How Filipino Icons Bretman Rock, Niana Guerrero, and Valkyrae Made TIME100’s Creators List

What started as a lockdown hobby for the chronically online has leveled up into one of the most lucrative and glamorous careers under the spotlight. But long before everyone hopped onto the trend and flooded FYPs with one TikTok after another, pioneers like Bretman Rock and Niana Guerrero were already setting the blueprint. These Filipino content creators, now with millions of followers from all over the world, have just proven they’re still at the top of their game — landing coveted spots on this year’s TIME100 Creators list. 

The prestigious roster from TIME Magazine recognizes 100 of the “most influential digital voices” globally. It distinguishes internet-native stars from celebrities who first found fame through traditional channels, acknowledging how creators build their own communities online and help shape modern culture. That makes Rock and Guerrero’s inclusion in the list all the more significant. Both of them were named in the Titans category, which specifically honors established, mega-creators with gigantic followings. 

Also joining Rock and Guerrero in the second annual lineup is half-Filipina gaming creator Rachell Hofstetter, better known as Valkyrae, giving the Philippines three honorees on the 2026 roster.

PARCINQ gives you a look at how these homegrown content powerhouses made the cut.

Bretman Rock

Raise your hand if you remember Vine.

Real ones know the now-defunct app—which technically crawled so TikTok could fly—is where Rock had his humble beginnings. There, he posted short, comedic skits that later became viral memes before expanding into glam tutorials on YouTube. 

That’s exactly how TIME credited the Filipino-American personality, noting how much he has evolved from being an early beauty creator known for his “humor and tons of natural charisma.”

“Now, he’s added a new, more down-to-earth side to his content,” the publication said. “With hilarious videos about naming baby peacocks or applying false lashes to his chickens so they look more like him—not to mention the farmland video that won him the 2025 TikTok Video of the Year Award—Rock’s content is a reminder of how living in harmony with nature can make life more beautiful.”

Niana Guerrero

At just five years old, Guerrero already began making dance videos. She made her first appearance in 2011, joining her brother Ranz Kyle and his then-group Chicser in a Teach Me How to Dougie cover. It wasn’t until six years later that Guerrero broke through with a video of herself grooving to Despacito. 

Now, the global dancing powerhouse, who TIME described as someone “used to the spotlight,” has become the most sought-after TikTok personality based in the Philippines with close to 47 million followers.

“Although her biggest audience is in her home country, Guerrero has collaborated with a range of both local and international artists, including Sabrina Carpenter, Tate McRae, Cortis, KATSEYE, and [BLACKPINK’s Lisa],” said TIME. “This spring, she graced the stage that’s arguably one of the pinnacles of pop culture, appearing with singer Flowerovlove at Coachella.”

Rachell “Valkyrae” Hofstetter 

This icon, who is of Filipino and German descent, is what you call a woman in a male-dominated field.

For TIME, Hofstetter is someone who has done more than just build an empire from her years of streaming her gameplay on Twitch. 

After becoming one of the world’s most watched female streamers, she has extended her influence beyond the digital space with her offline endeavors, namely her media company Hihi Studios, podcast Wine About It, music video appearances, and voiceover roles in animated films. 

No wonder Valkyrae is being recognized for carving out “a space for young women to make their own mark.” 

These OGs really still got it — and they’re not going anywhere soon.