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CORQ.
INFLUENCERS 2021
A digital culture forecast
CORQ.
CORQ.
Hello…
…and welcome to CORQ’s influencer hotlist for 2021! This has
been compiled by our journalists and aims to give you a steer
CORQ. on who will be determining and shaping digital culture for the
year to come. Who should you work with next year and why?
TRENDS Influencers on our hotlists have been chosen due to their ability
to capture the mood of now and their determination to innovate.
INFLUENCERS So much has changed over the past 12 months and we can see
a newly defined hierarchy developing when it comes to the
INSIGHT
influencer landscape. While some creators were able to produce
incredible entertainment at home, others floundered due to the
absence of exclusive brand-facilitated trips and events. We
DATA
suspect those who have not adopted video and audio will
struggle in 2021. The influencer industry has certainly changed
shape, with savvy creators spring-boarding from TikTok to
REPORTING television in a mere 12 months. The blueprint for what it means
to be an influencer has been ripped up and redrawn.
It’s a fascinating time to be working in digital and we hope this
report will help you start to navigate the next 12 months. And if
you hit a roadblock? We’re always here to help in any way that
we can.
Happy reading and merry Christmas!
Sara.
Sara McCorquodale, CEO and Founder of CORQ, and author of the critically
acclaimed book Influence: How Social Media Influencers Are Shaping Our Digital Future.
CORQ.
CORQ.
Storytelling themes of 2021
“Nothing is off-limits now when it comes to the conversations influencers can start and drive. We’re going to
see menopause myth-busting, financial real talk and TikTok step up to truly rival YouTube”
- Emilie McMeekan, Features Director of CORQ
CORQ.
TRENDS
INFLUENCERS
INSIGHT
DATA
REPORTING
FRIENDSHIP: the power of influencers binding SPIRIT: if 2020 was about adapting and stoicism, 2021 ABANDON: the absence of a wider dominating
together to do good in 2020 has changed the way is going to be the year in which people fight to protect the culture in 2020 led to rise of individualism across the
many are operating their platforms. This is very communities, businesses and sentiments they hold dear. internet. Influencers became more experimental with
different to the “collab culture” of the early Thanks to Brexit and the pandemic, there is a sense of their content and honest with their audiences. A
YouTube days, which existed purely to accelerate uncertainty around what the world may look like come sense of open-mindedness overtook a sense of
growth rather than address and help solve issues. 2022. Yet people power has proved itself to make change “brand” and for the first time since the Noughties we
Off the back of initiatives like Share The Mic, happen in 2020. It made Black Lives Matter global news saw widespread creativity driven by ideas rather
influencers are becoming ever more aware that and ejected Donald Trump from the White House. It also than an explicit commercial strategy, hence the rise
establishing friendships with more marginalised saw communities care for each other, businesses step up of TikTok. The ability to be spontaneous, entertaining
creators will produce a better social media for to provide PPE and crowdfunding explode. 2020 was and throw off a constructed image in order to
everyone. Influencer friendships which have a something of a revolution in which people realised what connect as humans has turned influencers into stars
greater purpose than reach will result in new social they could achieve through ingenuity and determination. in 2020 and created a new blueprint for how to be
ecosystems and greater influencer equality. The result? A formidable spirit which will dominate 2021. an influencer in 2021.
CORQ. Trends + influencer hotlists for 2021
Beauty trends 2021
The pandemic has set in motion a number of
behaviours which have led to staggeringly
engaging content and new approaches to beauty.
Here’s how these will evolve in the year to come…
Minimalist skincare: with more time and freedom to
experiment with complex, active skincare ingredients such as
acids and retinoids over lockdown, we may have reached peak
skincare. A growing number of skincare gurus have shared
advice for repairing the skin barrier. Minimalist skincare strips
routines back to basics, undoing the damage of a haphazard,
uneducated routine and rebuilding it from the ground up.
Filler fatigue: influencers have turned their backs on cosmetic
fillers in 2020, with the likes of Molly Mae Hague, Sydney May
Crouch and Millie T all having theirs dissolved. Audiences are just
as keen to watch this as they are cosmetic procedures - Molly
Mae’s video of the experience is one of her most-watched to
date. Consider this the start of a revolution.
Mask makeup: beyond weird and wonderful eyeshadow, the
past few months have been filled with eyebrow trends (such as
glue, bleach and fox brows) and outlandish eye tricks (see pastel
lashes and floating eyeliner). Expect these to grow increasingly
inventive as mask culture continues.
“With over 160million views, the
#skincarehacks movement is the result
of an app that’s arguably home to more
ingredient-savvy content creators than
any other platform”
Beauty Hacks on TikTok - a CORQ report
CORQ.
Beauty influencer hotlist 2021
Fatima Waheeb: a makeup artist Ellie Addis: her following soared this year after
with a love for Halloween and going viral for recreating Ashley Tisdale’s most iconic
anime, the latter half of this year has noughties looks - just one example of her ability to
seen Fatimah embrace trending put a colourful twist on every TikTok trend. To use her
media-inspired looks. Her following raised profile for good, she recently started handing
has soared as a result - expect even over her Instagram Stories to up-and-coming beauty
more creativity in 2021. content creators.
Abby Roberts: the UK queen of TikTok
beauty. In the past year she has Michael Brooks: Bereft of clients over lockdown,
collaborated with James Charles, this makeup artist found his own beauty groove -
Yungblud and Liam Payne as well as pastels, otherworldly brows and dreamy
attending MTV’s EMAs. Known for her eyeshadow art. He also took on the ever-growing
hilariously bizarre makeup challenges, quest to get the ultimate glow, and won, taking his
her star shows no sign of fading. content from awe-inspiring to relatable too.
Eve Fraser: indie beauty master who Ewoma Ukeleghe: beauty professionals
embodies the e-girl trend and is studying have attracted higher traffic than ever this year
Fine Art. As well as continually growing and cosmetic doctor Ewoma is no exception.
on Instagram, her TikTok soundtrack is The founder of clinic SKNDOCTOR has turned
insanely cool and she can go for months agony aunt on Instagram, solving skincare
without vlogging, yet her YouTube woes such as maskne with wit and a deep
audience has remained loyal. The understanding of the cosmetic industry.
exception to the rule.
Lou Northcote: her #freethepimple Kadeeja Khan: having dedicated her platforms to
campaign reached new heights in showing the disparity between social media and
2020. And her journey just took a natural skin, she’s on a mission to dispel the myths of
new path - she’s currently dedicating “imperfections” and looks at various skincare and
her profile to her experiences with beauty trends through the lens of severe acne and
the acne medication Roaccutane. polycystic ovary syndrome.
CORQ.
Beauty influencer hotlist 2021
Danielle Marcan: the self-proclaimed Sharmadean Reid: Over the past year, the
“beauty guru wannabe” who broke the founder of treatment booking app Beauty Stack has
one million mark on Instagram and expanded her horizons to a podcast, series of
TikTok this year. The latter is where she business workshops and a monthly Beauty Stack
really shines, thanks to her bold, unique Book Club. Her last talk of 2020 predicts big things
eye designs, celebrity makeup looks and for next year, covering how to “level up” before then.
ability to spot emerging beauty trends.
Jamie Genevieve: this YouTubing MUA and
Gina Box: the bride-to-be is a reliable powerhouse has been creating content since 2013,
choice for fun beauty content and has and is set to go stratospheric in 2021 thanks to the
upped the ante as she creeps closer to her launch of her highly-praised beauty brand, Vieve. To
2021 wedding. She’s already started promote the line, she returned to the thing that made
incorporating her fiance into “couple her name: makeup tutorials on YouTube. A significant
makeup looks” and plans on covering the change, as she has spent the past few years primarily
run-up to her big day in-depth. focusing on vlogging.
Wendy Asumadu: beauty content doesn’t
get much more imaginative than this. She Jules Von Hep: the founder of tanning brand Isle
treats the complexion as a canvas and has of Paradise spent 2020 on a self-love journey and
criticised the beauty community’s lack of is now out the other side and on a mission to
representation, teaming up with fellow Black spread the “feel good” vibes. His style of content is
content creators to launch Editorial BLK in warm, funny, incredibly motivational and rooted in
2020. She’s also fundraising to create more anti-perfection narratives.
opportunities in 2021.
Sasha Louise Pallari: her anti-filter
movement #FILTERDROP was picked up Diipa Buller-Khosla: already a seasoned beauty
by Vogue, but Sasha doesn’t plan to blogger, Diipa was one of the first in the game to
stop there. The model just launched her embrace Instagram Reels. And, thanks to her
YouTube channel for more fresh and incredible 2020 Diwali beauty series, she has
honest discussion around the beauty and become one of the platform’s most exciting creators.
influencer industries.
Fashion trends 2021
We’ve seen Lockdown Looks, a fast fashion
backlash and the influence of cottagecore lead
forward-thinking style influencers to pretty florals.
So what’s next?
Nostalgic fashion: with nothing to be inspired by in the present,
we’re continuing to look to the past for our fashion cues. Searches
for 1990s fashion have been in similar demand for the past five
years, but Google data shows desire for Y2K style is relentlessly
peaking and increasing.
“A Week in Outfits”: this content trend is a cross between a
lookbook and a vlog, seeing creators document each day’s fit.
With restrictions set to continue in some form into 2021, the format
condenses a week’s worth of activities into 30-seconds - perfect
for when diaries are empty and short form is the order of the day.
Restyling: the conversation around sustainability can only grow
in 2021, as more of us consider the impact of our wardrobes on the
environment. For fashion influencers, the key to survival lies in
restyling content - going through old items, dressing up staples and
sharing tips on unique ways to give new life to clothes.
“I hope we see more innovative
fashion trends and the death of the
shopping haul”
- Chloe James, fashion and beauty
reporter for CORQ
CORQ.
Fashion influencer hotlist 2021
Nyome Nicholas Williams: since
launching her campaign Victoria Magrath: eight years since launching In
#WeWantToSeeNyome, the model The Frow, she continues to outdo herself across all
incited an Instagram policy change for platforms. The luxury blogger has established herself
censorship of plus-size bodies. She is now as one of fashion’s most creative talents, pulling off a
on a mission to increase the visibility of seamless transition to TikTok and Instagram Reels in
Black, plus-size women in high fashion 2020 - and all in the year she left her management
and has teased big plans for 2021. company to strike out on her own.
Emma Louise Connolly: originally set Emma Slade Edmonson: the sustainability expert
to marry her partner Oliver Proudlock this was named one of the top environmentalists by Forbes
summer, Emma was forced to delay the big in November, thanks to her hard work to educate
day to 2021. However, she has promised others on the impact of their wardrobes. She launched
the content will be worth the wait: she her IGTV series “Come Secondhand Shopping With
plans on having five wedding dresses. Me” just before lockdown and plans to bring it back
on a bigger scale as restrictions loosen.
Rubi Rasheed: the Australian fashion Evie Clark: specialising in Y2K fashion, she stands
blogger has taken TikTok by storm with her out on Instagram thanks to her innovative IGTV
fun, colourful, pastel outfits. Her sense of formats (see Evie’s Fashion Flip, where she reworks
style is unique in the UK fashion space right her followers’ outfits). She has also started
now and repeatedly draws in big views branching out into presenting, hosting her own
through her IGTV and YouTube tutorials. podcast, Growing Up and Sometimes Down, and
welcoming an array of fellow YouTubers onto her
channel to talk about their careers so far.
Jessica Kellgren-Forzard: when she isn’t Amira Khan: the stylist and modest fashion blogger
sharing tips for sustainable, vintage style, took time off from creating content this year after
she uses her platform to address life with a suffering from severe flare-ups of Lupus due to the
disability (she has hereditary neuropathy stress of 2020. Since returning to social in November,
with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP), she has vowed to work on getting herself back to
mixed connective tissue disorder, and she is better health and producing more style, vegan food,
deaf) and the LGBTQIA+ community. interiors and (hopefully) travel content.
CORQ.
Fashion influencer hotlist 2021
Sophia Tuxford: vlogger and co-host of Abimbola Ogunsanya: this entrepreneur
hit podcast The Girls’ Bathroom, Sophia never fails to infuse fun into her fashion
saw her following explode this year after content and is in the process of launching two
embracing a new minimal aesthetic. It fashion brands. She is also keen to help other
doesn’t hurt that she recently purchased bloggers, producing an IGTV series to share
her first home and dedicated a second industry advice in 2020.
Instagram to its equally neutral decor.
Nella Rose: following a Twitter scandal in
Mimi Missfit: the fashion blogger just May and a brief absence from social media,
launched her third series for the BBC - a she rebounded with a horde of celebrity and
children’s show entitled Mimi and Co - influencer supporters banding together as
which follows her mission to live life to the “Nella Rose Stan Accounts”. Breaking the
full. Also, after a busy year, Mimi has internet with a luxury apartment tour in
teased more BBC content in the near future. December, she shows no signs of slowing down.
Fisayo Longe: her trajectory was already
Karina Marriott: she started the year by impressive thanks to launching clothing
relaunching her website, The Style Idealist, business Kai Collective in 2016. Then, this
repositioning herself as a “mid-size year she was bestowed with the ultimate
millennial writing about style, self- honour: featuring on Beyoncé’s list of Black-
discovery and confidence”. The move paid
owned brands to support. Set to finish her
off - Karina is the master of self-love and
second bachelor’s degree in 2021, the
mid-size styling across her blog and
fashion blogger has big plans for her
Instagram.
business’ future: shoes.
Karen Williams: the stylist has a
growing profile in both the UK and US, Lauren Nicole Coppin-Campbell: her
counts Beyonce as a client and is at that personal fashion and lifestyle website, Fashion
point before her audience explodes. Killer, underwent a refurb this year, launching
While many have been left sartorially as a collaborative blog targeted at millennial
disorientated by 2020, Karen knows women. The model has also been named
exactly where fashion needs to go next. contributing curve editor to Cosmopolitan.Food & travel 2021
With a world changed by the pandemic to
explore and a desire for culinary adventures due
to home cooking fatigue, food and travel
influencers are set to have a monumental year.
#VanLife: an ever-growing gang of influencers are buying - and
renovating - vans, as they are the perfect vehicle to limit the risk of
contamination while living in a pandemic and travelling.
Dedicated vanners include Craig and Aimee from Kingin' It, Stuart
and Ashley from On the Road Again Travels, Karen from Travel
Mad Mum and Anthony Pearson.
Community kitchens and meal delivery services: chefs and
cooks have made it their mission to produce the food their
communities love and make sure they can get it delivered to their
doors. We’re not talking Uber Eats-style operations - we’re talking
niche, targeted and authentic. Ravinder Bhogal and Exose Grant
are just two influencers who’ve launched delivery services, but see
Jacob Fodio Todd for a cook who was doing this pre-pandemic
via his project, The Feature Kitchen.
“I’d like to see exciting,
adventurous content in 2021 with
influencers becoming more
experimental again and showing us
what’s out there.”
- Lucinda Diamond, food and travel
reporter for CORQCORQ.
Food influencer hotlist 2021
Original Flava: brothers Sean and Zaynab Paruk: this baker predominantly
Craig have been on fire all year and shares incredibly relaxing and upbeat
2021 will see them reap the rewards of cake-making tutorials on TikTok. As the
their successful cookery book, YouTube founder of modest fashion brand Tulip
channel and Instagram. They’re also Wear, she is now branching into style
serious about giving back and have just content too and combining this with
announced their new mentorship scheme. cooking on Instagram. Bake Off 2021?
Laura Jackson: she adapted her Exose Grant Lopo-Ndinga: the chef who
supper club brand Hoste by turning it into saw that people would need help more than
a dinner party box business and found ever when it come to food in 2020. Not only
time to champion local independent did he start his own food delivery service but
companies, eventually partnering with he is also now represented by IMG Models
Google on a campaign with this ethos. and he was a finalist on Masterchef: The
She’s also set to have her second baby - Professionals in 2019.
a boy - in the New Year.
Kyle Gibson: a rising star on the Ravneet Gill: the pastry chef you need
competitive eating scene who - thanks to to know in 2021 as she’s got a seriously
consistently uploading - has managed to engaged audience and is now going
take a meh YouTube channel and turn it mainstream. She landed columns in both
into a must-watch for his 30K+ the Telegraph and the Guardian this
subscribers. Growth is on the cards for year, and was announced as a future
2021 - catch him if you can. judge for Junior Bake Off. Impressive.
Poppy O’Toole: a Michelin-trained Tyler Butt: a personal trainer who became
chef who has over one million followers popular on TikTok thanks to his simple
on TikTok after her audience exploded recipes and funny delivery (for example,
this year. More importantly, the broccoli - in his opinion - can be “fit”). He is
founder of #PotatoTikTok - through now expanding onto Instagram, has
which she endlessly makes potatoes published an ebook of recipes and to top it
delicious. Funny and not afraid to take all off, has launched his own fitness and
on a viral challenge. nutrition programme.CORQ.
Travel influencer hotlist 2021
Jake McKenna: a photographer and Sima Sthanakiya: a journalist who
film-maker who documents his hiking trips writes and Instagrams about travelling with
to the Lake District and Scotland on her children (think all of them snuggled in
TikTok and YouTube. Perfectly positioned an enormous plush hotel bed) and is now
to rise with the growing trend of hiking enjoying newfound TikTok success. Her
and gain more recognition for his secret? A combination of education,
knowledge of the great outdoors. humour and trend-driven family posts.
Eulanda and Omo Osagiede: couple Hannah Wood: who says you can’t
who cover food and travel and have follow your dreams during a pandemic?
created compelling content - despite Hannah quit her office job, bought a
being grounded - through sharing camper van and is now documenting a
financial and social media tips on their new experience of rural beauty
Instagram and blog, TikTok and YouTube. everyday. She also ended the lease on
They've also launched a programme of her flat and lives in the van too. Brave.
online photography classes.
Sian Anna Lewis: an adventurer who Nuria Laiglesia: after spending most of
has thrived in 2020 thanks to her this year in isolation while battling breast
pandemic-friendly combination of wild cancer, traveller Nuria has big plans for
swimming, camping and hiking. She’s 2021 to make up for lost time. She is
also a keen forager and practices what enjoying the simplest pleasures - such as
she preaches on the sustainability front. A going for a run - but expect bucket list-
very 2021 influencer. style adventures to follow
Joel Friend: increasingly popular
Mike Yu: genius travel TikTokker who TikTokker and Instagrammer who bought
creates incredible videos about hidden a one-way ticket to Greece in October to
gems which are loved by locals and meet someone he’d been chatting to on
shares memories from his own extensive Instagram. He’s still there and if you
travels. Meanwhile, his Instagram is really want to see his potential, check out
dedicated to beautiful photography. his YouTube channel.Culture trends 2021
Arts, music and entertainment became online
experiences in 2020 and those who were able to
produce social-friendly work have thrived. The
result? A whole new raft of bright young things set
for greatness in 2021.
In-app community facilitated panels: Clubhouse has levelled
up via inviting celebrities, influencers and commentators to
participate in insightful debates. It has provided a safe space to
offload frustrations and many viewers live tweet each panel. This
new format is seeing regular users like Oloni and Nicole Crentsil
engage in high-profile panel discussions, which Twitter and
Instagram are now trying to replicate.
Blogging disguised as newsletters: writers have launched
newsletters to freely discuss and share resources around topical
subjects. The language, tone and content is diary-like and
comparable to blogging. These newsletters are snappy and
digestible, garnering impressively consistent engagement for
influencers such as gal-dem founder, Liv Little.
Growth of grass-roots media platforms: lockdown saw the
birth of a new wave of independent creative projects and
platforms emerge and grow at a rapid pace. A good example of
this is GUAP. Beyond being a digital magazine, it now has a studio
dedicated to photography and podcasting and has been working
with Reebok to offer emerging creatives opportunities.
“Lockdown birthed some of the most
innovative trends we’ve seen and these
continue to influence the internet despite
restrictions being lifted.”
- Jennifer Adetoro, culture reporter
for CORQCORQ.
Culture influencer hotlist 2021
Tolani Shoneye, Audrey Bertie Gilbert: he announced a
Indome and Milena crowdfunding initiative for his
Sanchez: the trio behind 2021 film PLEASE CARE! this
critically-acclaimed month. Alongside starring actor
relationships and dating Hugh Skinner (W12, The
podcast The Receipts are set Windsors), it is being produced
to release their debut book by Oscar-winning production
with Headline Publishing in company, Sick Films and will be
July. Greater fame and an his biggest project yet. Not bad
exponentially larger for an emerging Gen Z indie film
audience is sure to follow. director.
Danika Magdalena: the Munya Chawawa: there’s
photographer has worked no denying that 2020 has
on numerous projects this been Munya’s year. And,
year including shooting J thanks to signing with Atlantic
Hus’ clothing line and Records through his popular
Arsenal’s 2020/21 kit as alias “Unknown P”, we can
well as being the face of expect a multitude of music
Topshop’s Christmas projects 2021, not to mention
campaign. Her rapid rise a successful crossover to
comes ahead of more mainstream channels and
exciting projects in 2021. international recognition.
Arlo Parks: after being Poorna Bell: her searingly
awarded BBC Introducing honest memoir of recovering
Artist of the Year and her from her husband’s suicide
single Black Dog named touched thousands. And her
‘Hottest Record of the Year’ next book - Stronger, out in
by Annie Mac, she is April 2021 - is set to be the
releasing her long-awaited post-pandemic handbook
debut album Collapsed In for everyone rebuilding in a
Sunbeams in January. brave new world.CORQ.
Culture influencer hotlist 2021
London Hughes: after Christina Ebenezer: the
relocating in Los Angeles to photographer behind Michaela
work on a series of projects, Coel’s iconic British GQ cover
the comedian is destined to has also applied her vision and
have a fruitful year lens to heritage brands such as
following the release of two Paul Smith and British Vogue
original Netflix shows: The this year. Her strength? Portraits
Netflix Afterparty and her - and it’s making her one of the
comedy special, To Catch A most in-demand photographers
D*CK. on the scene.
Abi Clarke: the comedian Henrie Kwushue: gaining
joined TikTok during recognition for her three-part
Lockdown 1.0 and grew a YouTube docuseries “Is Your
following of 500K in just a Area Changing?”, presenter
few months. Her contribution and DJ Henrie is a recipient of
to TikTok’s musical of Disney the Dazed 100 Ideas 2020
film Ratatouille was adored fund. She is currently using
and 2021 will be her year to money from the initiative to
springboard from social produce a five-part video
media to mainstream project called “Untold
channels Stories” on a large scale.
Jojo Sonubi: the success of Tiana Major9: following the
his Black community-led success of her single “Collide”
radio station No Signal saw with American rap duo
him crowdfund a permanent EarthGang, Tiana has
studio space and he has performed on NPR’s Tiny
hinted at plans to expand Desk concert and received
beyond radio via a new award nominations from both
initiative with charity Youth the MOBO and Grammy
Music, the No Signal Awards, earning global
Academy. recognition and exposure.CORQ.
We look forward to working with you in 2021!
Any questions or need help?
Email: arabella@corq.studio, cc’ing info@corq.studioYou can also read
