TikTok Celebrates Australian Creators at Inaugural Creator Awards
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – TikTok has wrapped up its first-ever Australian Creator Awards, recognizing the diverse talent flourishing on the platform and highlighting the growing influence of Australian content creators. The awards, held recently, celebrated individuals across a range of categories, from music and food to high-quality content and comedy.
Comedy duo Lewys Twose and Josh Dowling of @lewysandjosh took home the coveted Creator of the Year award. “This award really makes us happy knowing we’re reaching our target audience and providing them something of value and something to laugh at and forget about serious things for a bit,” Dowling said. The pair expressed hope that the recognition would encourage the entertainment industry to take their creative ambitions – writing and acting in TV shows and films – more seriously.
The awards also spotlighted the platform’s impact on the music industry. Emerging musicians are increasingly “flocking to TikTok,” where they can connect with fans and achieve viral success independent of customary record labels, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.Savali was recognized as Music Artist of the Year.
In the Food Creator of the Year category, Andy Hearnden, known for his cooking videos, was honored. Hearnden, who began cooking professionally at age 15 after leaving school in Year 10, has amassed 6 million TikTok followers.He emphasized TikTok’s accessibility, stating, “TikTok has definitely given creators of all industries an easier level of entry and maybe more confidence to share their art and find global audiences.” His operation now employs a team of nine people.
Anthony Randello-Jahn, a Melbourne-based chef, won High-Quality Content Creator of the Year. Randello-Jahn gained initial fame for his visually striking food content, including “sultry sourdough videos,” and has since evolved his style. He credits collaborations with major brands for elevating the perception of his work, noting, “it showed that high-end, highly produced dessert videos can still feel fun, authentic and very me.” He also acknowledged the challenges faced by Australian creators, who often need to “build everything yourself” due to fewer local collaboration opportunities and differing time zones with international partners. Though, he believes these challenges ultimately “pushed me to level up every part of my craft.”
The inaugural TikTok Creator Awards underscore the platform’s growing importance as a launchpad for Australian talent and a significant force in the country’s creative landscape.
