Three Miami Influencers Make "Most Influential Creators" List

Miami's spotlight is shining brighter these days, at least when it comes to influencers. In June, Time featured three digital creators with local ties on its first-ever Time100 Creators List. Preteen celebrity interviewer Taylen Biggs, product peddler Alix Earle, and Tefi Pessoa, whom the magazine called "the internet’s big sister," made the cut. Now, two of those creators have been recognized nationally again, this time on Rolling Stone's list of the 25 Most Influential Creators of 2025. The magazine also featured a Miami OnlyFans model in the top 10.

The list, published on Tuesday, August 26, drew even more attention than it might have on its own after MrBeast complained in a now-deleted tweet that he ranked directly below comedian Caleb Hearon. The YouTuber also appeared to confuse Rolling Stone (the magazine) and the Rolling Stones (the band), despite being featured on the cover of the publication's Creators Issue just two years ago.
Even before MrBeast took exception, Rolling Stone explained that its ranking was not solely based on follower counts. "We started with dozens of names, then with the help of data from the software and analytics company CreatorIQ, weighed their followers, engagement rate, and audience growth over the past year," read the list intro. "Using those numbers — and our own editorial judgment — we ranked these creators." Streamer IShowSpeed, comedian Druski, and children's content creator Ms. Rachel topped the list at slots one, two, and three, respectively.

For the purposes of the list, the magazine also defined a creator as "someone born from the internet — not a celebrity who jumped on after gaining fame in a more traditional way — who uses their chosen platforms to push conversations forward."

By those metrics, the magazine ranked Alix Earle at number 21. Rolling Stone calls her "TikTok’s most marketable personality" and says recent ventures, including her appearance in a Super Bowl commercial, her investment in canned cocktail brand SipMargs, and her casting on the upcoming season of Dancing With the Stars, also contributed to her ranking. Earle also spoke to the magazine about the pressure to keep up with new entrants in an industry she pioneered: "There’s people posting more than ever. So when it comes to your content, it’s really important to have a strong voice, and opinion, and storytelling, because otherwise you’re going to be another video that people are watching and then scrolling past."

Miami-raised Tefi Pessoa makes her appearance seven slots higher, largely by following some of Earle's advice. Born Estefanía Vanegas Pessoa, she credits a storyteller's visit to her Miami middle school as an early indication of the kind of career she aspired to have. "I remember thinking, 'That is what I want to do. That’s real power,'" she told the magazine.

An indication of her rising status in the industry, Pessoa ranked higher than viral figures including Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports and One Bite Pizza Reviews, comedian Sabrina Brier, and podcaster Theo Von. Rolling Stone lists recent accomplishments, including Ask Tefi, her advice column for the Cut, and her new podcast, Tefi Talks, as proof of her growing influence.

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Of course, a discussion about Miami's creator industry wouldn't be complete without including OnlyFans. Our city has more OnlyFans creators per capita than any other major city in the United States, and one of its most popular creators, model Camilla Araujo, made Rolling Stone's top 10.

"Araujo’s rise reflects a growing class of Gen Z influencers who are using OnlyFans to springboard into mainstream internet fame," journalist Taylor Lorenz wrote. The magazine cited Araujo's involvement in the Bop House and her social media consulting as factors leading to her ranking at number 9.

According to Araujo, that's just the beginning. "I want to be everywhere,” she told Rolling Stone. “I want to be unavoidable."