As an avid music listener and curator, 21-year-old TikTok phenomena Ari Elkins is Gen Z’s answer to Zane Lowe. The Los Angeles native has amassed a dedicated fanbase having garnered over 2.2 million followers across TikTok, Spotify, and Apple Music, and has become a trusted source for music recommendations for a new generation. Ari’s infectious personality, enthusiasm, and music knowledge help bring recognition to a variety of hidden gems and artists through his spot-on song recommendations hosted on his TikTok channel and his ever-changing playlists.

Dubbed by Rolling Stone as one of the most influential music curators on TikTok leading to a new wave of music journalism, Ari has recognized that there is “a void in terms of Gen Z music curation,” that he is happy to fill. Outside of TikTok, Ari has also collaborated with partners such as Warby Parker, has interviewed some of his favorite up-and-coming musicians, and is creating a solid throughline between his curation and the next generation of music lovers. “I want to be the next Zane Lowe or Ryan Seacrest for Gen Z,” Ari shares. “I don’t think that yet exists for kids my age.”