Paris Nuku is a rising star on TikTok. Photo / @parisnuku / Composite
Social media platform TikTok has announced the nominee list for the 2025 TikTok Awards.
This will be the fifth iteration of the awards that recognise Australian and New Zealand creators who best use the app to entertain, educate and inspire their audiences.
Fourteen publicly voted awards are up for grabs, including the locally focused New Zealand Creator of the Year Award. TikTok users can vote for their picks on the app once a day until voting closes on November 16.
Five Aotearoa-based influencers have been shortlisted for the New Zealand honour. The nominees are Louis Davis (@louisdavis_), The Morning Shift (@themorningshiftshow), Daniel Rankin (@mancancooknz), Brit Cunningham (@brit_cunningham) and Paris Nuku (@parisnuku).
In a video celebrating his nomination, Davis, known for his heartfelt videos about fatherhood and family life in the Far North, said the possibility he might win was “a crazy thing”.
“I just started making videos as a hobby. I just wanted to show the world what I loved about my culture and my beautiful home.”
After the recognition, Tauranga-based Nuku is sticking to the grounded approach that has led to her family-focused home-cooking videos gaining more than 330k followers. In a video Nuku said the nomination was cool, but “I don’t want to harp on about it”.
She said she would appreciate the public voting for her, but is already aware of support from the community. “All the love you guys show, all these doors that have opened for me to brand partnerships, mahi, all of these things you guys have helped me achieve. To me, that’s the real marker of success.
“Do I want your vote? Yeah, I mean, yeah, it’s cool. But where I would really appreciate your support whānau, is on my Woolworths videos, my campaigns, the brand deals I get because that is what’s feeding my whānau at the end of the day.”
Davis is taking a similarly humble approach to the nomination, telling his 2.1 million TikTok followers that “no matter what happens, I get to swim in the ocean, live on my ancestral homelands, and my children get to belong to their village. Remember, you already made my dreams come true.”
A handful of other Kiwi creators have been nominated in other award categories. Theo Shakes (@theoshakes) is nominated for the Entertainment Creator of the Year Award and dancer, DJ and music producer Lance Savali (@lancesavali) is one of five artists nominated for Music Artist of the Year. In July, AAA Backstage reported Savali’s song Devotion had garnered more than 10 million streams and 950 million views on TikTok.
Andrew Hearnden (@andy_cooks), better known by his online moniker Andy Cooks, is up for Food Creator of the Year.
Tongan-born content creator Ilai Matangi (@havea_676) spent his high school years in New Zealand. He is nominated for the top award of the night – Creator of the Year.
The accolades will be awarded on Wednesday, November 26, in Sydney at a ceremony hosted by Sophie Monk. The presentation will also be streamed live on TikTok.
With an expected in-person audience of more than 4000 creators, organisers say the gathering will be the “biggest creator celebration ever held across Australia and New Zealand”.
Last year, Māori-Samoan content creator Lisa Perese-Cullen was crowned New Zealand TikTok creator of the year. How To Dad’s Jordan Watson, Nicola (Nix) Adams, Torrell Tafa and Oliver Mills were also nominated for the 2024 award.
Creator of the Year presented by NESCAFÉ
Latisha Clark (@latishaclarkk)
Ilai Matangi (@havea_676)
Tammy Hembrow (@tammyhembrow)
Jiny Maeng (@jinymaeng)
Ben Stubbs (@stubbaa)
Video of the Year presented by Tinder
Rachel Parkinson (@rachelparkinson5)
Zane Fall (@zanefall)
Alexandra Tuohey (@alexandratuohey)
Jude York (@itsjudeyork)
Leah Halton (@looooooooch)
Business of the Year presented by HP
Bouf Haircare (@boufhaircare)
All For Mimi (@allformimi)
Cherry’s Goods (@cherrysgoods)
Kic App (@kic)
Rode Meats (@rode_meats)
Sports and Fitness Creator of the Year presented by EHP Labs
Hannah Pearson (@hannahhpearson)
Daniel Gorringe (@dandoesfooty)
Brittany O’Brien (@brittanyobrienn)
Kwame Duah (@kwameduahofficial)
Tom Harris (@tomharrisfootball)
Beauty and Fashion Creator of the Year presented by Rimmel
Rowi Singh (@rowisingh)
Florence Baitio (@florence_baitio)
Eitan Broude (@eiitanbroude)
Sasha Morpeth (@sashamorpeth)
Ellen Malone (@askellenbeauty)
Music Artist of the Year presented by Uber Eats
Dean Lewis (@deanlewis)
Larissa Lambert (@.larissalambert)
Lance Savali (@lancesavali),
Keli Holiday (@keliholiday),
Max Jackson (@maxjacksonmusic)
Entertainment Creator of the Year Award
Rachael Evren (@rachevren)
Maddy Turner (@maddy.mov)
Aicha Robertson (@aichark)
Theo Shakes (@theoshakes)
Jeremy Franco (@jezbreezy)
Learn on TikTok
Ainslie Harvey (@hot.history)
Kobi Brown (@astrokobi)
Heidi Barlow (@womenshealthwithheidi)
Vinh Giang (@askvinh)
Luke Bateman (@lukesreads)
TikTok for Good
Ben McIntosh (@benjmcintosh)
Josh Neille (@josh_neille)
Clothing The Gaps (@clothing_the_gaps)
Man Cave (@themancave_aus)
Comedy Creator of the Year
Archie and Miles Shepherd (@shepmates)
Luke Kidgell (@luke.kidgell)
Liam Dowling and Ben Christopher (@nansfavourites)
Lyanna Kea (@lyanna_kea)
Toni Lodge and Ryan Jon (@toniandryanpodcast)
LIVE Creator of the Year
Jake Waddell (@jakeytv)
Ed and Ri (@itsedandri)
Liam Conner (@liamconner_)
Ūla (@ulaulaula)
Sadia Yousofi (@sadiayousofi13)
New Zealand Creator of the Year
Daniel Rankin (@mancancooknz)
Louis Davis (@louisdavis_)
Paris Nuku (@parisnuku)
Brit Cunningham (@brit_cunningham)
The Morning Shift (@themorningshiftshow)
High Quality Content Creator
Melissa Yahyaoglu (@lovefrommelii)
Anthony Randello-Jahn (@thedonutdaddy)
Nicholas Burton and Dave Hoey (@thegrannyflat)
Lachlan and Austin Macfarlane (@macfarlanebros)
Jeremy (@jeremyfilmsthings)
Food Creator of the Year
Vincent Lim (@dimsimlim)
Andy Hearnden (@andy_cooks)
Catherine Zhang (@catherine.desserts)
Laleh Mohmedi (@jacobs_food_diaries)
Tom Smallwood (@tom.smallwood)