The world’s ultimate creator competition has once again shone a spotlight on the creative community’s boldest and brightest. A huge thank you to everyone that took the time to enter and a massive congratulations to all our winners whose talent, passion and innovation continue to inspire creators everywhere.
CREATOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2025
CREATOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2025
CREATOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2025
CREATOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2025
CREATOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2025
OWN THE SPOTLIGHT
2025
PEOPLES CHOICE NOMINEES
The People’s Choice Award is the most popular creator as chosen by voters, with the winner rewarded with $10,000 in cash and a major prize pack. Lodge your vote now to win 1 of 10 prize packs full of incredible RØDE gear!
CREATOR OF THE YEAR
Max Klymenko
Max Klymenko is redefining education for Gen Z, regularly captivating his 14 million followers with the ability to make complex topics both accessible and exciting. His viral Career Ladder series, a groundbreaking street interview format, averages an astonishing 12 million views per video. By turning everyday job conversations into engaging, insightful short-form content, Max has become a leading voice in modern education.
EMERGING CREATOR OF THE YEAR
Braxton Haugen
Braxton Haugen crafts autobiographical short films that celebrate the people, places and moments that matter most in his life. His deeply personal storytelling resonates with audiences, offering a heartfelt glimpse into the beauty of everyday experiences.
PEOPLES’ CHOICE
KRYSTAL DURAN
Krystal Duran is a plant educator who brings houseplant care to life with her unique blend of accessible tips and engaging edutainment. Her content makes plant care fun and approachable for everyone, empowering her audience to create thriving green spaces. With Krystal’s guidance, every new leaf is a reason to celebrate growth – both in plants and in ourselves.
SPOTLIGHT AWARDS
Designed to celebrate excellence across diverse creative disciplines, the Spotlight Awards honour creators whose work stands out for its vision, craft and influence. Our winners represent the very best in their field, setting a benchmark for creativity and innovation.
SPOTLIGHT AWARDS
Designed to recognise excellence and originality across a spectrum of creative disciplines, each Spotlight Award winner will receive $5000 cash and a prize pack full of gear from RØDE and our creative partners.
FINALISTS
Check out the full crop of worthy finalists across all categories and explore the incredible work that earned them a spot among this year’s top creators.
AWARDS
With 3 major prizes and 15 Spotlight Awards up for grabs, there are plenty of chances to win!
Creator of the Year Award
Major Prize Pack +
$25,000
People's Choice
Major Prize Pack +
$10,000
