The number of users on TikTok has grown exponentially within the last year, especially as it has quickly become a community for individuals all across the world to connect in a way that social media like Instagram and Twitter do not do. TikTok has allowed a diversity of individuals equipped only with a cell phone to create content, educate, and build relationships from miles apart.
One of the main reasons TikTok has touched so many users is the many creators on the app who distribute positive and inspirational content. From daily affirmations to feel-good videos about life, TikTok has provided a platform for people to share love and support and to inspire creativity. Here are ten creative and inspirational TikTok accounts to check out in 2021.
Billy, @8illy
Billy’s content does not necessarily follow a uniform style, but his videos generally follow a comforting and contemplative theme. Some of his TikToks will feature endearingly emotional Spotify playlists he’s compiled with the collaboration of his followers, and other videos will be cinematic minute-long stories of a particular emotion.
For instance, one short series Billy has is titled “Cardboard Billy,” which features everyday items in cardboard form (a cardboard phone, cardboard glass of whiskey) with crisp sound effects edited in post to create an original, engaging, and artistically inspiring narrative -- all in one minute.
Sierra, @scorpiosierra
Sierra’s TikTok is, quite literally, a work of art. Her creative videos show she is clearly a storyteller with an eye for the aesthetic. Her TikTok videos are stories with symbolic metaphors, like falling asleep while studying history and waking up (or falling into a dream) in that era.
Sierra plays around with abstract concepts, and her videos really inspire cinematic and metaphorical art in all of her viewers. They are well-crafted, clever, and thought-provoking concepts with a myriad of symbols (e.g., a fallen jam jar, a bitten apple) that make the viewer stop, think, and admire.
Anna Sitar, @annaxsitar
Anna Sitar brings a simple and necessary joy to everyone’s TikTok feed. She posts a variety of videos that feed the soul and motivate the self; from incredibly well-edited (and well-choreographed) daily routines to drive-through Starbucks trips, Anna sheds a sliver of happiness to the day with her upbeat personality and even more upbeat videos strung together with seamless transitions and edits.
Anna is like a virtual best friend; she shows her good days and bad days, and she also has many inspirational videos about maintaining long-distance relationships with romantic partners and friends. It’s hard not to crack a smile after binging Anna’s minute-long TikToks of her day.
Nick Cho, @yourkoreandad
Nick Cho, whose username is cleverly penned as "@yourkoreandad," posts uplifting and fun lifestyle videos ranging from grocery shopping at a Korean supermarket to talking about loneliness with his followers. He acts as a pseudo "Korean dad," providing followers with comfortable company with a contagiously positive attitude.
Nick brings the simple joys of life to the forefront as he takes followers rollerskating or hiking and, of course, eating. Sometimes, the smallest inspiration can be found in companionship and a warm smile, and that's exactly what Nick's TikToks bring.
Tabitha Brown, @iamtabithabrown
Tabitha Brown is a longtime TikTok user who first started to gain traction on the app with her vegan recipes and who blew up soon after for her loving and comforting presence. From the sound of her voice to the messages of self-love layered into her voiceovers in her cooking videos, Tabitha has inspired a mass of users and echoed affirming words of love and support to those scrolling through the app.
Tabitha even posts videos that aren’t recipes at all, where she instead sends her followers a good night and inspirational reminder to take care of their mental and emotional needs and wake up with a fresh mind after a tough day. With the soothing voice and heart of an angel, Tabitha exudes love, positivity, and tranquility in a world that needs it.
Baron Ryan, @americanbaron
Baron is a creative storyteller who has redefined the capacity to tell stories in only one minute. Baron’s videos, many of them edited into continuous loops, ruminate on existential questions posed in a whimsical light reminiscent of Wes Anderson. The questions are usually raised in a scripted conversation between characters played by himself, a popular one of which involves an extraterrestrial being recording a podcast with Baron about the things humans do and value (much to the ET's confusion).
Without spiraling into a hopeless question mark, Baron’s videos instead prod the viewer to contemplate, and his ability to approach such topics in an insightful and whimsical script speaks to his strength as a storyteller.
Jordan Studdard, @jordanstuddard
Jordan Studdard makes creative, whimsical 1-minute stories about fellow creators on TikTok. Every video, or “episode,” features a different user on the platform with a moderate following, and he scripts engaging narrations about a niche character trait about that person. For example, in one video featuring his very tall friend Jack (@dreamyjack), Studdard narrates an endearing story about Jack as a “keeper of secrets” due to his height.
These capsule stories are endearing pockets of a person’s character, and they inspire viewers to appreciate their own small, everyday characteristics and that they, too, can recognize some magic in themselves.
Ben Kielesinski, @benkielesinski
Ben Kielesinski’s videos are daily adventures around Vancouver, from hiking in the woods and drinking coffee in the pines to screen printing shirts in his studio for a small clothing line he runs. Ben might take followers on these pseudo-hikes and climb snowy treetops, or in another video, he might take viewers on a trip through Vancouver -- all edited into a one-minute clip.
Ben's videos show how he (and his viewers) can do activities alone and enjoy them. They can go see a waterfall by themselves, get coffee by themselves, put on a Studio Ghibli movie, and hem their pants on a rainy day inside. He makes everyday victories feel special and feel eventful, and it’s inspiring to mimic that.
Cleo Abram, @cleoabram
Cleo Abram is a Vox producer who has recently become increasingly active on TikTok, engaging with her followers in interactive Q&As and sparking conversations with duet videos. (Most recently, she opened a conversation with the generation of TikTok in their 50s and 60s about the last time they remember an emergency similar to the COVID-19 response).
Cleo also posts educational videos about her work on Netflix's Explained and also answers questions from followers about her career journey and the concepts she covers. She also posts book recommendations for genres like nonfiction and sci-fi and offers an inspiring look into the life of someone who loves storytelling.
Joanne L. Molinaro, @thekoreanvegan
Joanne is a woman of many talents. She’s a lawyer by day and a spectacular chef by night; her TikToks began as cooking videos (of aesthetically pristine quality, too), but they soon became more than that. Joanne opened herself up to her followers, and the voiceovers for her cooking videos are actually not about cooking at all, but about the lessons she’s learned in life -- from going through a divorce to her relationship with her parents to the harsh and un-sugar-coated realities of heartbreak.
Joanne is an intelligent, admirable, and inspirational woman who does it all on her own and inspires her followers -- especially other women -- to do the same. Her narrations invite her viewers to reflect on their personal journeys, and she daily inspires people to stay strong for no one but themselves.