Actress and content creator Asia Jackson is dedicated to educating the masses about fashion, personal style and diverse cultural identity. As the daughter of a member of the United States Air Force with multicultural heritage (African American and Indigenous Filipino), Jackson lived in several countries growing up. Her experience has inspired her content, driving her mission to bring issues of colorism, diversity and beauty ideals to life. 

For Jackson, fashion and beauty comprise more than just trends and tastes—both are intrinsically linked with cultural, ethnic and racial identity. In 2022, Jackson launched SKNFLUENCR, a platform for her to explore topics in fashion and beauty at the intersection of race and culture.

From spearheading the Latin Trap wave early in his career to shaping modern-day global music, Bad Bunny has become a nearly inescapable name. In 2025, however, the Puerto Rican singer rose to unimaginable heights with the release of Debí Tirar Más Fotos. Speaking of the Latin American experience’s sorrows and joys, the politically-charged 17-track record explored gentrification, colonization and resistance alongside human emotions like nostalgia, heartbreak and longing.  

Beyond its musical novelty, Debí Tirar Más Fotos resonated with audiences worldwide—especially those in the global South—and birthed a movement that prompted listeners to look inward and reclaim their cultural roots with pride.  

Self-described “glow-up kid from that boy band you used to know,” Choi Jonghyun, best known as Changjo, has been a K-pop idol for 15 years. In fact, that’s the exact catchphrase he introduces himself with on TikTok, where he has cultivated a loyal follower base in just a couple of months. 

But make no mistake: in no way is Changjo a newcomer. The singer, dancer and rapper first rose to fame as part of TEEN TOP, the K-pop act responsible for some of the genre’s most defining hits in the 2010s.

After completing South Korea’s compulsory military service, the singer returned to the spotlight as a K-pop artist, independent musician and, perhaps most surprisingly, a TikTok creator.

Poetic lyrics, poignant melodies and an ethereal voice with the ability to traverse genres make Vietnamese American singer Dolly Ave one of the new generation’s most exciting talents. Since her debut, Dolly has championed honest storytelling with raw, emotional and genre-bending songs that exist in a space where alternative rock and pop merge effortlessly. 

In 2025, the multifaceted Dolly set the stage, figuratively and literally, for the release of her sophomore album, scheduled for spring 2026. Her accolades and resume expansion included modeling gigs, red carpets appearances, music video cameos and, naturally, a growing audience enjoying her music. Dolly also conceived, produced and performed in a showcase held at Coke Studios and joined the Converse All-Star 2025-2026 Class. The best part? She championed AAPI representation every step along the way.

Sarocha Chankimha, aka Freen, is one of Thailand’s greatest names in entertainment. The actress saw her breakthrough starring in GAP: The Series, one of the country’s first Girls Love stories on mainstream media. Her role launched her into the limelight both domestically and internationally, introducing her as one of the global referents in a new wave of queer television.

But Freen’s success extends far beyond the realm of GL drama. Nowadays, the screen darling has also established herself as a fashion powerhouse and rising entrepreneur. Over the past months, Freen has strengthened her international presence with a myriad of accolades that range from representing Italian fashion house Valentino to becoming the first Thai woman in entertainment to attend the Met Gala—a feat she shares with Blackpink’s Lisa.

Since he graced the screen in Kiss Me Again (2018), Gawin Caskey has breezed through enough roles to demonstrate his acting prowess. Marking a new chapter in his career, in 2025, the Thai actor starred in GMMTV’s binge-worthy My Golden Blood, one of Thai BL’s first forays into the vampire genre. The show quickly made headway among international audiences, reaching places such as Brazil, Indonesia and Paraguay. 

Proving that the actor’s popularity extends beyond Thailand, a string of international fanmeetings in Asia, Europe and the Americas followed suit.

Besides acting, Gawin has made a name for himself with a handful of music releases that cement him as one of Thailand’s most promising stars in recent years. 

After making her runway debut with Dior in 2022, Iyan Moon Yang transformed her social media presence from her personal portfolio into a viable career. In the years since, Yang has embarked on a mission to dismantle long-standing beauty standards, increase diversity in the modelling industry and push for representation in marketing and technology. 

Since moving to New York City after graduating high school, Yang has collaborated with brands she has long been a fan of, including Kendra Scott, Nike and Christian Cowan. While balancing academics, content creation and her modeling career, Yang has become well-versed in the impact of representation. Now, the young creator explores the world beyond the lens, working with start-up companies to increase social media literacy and diversity in marketing research as a Rise Justice Lab Fellow.

The Philadelphia Eagles began the year with a rousing win at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. For quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Super Bowl LIX MVP, the momentous victory led to a cascade of noteworthy cultural moments that boosted his influence off the field.

Hurts has been a brand favorite throughout the year. From Beats by Dre to Breitling and Sprite, the American football star has appeared in several campaigns nationwide. His proven athletic prowess and charismatic personality have made Hurts an influential figure across the board.

Fresh off the Eagles’ win, Nike’s Jordan brand celebrated Hurts with “LOVE, HURTS,” which later turned into an apparel collaboration featured at Nike’s first U.S. World of Flight store in Philadelphia. And as if Nike’s doting wasn’t enough, Hurts cemented his presence as a fashionable figure with his debut appearance at this year’s Met Gala, which he attended with Burberry.

With well over 120 million followers across social platforms, Karol G hardly needs an introduction. As a record-setting musician, Karol G has been shaping the Latin music industry for many years. 

Nearly two decades in, 2025 was an impressive year in its own regard. Karol G was on a roll in terms of accolades. This was, in part, thanks to the release of Tropicoqueta, her fifth studio album. The singer’s global influence was also reflected in her involvement in major cultural events. From performing at the NFL Halftime Show in São Paulo, Brazil, in September to becoming the first Latina artist to perform at the Crazy Horse in Paris, France, Karol G has made an impact around the world. She also participated in the Grace for the World concert held at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, where she sang alongside Italian legend Andrea Bocelli.

With a name that evokes the sound of droplets trickling down on a rainy day, Lope Dope is among the frontrunners of Vietnam’s independent music scene. Drummer Lương Tùng Lâm, vocalist Nguyễn Hoàng Dương, keyboardist Bùi Khoa Trung, guitarist Hoàng Minh Quang and bassist Đào Phương Anh join forces in the musical project, pouring their sonic mastery into dreamy and nostalgic tracks that thrive in a combination of soul, funk, jazz and alternative rock. 

Lope Dope’s discography has grown steadily since their first single, published in 2019. Today, the band is often spotted on live music stages and festivals in their homeland, where they delight music lovers and fans alike with well-loved singles such as “Tên Trộm” and “Đêm Thành Phố” and more recent releases like “Bể Cá” and “Đêm Niềm Vui.”

Multifaceted is just one of the words with which to describe Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’s 2025. From the professional angle, the Canadian-Sri Lankan actress has significantly broadened her horizons this year: from starring alongside Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis in Freakier Friday to voicing Beesha in the animated film The Twits, Maitreyi has continued to hone her craft as a storyteller. 

Off-screen, however, Maitreyi’s impact is just as tangible. She is openly supportive of underrepresented voices and uses her platform to bring awareness to global causes. Recently, she has worked with The Fable Fund and participated in The Assembly.

Naomi Osaka rose to prominence for her demonstrated tennis prowess—case in point: her 2018 victory at the U.S. Open. In the years since, Osaka has become a recognizable public figure not only for her athletic ability, but for her candid discussions on social and cultural issues. Today, Osaka is one of the most decorated female athletes of our time. Aside from her numerous tennis wins, the Japanese sportswoman has partnered with Nike, Nissan, Louis Vuitton, MasterCard, Tag Heuer and BodyArmor, among other recognizable names.

Throughout this year’s tournaments, Osaka reprised her 2024 virality with a new series of buzzworthy outfits. Since last year, female athletes around the world have spearheaded changing perceptions of femininity in the context of sports. Osaka is one of many professionals finding the intersection of fashion and functionality, proudly articulating their personal style without compromising performance.

Fans of queer love stories and fashion enthusiasts may recognize Kornnaphat Sethratanapong, Orm, as a nearly omnipresent figure in international entertainment and fashion. First introduced to the public through productions such as Hotel Stars and Game of Outlaws, the Thai actress’ career exploded internationally when she portrayed Earn in The Secret of Us, Channel 3’s adaptation of Meenam’s story of the same name and the broadcasting station’s first venture into the world of Girls Love (GL).  

Though the drama aired in the second half of 2024, Orm reaped the rewards of success as the following year unfolded. She participated in international events, partnered with brands and broke the internet repeatedly. In 2025, scrolling through any social media platform on the days following Paris Fashion Week inevitably led to the Thai actress.  In fact, according to Launchmetrics, Orm emerged as the top celebrity voice at the event for two consecutive seasons.

Dallas-born creator Quenlin Blackwell has been an online success for over a decade. In 2025, however, Blackwell further raised the bar, bridging the gap between new and traditional media on various platforms. While many recognize Blackwell from YouTube, including her popular interview format Feeding Starving Celebrities, she has transcended the site with respectable collaborations and appearances. Case in point, Blackwell walked the runway at the 2025 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show with Victoria’s Secret Pink the month before making her television debut in the new HBO series I Love LA. 

Throughout the calendar year, Blackwell also amassed a collection of name-brand partnerships. She participated in Glossier’s campaign for the Espresso Balm Dotcom, starred in Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Gifting Universe holiday campaign and Chanel’s social feature for its watches and jewelry lines.

Five years into their career, Starto Entertainment’s boy band Snow Man has created a legacy many could only fantasize about. Consecutive million-selling albums, record-setting releases and international performances at festivals and music shows place Daisuke Sakuma, Hikaru Iwamoto, Koji Mukai, Maito Raul Murakami, Ren Meguro, Ryohei Abe, Ryota Miyadate, Shota Watanabe and Tatsuya Fukazawa at the top of the Japanese music industry.

Although Snow Man originally arrived on the scene in the 2010s, it wasn’t until 2020 that the group made their official debut. Proved pivotal in their career, 2025 marked the group’s five anniversary. The year brought significant breakthroughs. In January, Snow Man released THE BEST 2020 – 2025, an album that sold over 1.1 million copies on the first day alone. It set a new bar for first-week sales in Japan.

Breezily original and confident, Sophie Castillo exemplifies the very best of the British-Latine creative community. The London-based singer honors her multicultural heritage with narrative-fueled releases that exist at the intersection of indie pop, reggaeton, bachata and other contemporary genres. Paired with multilingual lyrics, her music catalog perfectly encapsulates the diversity of the Latin American diaspora and the ability of new-gen stars to experiment with global sound. 

Between the release of her anticipated EP, Like a Star and performing sold-out shows, Castillo was on a mission in 2025—to share her craft with as many people as possible and prove that artistry doesn’t need to fit a mold.

In case you didn’t know, Thai-Italian singer Valentina Ploy is the world’s next pop girl obsession. We mean that. Born in Italy, Ploy first started pursuing music through audition programs such as The X Factor (Italy) andThe Voice (Thailand). Now based in Bangkok, Ploy has evolved into a fully-fledged singer-songwriter—the kind that dominates the music industry today. But Ploy has an ace up her sleeve that places her music in a league of its own: her linguistic fluency. Though she prominently sings in English, Ploy is at ease delivering smooth, velvety vocals in Thai, Italian, French and Spanish. 

Departing from the cool girl trope, Ploy crafts music that’s invitingly warm, honest and just the right amount of playful. Warm is, in fact, the name of the two-part EP Ploy published in 2025, powered by singles such as “SNAP,” “So Valentina,” and “Rebecca.” 

Bogota’s underground scene is a cornerstone of the Colombian rap industry. William Grajales, professionally known as El Muisca, saw his beginnings on the streets of the Colombian capital and has, over time, built a robust discography of all-encompassing rap hits. Mirroring the diversity of Bogota’s creative landscape, El Muisca can be explosive, blunt and direct in his bar delivery or switch to romantic melodic rap in genre-bending tracks. 

In 2025, El Muisca embarked on an ambitious 8-single project where he extended his long-time partnership with producer Ramzes Buda. Titled Semblanza, the collaborative album reunited some of Bogota’s biggest underground rappers, from Keenwan and Iyhon Secuaz to Hanna Hasen and La Fabrik Subterránea.

Xolo Maridueña has made regular appearances on screens for over a decade. The young actor built his acting catalogue gradually, with guest and recurring roles in a variety of series. In recent years, Maridueña’s mainstream success has skyrocketed. His leading role in Netflix’s Cobra Kai (2018) gave him global visibility, enabling him to embrace his Latin American roots on the international stage.

In 2023, more than 10 years after his first professional role, Maridueña was cast as the namesake protagonist in Blue Beetle. Besides the obvious prestige associated with comic adaptations, Maridueña set a new precedent—as the first Latino superhero on film, he was ushering in a new era for Hollywood.

Since her appearance on France’s competition show Nouvelle Star, Yseult Onguenet, artistically known as Yseult, has revolutionized the francophone music landscape with bold career moves and an ever-evolving sound. Whether through her self-funded music project, her cross-cultural collaborations, or her alluring onstage presence, the French singer stands out with a radical message of authenticity and independence.

Yseult is everywhere, from major stages like the Olympics and film festival red carpets to late-night television shows and fashion runways. Her unrelenting pursuit of reinvention has shaped a career that extends past music. Alongside her industry accolades, the multihyphenate boasts a growing modeling portfolio, acting credits and a record of transforming powerful messages into art—her tracks often touch upon topics such as body positivity, racial justice and unapologetic empowerment.

Zeyne is at the top of her game: from artistry to messaging, the Palestinian-Jordanian artist makes stardom look easy. In 2025, Zeyne finally transitioned from navigating the music industry in bursts—a single here, a feature there—with the release of her debut album AWDA. While the record was released in October, the heavy lifting on the project began in 2024.

For her entire career, Zeyne has channeled her honest emotions and complex experiences into the lyrics, instrumentals and visuals that shape her discography. With AWDA, the singer captures the intricacies of heritage, identity and resilience. The 13-track album is Zeyne’s internal monologue given sound, telling a cohesive tale from start to finish. It is also an homage to Palestinian culture; through her music, Zeyne continues to push Arabic, Palestinian and Jordanian culture into the spotlight.