--- --- # The 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014 by [TIME Staff](https://time.com/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Oct 13, 2014 2:00 PM UTC by [TIME Staff](https://time.com/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Oct 13, 2014 2:00 PM UTC Teens today might have a mixed reputation, but there’s no denying their influence. They [command millions](https://vine.co/griernash) of fans on Twitter and Vine, [start companies](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2126584956/yellowberry-changing-the-bra-industry-for-young-gi) with funds they raised on Kickstarter, [steal scenes](http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/kiernan-shipka-mad-mens-scenestealer-grows-up-8996322.html) on TV’s most popular shows, [lead protests](http://time.com/3482556/hong-kong-protest-teenagers/) with global ramifications, and even—as of Friday—[win Nobel Peace Prizes](http://time.com/3489223/malala-yousafzai-and-kailash-satyarthi-win-nobel-peace-prize/). But which ones rise above the rest? We analyzed social-media followings, cultural accolades, business acumen and more to determine this year’s list (ordered from youngest to oldest). ### Mo’ne Davis, 13  SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PA - AUGUST 20: Mo'ne Davis #3 of Pennsylvania waits to pitch to a Nevada batter during the United States division game at the Little League World Series tournament at Lamade Stadium on August 20, 2014 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) \*\*\* Local Caption \*\*\* Mo'ne Davis Rob Carr—Getty Images It’s not every day that a black female athlete appears [on the cover of _Sports Illustrated_](http://www.si.com/more-sports/2014/08/19/mone-davis-little-league-world-series-sports-illustrated-cover)—let alone one who’s 13\. So Mo’ne Davis made quite a splash in August when she landed that spot (cover line: “Remember Her Name”) after pitching a shutout game in the Little League World Series. Her team, Philadelphia’s Taney Dragons, was eventually knocked out of the tournament, but not before Davis got accolades from Michelle Obama, Kevin Durant and Ellen DeGeneres, among others. Many hope she will be a role model for girls in sports, especially those that are typically male-dominated. _—Sarah Begley_ ### Sasha Obama, 13, and Malia Obama, 16  Sasha and Malia Obama arrive at the ceremonial swearing-in of their father President Barack Obama at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013\. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Pablo Martinez Monsivais—AP A lot of dads get squeamish about their daughter’s first prom, but only Malia Obama’s date status could be called “classified information,” as the President [joked](http://www.essence.com/2014/05/31/malia-obama-attends-first-prom/) on _Live! with Kelly and Michael_ last spring. Nonetheless, she has emerged as a figure of national interest: her appearance at Chicago’s Lollapalooza Music Festival caused [almost as much of a stir](http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-lollapalooza-malia-obama-20140804-story.html) as the musicians themselves, and her name has spiked in popularity after her father’s election. (It’s [predicted](http://time.com/93911/baby-name-predictor/) to peak again in 2018.) Sasha, meanwhile, has become an icon in her own right: after being photographed in a unicorn sweatshirt, the style [sold out](http://celebritybabies.people.com/2013/11/22/sasha-obama-unicorn-sweater-asos/) at ASOS in a matter of days. _—S.B._ ### Kiernan Shipka, 14  Actress Kiernan Shipka attends the Elle's Women in Television event in Los Angeles January 22, 2014\. REUTERS/Phil McCarten (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT) - RTX17QSW Phil McCarten—Reuters _Mad Men_ fans first met Sally Draper, eldest daughter of Don and Betty Draper, when she was just five years old. Since then, she’s transformed into a central, scene-stealing character that may well launch Shipka into superstardom. As _Mad Men_‘s final season looms, the actress has broadened her resume—landing a starring role in the Lifetime movie _Flowers in the Attic_—and consistently [wowed](http://www.vanityfair.com/vf-hollywood/kiernan-shipka-mad-men) on red carpets and [magazine covers](http://www.justjaredjr.com/2014/04/24/kiernan-shipka-covers-scene-magazine-ahead-of-bittersweet-mad-men-ending-exclusive/). _—Samantha Grossman_ ### Jazz Jennings, 14  LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 20: Jazz Jennings arrives at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE on April 20, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/WireImage) Gregg DeGuire—WireImage In a landmark year for transgender visibility in the media, Jennings stands out for how much she’s already accomplished. She’s been interviewed by Barbara Walters, met Bill Clinton and become the youngest person ever featured on the [_Out_ 100](http://www.out.com/out-exclusives/out100-2013) and _The Advocate_‘s [40 Under 40](http://news.advocate.com/post/21701470227/forty-under-40) lists. She even co-wrote a children’s book, _I Am Jazz_, loosely based on her life (she started living as a girl at age 5), that aims to help other kids understand what _transgender_ means. “I have a girl brain but a boy body,” Jazz says in the book. “This is called transgender. I was born this way!” _—Nolan Feeney_ ### Flynn McGarry, 15  LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON -- Episode 919 -- Pictured: (l-r) Jason Schwartzman and host Jimmy Fallon freeze Halloween treats with Chef Flynn McGarry on Thursday, October 31, 2013 -- (Photo by: Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank).. NBC At an age when many of his peers are still picking around the green stuff on their plates, McGarry has emerged as a chef du jour in the culinary industry. After helping to build a high-tech kitchen in his bedroom (modeled on Grant Achatz’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant Alinea), he started his own supper club, Eureka. It serves tasting menus—at $160 per person—at his mother’s home in Studio City, Calif. Since then, he has appeared on the [cover](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/30/magazine/the-chef-at-15.html?%5Fr=0) of the New York _Times_ Magazine, [cooked on the _Today_ show](http://www.today.com/video/today/48701749#48701749), and apprenticed at 11 Madison Park. His ultimate goal? To have, as he puts it, “the best restaurant in the world.” _—S.B._ ### Erik Finman, 15  Courtesy of Erik Finman The rural Idaho native is the founder of [Botangle.com](http://www.botangle.com), which offers tutoring over video chat services for teens who, like him, wanted more than the limited education opportunities within physical reach. To fund the site, Finman two years ago invested a $1,000 gift in Bitcoin, then an unlikely digital currency; soon it spiked in value, and he had $100,000\. It’s no wonder, then, that Finman [says he struck a deal](http://www.businessinsider.com/15-year-old-kid-launches-education-startup-with-bitcoin-fortune-2014-6) with his parents: if he makes $1 million before he turns 18, he won’t have to attend college. _—Jack Linshi_ ### Nash Grier, 16  LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 18: Vine star Nash Grier attends the 2014 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 18, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images) David Livingston—Getty Images The self-described “King of Vine”—the social media platform that loops 6-second videos—has more than 9.6 million followers and over 1.1 billion loops of his [comedic videos](https://vine.co/griernash), more than any other user. His meteoric rise to fame hasn’t been without scandal: Grier was slammed for [using a homophobic slur](http://mashable.com/2014/07/08/nash-grier-vine-slur/) on one of his since-deleted Vines. But he’s nonetheless parlayed his massive audience into endorsement deals, netting thousands to plug products such as Aquafina FlavorSplash. _—J.L._ ### Rico Rodriguez, 16  BEVERLY HILLS, CA - JANUARY 12: 71st ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS -- Pictured: Actor Rico Rodriguez arrives to the 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 12, 2014 -- (Photo by Trae Patton/NBC/NBC via Getty Images) Trae Patton/NBC/Getty Images As scene-stealing Manny on ABC’s smash-hit _Modern Family_, Rodriguez isn’t just one of the most visible child actors on TV (the show’s sixth season premiere averaged more than 11 million viewers)—he’s also one of the richest. According to[ reports](http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/mo-money-rico-rodriguez-modern-family-cashes-new-contract-article-1.1284436), he’ll earn a whopping $115,000 per episode if the show continues through season eight. _—S.G._ ### Ciara Judge, 16, Émer Hickey, 17, and Sophie Healy-Thow, 17  BT Young Scientists of the Year. (Left - right) Emer Hickey, Sophie Healy-Thow and Ciara Judge from Kinsale Community School in Co Cork as they are named the BT Young Scientists of the Year at the RDS, Dublin. Picture date: Friday January 11, 2013\. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire URN:15516490 (Press Association via AP Images) Niall Carson—AP The trio from County Cork, Ireland took home the grand prize at the Google Science Fair after wowing the judges with their discovery: Diazotroph, a bacteria that sucks nitrogen from the atmosphere into soil, speeding up the germination of cereal crops like barley and oats and—more importantly—increasing their yield. This advance could play a crucial role in solving the global food crisis, and Judge, Hickey and Healy-Thow are already [planning to commercialize it](http://www.irishtimes.com/news/technology/three-irish-students-win-global-science-competition-1.1938595). _—S.B._ ### Shawn Mendes, 16  Canadian music artist Shawn Mendes poses for a portrait, on Wed., July 8, 2014 in New York. (Photo by Drew Gurian/Invision/AP) Drew Gurian—Invision/AP After amassing [millions of Vine followers](https://vine.co/u/937830842749816832) by performing six-second micro-covers of hit songs, Mendes caught the attention of Island Records and scored a record deal. His first single, “Life of the Party,” was an instant smash, making Mendes the youngest-ever artist to debuted in the top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100\. And the follow-up EP, titled—what else?—_The Shawn Mendes EP_, reached the No. 1 spot on iTunes earlier this year, a mere 37 minutes after its midnight release. _—N.F._ ### Jaden Smith, 16  Actor Jaden Smith arrives at the Teen Vogue Young Hollywood issue party on Friday, Sept. 27, 2013 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP) Dan Steinberg—Invision/AP Smith rose to fame as the son of Will Smith, occasionally popping up in movies. But his real legacy may well be his Twitter musings, which are equal parts absurdist (“Anything You See In Any Magazine Ever Is Fake.”) and insightful (“Once You Witness A Cycle Enough Times You Step Out Of It.”), earning him more than 5 million followers and labels like, “[Confucius for the Internet age](http://www.vogue.com/2611923/willow-jaden-smith-new-music/).” One of Smith’s recent posts sums him up pretty well: “Hate Me Love Me Doesn’t Matter I’m Still Occupying Time Inside Of Your Psyche.” _—S.G._ ### Becky G, 17  INGLEWOOD, CA - AUGUST 24: Singer Becky G attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 24, 2014 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for MTV) Christopher Polk—Getty Images Mega-producer Dr. Luke (who’s worked with Britney Spears, Kesha and Katy Perry) signed Becky G to his label in 2011 after watching her YouTube covers. The investment paid off: Rebecca Marie Gomez, who began performing at age 9 to help out her cash-strapped parents, saw her irresistible ode to young love, “[Shower](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50-%5FoTkmF5I),” chart in more than a dozen countries and become a top 20 hit in the U.S. this summer. When she’s not writing her own music, she represents Covergirl as one of its youngest-ever Latina spokeswomen and helps craft tunes for other pop acts, like Cher Lloyd and fellow teen Cody Simpson. It’s fitting that one of her first music videos was a Jennifer Lopez cover (retitled “[Becky From the Block](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=204RpkonU-s)“); she’s well-positioned to follow in her footsteps. _—N.F._ ### Salma Kakar, 17 Kakar is the lead rider on the co-ed Afghan National Cycling Team, which has drawn global praise for promoting female empowerment in a country where it has been rare to see women driving, let alone competing in a sport. [Her dream](http://dailynightly.nbcnews.com/%5Fnews/2013/03/28/17502645-teenage-cycling-prodigy-leads-afghan-women-to-new-freedoms) is to wave the flag of Afghanistan at the Olympics one day, and to show the world how far Afghan women have come. _—J.L._ ### Lorde, 17  LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 08: Singer Lorde poses backstage during The 24th Annual KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas at The Shrine Auditorium on December 8, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gabriel Olsen/Getty Images for Radio.com) Gabriel Olsen—Getty Images The New Zealander, born Ella Yelich-O’Connor, started 2014 off strong by nabbing two Grammy Awards for her inescapable smash-hit “Royals.” Since then, the singer-songwriter has become a force in music and pop culture: her debut album, _Pure Heroine_, went platinum; she won an MTV Video Music Award; and she [signed on to curate](http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6274274/lorde-leaps-onto-radio-with-yellow-flicker-beat) the _Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1_ soundtrack, out Nov. 21\. She has also established herself as a role model who promotes healthy body image. In March, she [shared](https://twitter.com/lordemusic/status/450460437998747650) two photos of herself, one Photoshopped and one unedited, to remind her more than 1.3 million Twitter followers (at the time) that “flaws are ok.” _—S.G._ ### Lydia Ko, 17  NAPLES, FL - NOVEMBER 21: Lydia Ko of New Zealand plays a shot on the 8th hole during the first round of the CME Group Titleholders at Tiburon Golf Club on November 21, 2013 in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) Sam Greenwood—Getty Images After going pro last year, Ko now ranks third among women golfers worldwide, sparking interest in the sport “not just in her native South Korea and adopted homeland of New Zealand but also among juniors across the globe,” as golf legend Annika Sorenstam [wrote](http://time.com/70884/lydia-ko-2014-time-100/) in this year’s Time 100\. Thanks to her many tournament wins and [endorsement deal](http://www.sbnation.com/golf/2014/1/13/5304906/lydia-ko-callaway-golf) with Callaway, she’s also the [youngest millionaire](http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/lydia-ko-becomes-lpga-youngest-millionaire) in LGPA history. “That’s big money,” she said in April. “But when I’m out there I’m thinking about making birdies and hitting good shots and making putts rather than, ‘OK, this putt is going to give me an extra thousand.'” _—S.G._ ### Chloë Grace Moretz, 17  LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 27: Actress ChloÎ Grace Moretz attends the 2014 Young Hollywood Awards brought to you by Samsung Galaxy at The Wiltern on July 27, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ari Perilstein/Getty Images for Variety) Ari Perilstein—Getty Images The Atlanta native has already built an impressive resume with roles in films like _(500) Days of Summer_, _Kick-Ass, Hugo_ and _Carrie_, and this year was no exception. She was the lead in this summer’s _If I Stay,_ based on the best-selling novel of the same name, which netted $47.6 million at the box office (despite a considerably low budget) and also starred opposite Denzel Washington in hit thriller _The Equalizer._ Next up: roles in _Dark Places,_ the film adaptation of _Gone Girl_ author Gillian Flynn’s gripping crime novel, and the sci-fi thriller _The Fifth Wave. —S.G._ ### Kylie Jenner, 17, and Kendall Jenner, 18  GOOD MORNING AMERICA - Reality stars Kendall and Kylie Jenner share hot spring trends for teens on "Good Morning America," 2/8/13, airing on the ABC Television Network. (Photo by Donna Svennevik/Disney-ABC via Getty Images)KYLIE JENNER, KENDALL JENNER Donna Svennevik—ABC/Getty Images Together, the _Keeping Up With the Kardashians_ co-stars hosted red-carpet events, released [clothing](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2728579/Kendall-Kylie-Jenner-shares-tidbits-upcoming-shoe-clothing-collections.html) and [nail polish](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/18/kendall-jenner-kylie-jenner-100000%5Fn%5F3946858.html) lines and even [published a dystopian young-adult novel](http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/keeping-kardashians-book-version-article-1.1809120) this past summer (though yes, they [had some help](http://shelf-life.ew.com/2014/06/28/kendall-kylie-jenner-novel-ghostwriter/)). But they’ve had solo success too—Kendall with modeling (she’s walked the runway for designers like Marc Jacobs) and Kylie with pseudo-entrepreneurship (she’s launching a line of hair extensions and hopes to get into acting). Next up: [a multimillion-dollar mobile game](http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2014/07/17/kim-kardashian-may-make-85-million-from-her-video-game/)? _—N.F._ ### Malala Yousafzai, 17  GOOD MORNING AMERICA - Pakistinian teenager and education activist Malala Yousafzai is interviewed on GOOD MORNING AMERICA, airing MONDAY, AUG. 18 (7:00-9:00am, ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Photo by Ida Mae Astute/ABC via Getty Images) MALALA YOUSAFZAI Ida Mae Astute—ABC/Getty Images Two years and one day after Taliban gunmen shot her in the head while she was riding to school, the Pakistani youth activist became [the youngest-ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize](http://time.com/3482434/malala-yousafzai-wins-nobel-peace-prize/). The accolade caps an impressive—albeit early—career for Yousafzai, who has used her organization, the [Malala Fund](http://www.malala.org), as a platform to promote girls’ education, help Syrian refugee children and [demand the return](http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/14/world/africa/nigeria-boko-haram-malala/) of the Nigerian girls kidnapped by Boko Haram, among other things. In April, she received an honorary doctorate in civil law from the University of King’s College in Canada. “Malala is a testament that women everywhere will not be intimidated into silence,” Gabrielle Giffords wrote of Yousafzai in this year’s [_Time_ 100](http://time.com/70822/malala-yousafzai-2014-time-100/). “We will speak, no matter how hard it is to do so.” _—S.G._ ### Rachel Fox, 18  BEVERLY HILLS, CA - SEPTEMBER 27: Actress Rachel Fox arrives at Teen Vogue's 10th Anniversary young Hollywood party on September 27, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) Jason Merritt—Getty Images Known to _Desperate Housewives_ fans as Kayla Scavo, the teen actress somehow found enough time between TV and movie shoots to train herself in the art of day trading: she [says](http://www.businessinsider.com/rachel-fox-on-stocks-2013-2) her investments earn her a 64 percent annual return. Now she’s trying to pay it forward. In addition to running the blog Fox on Stocks, which offers financial literacy tips for teens, Fox has created the MyGenLoves index, which tracks 20 companies that are currently hot in the youth market (such as Chipotle and Urban Outfitters). _—S.B._ ### Bethany Mota, 18  BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 09: Internet personality Bethany Mota attends Blake Michael's 18th Birthday at Riviera 31 on August 9, 2014 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images) Imeh Akpanudosen—Getty Images The fashion and beauty blogger has spent five years building her YouTube channel, Macbarbie07, into a bona-fide business—with 7.4 million subscribers, 565 million-plus views, and between $500,000 and $750,000 in [annual ad revenue](http://www.fastcompany.com/3033534/innovation-agents/rebooting-youtube). Now she’s expanding her brand. This year, Mota appeared on _Project Runway_ as a guest judge and _Dancing with the Stars_ as a celebrity competitor, all while overseeing the clothing line she launched with Aéropostale. She also released [her first single](https://twitter.com/BethanyMota/status/521501566302687232), “Need You Right Now.” _—S.G._ ### Joshua Wong, 18  Joshua Wong, leader of the student pro-democracy group scholarism addresses demonstrators after the press conference of Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying in Hong Kong on October 2, 2014\. Hong Kong's embattled leader rejected protesters' calls for him to resign, but in a significant concession agreed to talks with a students group involved in mass pro-democracy demonstrations that have paralysed parts of the city.AFP PHOTO / Philippe Lopez (Photo credit should read PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images) Philippe Lopez—AFP/Getty Images Wong, who recently covered [_Time_‘s international edition](http://time.com/3482556/hong-kong-protest-teenagers/), has become the face of the Hong Kong protests, a civil disobedience movement demanding that China stages unfettered elections for Hong Kong’s top political position. To some, he’s a symbol of hope—a youth rallying his peers to fight for a cause they believe in. In mainland China, however, many argue Wong is an extremist and an emblem against China’s storied national order. _—J.L._ ### Austin Mahone, 18  In this Thursday, May 29, 2014 photo, singer Austin Mahone poses for a portrait in Los Angeles. His EP "The Secret" released on May 23, 2014\. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP Matt Sayles—Invision/AP Mahone’s social media following is modest compared to that of Justin Bieber—the pop star to whom he’s most often compared—but it’s still powerful: Mahone’s 7 million Twitter followers helped him became [the first artist to hit No. 1 on _Billboard_‘s new Trending 140](http://www.musictimes.com/articles/6376/20140527/billboard-launches-trending-140-real-time-chart-tracking-song-popularity.htm), a live-updated chart that tracks what songs have people buzzing online. It helps, of course, that he’s got a pretty sizable resume: in addition to touring with Taylor Swift and signing with Chase Records/Cash Money, Mahone released his first U.S. EP, _The Secret_, in May; it debuted at No. 5 on the _Billboard_ 200\. _—N.F._ Correction appended: Oct. 14, 2014, 5:18 p.m. E.T. An earlier version of this article misstated Mahone’s record label. ### Tavi Gevinson, 18  TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 07: Actress Tavi Gevinson of 'Enough Said' poses at the Guess Portrait Studio during 2013 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images) Larry Busacca—Getty Images Gevinson may bristle at being called the “voice of a generation,” but the label does fit: _Rookie_, her online magazine for teenage girls, gets [roughly 3.5 million](http://i-d.vice.com/en%5Fgb/read/interviews/2924/tavi-gevinson-the-pre-teen-sensation-turned-media-queen) hits a month—thanks in part to her mix of personal essays (see: [her poignant editor’s letter](http://www.rookiemag.com/2013/12/editors-letter-26/) about graduating high school and mourning “forever”) and insightful pop culture coverage (see: her [chat about feminism with Lorde](http://www.rookiemag.com/2014/01/lorde-interview/), [the Seth Rogan contribution](http://www.rookiemag.com/2014/05/ask-a-grown-man-seth-rogen/) to _Rookie_‘s “Ask a Grown Man” video advice column). Next up: the recent high school grad, currently starring in the Broadway play _This Is Our Youth_, plans to head to college [after a gap year](http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/06/tavi-gevinson-on-rookie-magazine-and-growing-up/?%5Fphp=true&%5Ftype=blogs&%5Fr=0). _—N.F._ ### Megan Grassell, 19  Courtesy of Megan Grassell After taking her 13-year-old sister shopping for bras, Grassell was perturbed by how sexualized most of the available choices were for young girls; everything seemed to have padding and underwires. So she started her own company, Yellowberry, to offer an alternative: comfortable, colorful training bras with names like Junebug and Sugar Cookie. She initially raised $42,000 through Kickstarter—well above the $25,000 goal she set for herself—and now runs [a full-fledged online retailer](http://www.yellowberrycompany.com/). _—S.B._ ### Troye Sivan, 19  BEVERLY HILLS, CA - SEPTEMBER 07: Actor Troye Sivan attends the 4th Annual Streamy Awards presented by Coca-Cola on September 7, 2014 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/SAs 2014/Getty Images for DCP) Kevin Winter—Getty Images The South African-Australian may have initially broken through as an actor—he snagged a role in 2009’s _X-Men Origins: Wolverine_ after a Hollywood producer found him on YouTube—but he’s found major success this year as a musician. Thanks in large part to the support from his 2.8 million YouTube subscribers, Sivan’s latest EP, [TRXYE](http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=trxye&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=44460073563&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4080012273524280179&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd%5Fsl%5F7q0q9f0p5i%5Fb), which he recorded in secret, topped iTunes sales charts in more than 50 countries following its August release. _—N.F._ _Read next:_ [_The 16 Most Influential Teens of 2013_](http://time100.time.com/2013/11/12/the-16-most-influential-teens-of-2013/?xid=time%5Freadnext) Most Influential Teens 2014 ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3486048/most-influential-teens-2014/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3486048/most-influential-teens-2014/"},"headline":"The 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014","datePublished":"2014-10-13T14:00:06.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:48:23.328Z","description":"Time's annual list of the most influential teens in TV, sports, music, business and more.","url":"https://time.com/3486048/most-influential-teens-2014/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Appreciation"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"TIME Staff","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/time-staff/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3486048/most-influential-teens-2014/","name":"The 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014"}}]}] ```