Katseye named TikTok Global Artist of the Year as Taylor Swift and Connie Francis honoured

TikTok names Katseye its Global Artist of the Year while Taylor Swift and Connie Francis also receive top music awards

Los Angeles-based girl group Katseye was named TikTok’s Global Artist of the Year after achieving more than 30 billion views and 12 million creations using their music.

The six-member group, which includes performers from the US, the Philippines, South Korea and Switzerland, also earned two Grammy nominations last month, including Best New Artist.

Their song “Gnarly” generated 2.4 million TikTok video creations, including clips posted by Camila Cabello and K-pop groups Enhypen, Le Sserafim and Tomorrow X Together. Another track, “Gabriela”, led to 2.8 million creations and 9.8 billion views through a dance trend.

“We had an unforgettable year on TikTok, and it was all because of the EYEKONS who showed up for us every single day,” the group said in a statement released by TikTok. “You turned our songs, our moments, and our chaos into something truly global.”

The late Connie Francis received TikTok’s Global Song of the Year and top US song honours for her 1962 recording “Pretty Little Baby”. Users created more than 28.4 million videos with the track, generating 68.6 billion views.

Francis joined TikTok shortly before her death in July 2025 and previously said she was “flabbergasted and excited about the huge buzz” around the song. TikTok-driven interest led to more than 130 million Spotify streams and a place on the Billboard Global 200 chart.

Taylor Swift was named TikTok’s Global Most-Saved Artist of 2025, with millions of users saving tracks from her album “The Life of a Showgirl” to streaming services.

Tracy Gardner, TikTok’s global head of music business development, said the platform continues to connect new audiences with both emerging artists and established acts.

Additional honours went to Sombr, Tate McRae, Ejae and Doechii, reflecting the range of music trends that gained traction on TikTok during the year.