence.

Tini Younger has won Storyteller of the Year at the 2025 TikTok Awards. While she wasn’t in attendance, Younger sent a message to the TikTok community that played during the show, thanking fans and reflecting on the power of the storytellers on the app.

She was also one of the Mashable 101 nominees, our package highlighting creators shaping internet culture, making the win an especially fitting moment for a creator known for sharp, personal storytelling and culinary skills.

Jeremiah Brown, known online as @findjeremiah, has won Rising Star of the Year, presented by e.l.f. Cosmetics, at the 2025 TikTok Awards.

Brown has built a rapidly growing following — more than 850,000 followers across platforms — thanks to his star-making appearance on Love Island USA.

The ceremony is being streamed live for free on TikTok’s official platform and on Tubi, the event’s official streaming partner.

On TikTok: Open the app and look for the live event banner in your For You feed or the Live tab. The full awards show — including the main program and red carpet coverage — is available to stream directly in the app.

On Tubi: You can watch the awards live for free on the Tubi app or at Tubi.com. Search for TikTok Awards and hit Watch Live once the broadcast begins. A free Tubi account may be required.

The winner of the My Show is On Award [Film & TV], presented by Trixie Mattel, is @dayanechrissel.

Inside the venue, Mashable’s Christianna Silva reports that some creators are already voicing frustrations. Several attendees have complained that the seats are uncomfortable, adding to the restless energy in the room.

The bigger issue, though, appears to be technical. With the screens still not fully functioning, the show feels muted — and a little awkward — as visuals intended to anchor the experience aren’t landing as intended.

It’s a disappointing hiccup for a night built around spectacle and screen-first storytelling, and it’s clearly impacting the atmosphere as the show continues. But opener Mikey Angelo — singing a 2025 internet recap — is bringing the energy back up.

After nearly an hour-long delay, Kim Farrell, TikTok’s Global Head of Creators, took the stage to address the room.

“We are running a little late because this is quite a powerful room,” Farrell said, reports Mashable’s Christianna Silva. “You are so powerful because you blew out our screens.”

What exactly that means remains unclear, but it appears technical issues are behind the delayed start. At the time of writing, it’s also unclear whether this portion of the program is being streamed.

Mashable reporters remain in the venue as the show prepares to get fully underway.

The show is starting more than 45 minutes late, but it’s finally about to begin…maybe?

According to the Mashable team inside the venue, the DJ has stopped playing music, and people are officially being ushered to their seats.

Inside the venue, the pre-show energy is…unexpectedly chill. Mashable’s Christianna Silva spotted Mr. Fantasy casually playing catch with a bouncy ball, which feels exactly right for this moment. What a guy.

Even more surprising: not that many people have their phones out. If they are on their phones, they’re mostly checking them — not recording. A few attendees are snapping selfies, but the vibe feels closer to a normal concert than a room full of creators documenting every second.

It’s a rare phone-down moment at an event built around the internet.

Team Mashable is inside the venue, ready for the show to begin.

“We made it inside! All your favorite creators are taking a seat and getting ready for the show,” reports Mashable’s Christianna Silva.

Credit: Courtesy of Christianna Silva

Credit: Courtesy of Christianna Silva

The red carpet is winding down, with just a handful of interviews left before attention shifts inside for the start of the show, reports Mashable’s Christianna Silva. Final arrivals are trickling through as the press lines thin and the energy moves indoors.

Before wrapping, host La La Anthony shared her word of the year with Mashable: “Change.” Calling 2025 “a year of changing and evolving,” she said.

Alexis Nikole Nelson told Mashable her word of the year is “bold.”

The creator was nominated for TikTok for Good this year and is also a Mashable 101 nominee, making the choice feel especially fitting as she continues to use her platform to educate and make an impact.

KPop Demon Hunters star Rei Ami just hit the TikTok Awards carpet in a dress Zoey would absolutely approve of — it has pockets, aka the perfect place to put your phone.

Pockets!
Credit: Mashable

Adding a softer note to the word-of-the-year debate, KJ Apa’s wayward pop alter ego, Mr. Fantasy, told Mashable that his pick is “love, only love.” Sure!

Credit: Mashable

Creator and The Bachelor Season 28 winner Kelsey Anderson (@kelseyalexandraan) will be presenting the Storyteller of the Year award tonight. Her pick for 2025’s Word of the Year? “Period.”

Credit: Mashable

More than one attendee has landed on the emphatic punctuation-as-statement, calling it their word of the year. The meaning is clear: end of discussion.

The word-of-the-year debate continues on the TikTok Awards carpet. Trixie Mattel told Mashable her pick would be “Are we cooked, chat?”

Honestly? Extremely online. No notes.

Credit: Mashable

The word-of-the-year conversation on the carpet took a turn when presenter Tan France shared his pick: “C U Next Tuesday.”

For clarity, he wasn’t referring to the phrase itself — but to the word it spells out. France joked that it has long been popular in the UK and said he’s glad to see it gaining traction in the U.S. as well. (Mashable wrote about the word’s broader online resurgence in 2023.)

Credit: Mashable

The TikTok Awards red carpet remains exactly what you’d expect: uncensored and very online.

A snapshot of the TikTok Awards red carpet: crowded press lines, high-impact lights, and Trixie Mattel appearing in the background, as one does.

Credit: Mashable

Ashby Florence — aka The Lorax on TikTok — just hit the carpet in a bright red dress emblazoned with the words “I Heart Ashby.” No Lorax costume in sight, but the statement still delivers.

She looks great, and yes, the message is loud and clear.

Credit: Mashable

Also, her word of the year is “conundrum,” which feels apt for the year we’ve had.

We caught up with Josh Richards on the carpet and asked one burning question: What’s your word of the year?

After Merriam-Webster crowned “slop” the official word of 2025, Richards had a different answer. His pick? “Damnit” — inspired by the way his girlfriend says it. (Relatable.)

Elizabeth Esparza went with “live,” while Jeannette Oak kept it short and decisive: “Period.”

Yasmine Sahid told Mashable her pick is “fandom,” which feels especially on-theme for a night built entirely on online communities and collective obsession.

Mashable senior culture reporter Christianna Silva, social manager Lily Kartiganer, and social media editor Mike Benavides are on the scene.

Credit: Courtesy of Christianna Silva

Before the red carpet even officially opens, creators are already doing what they do best: turning the hours leading up to the TikTok Awards into content.

Across the app, nominees and attendees are posting fit checks, GRWMs, and last-minute glam videos as they head to the 2025 ceremony. Storyteller of the Year nominee Logan Moffitt — better known as “Cucumber Guy” — shared a fit check of his sleek gray suit, complete with a pocket reveal. Inside: Listerine spray, lip gloss, and eye drops.

Presenter — and Mashable 101 nominee — Jools Lebron posted a GRWM as she explained her disco glam look for the evening.

And then there’s Los Angeles–based fashion creator Juhm, who posted their Coach-filled GRWM (peep that jacket!) as they prepared to leave for the TikTok Awards.