You’ve likely heard about famous Gen Z personalities like JoJo Siwa or Billie Eilish. Known for viral trends and growing up online, Generation Z often gets stereotyped. However, many might be surprised by what Stanford University behavioral scientist Roberta Katz says. She describes the typical Gen Z individual as “A self-driver who deeply cares about others, strives for a diverse community, is highly collaborative and social, values flexibility, relevance, authenticity and non-hierarchical leadership.”
Beyond the spotlight, countless influential Gen Z individuals are making waves in fields with less media coverage. From Grammy-nominated musicians to Olympic medalists and published authors, prepare to be amazed. Here are ten child prodigies you’ve probably never heard of, but definitely should know.
10. DJ Switch
Erica Armah Bra-Bulu Tandoh, born on December 12, 2007, is a dynamic performer and child prodigy from Dadieso, Ghana. While she has many talents, Erica is best known as “DJ Switch.” In 2018, she became the youngest winner at the Ghana DJ Awards. She didn’t stop there; she also won Best Female DJ the following year, at just 11 years old.
In 2020, DJ Switch gained international fame when Roc Nation featured her on social media for Black History Month. That same year, she received a Global Child Prodigy Award. DJ Switch is also committed to her community. In 2019, she donated tables and chairs to a junior high school in Cape Coast, Ghana. Looking ahead, DJ Switch plans to continue DJing while also pursuing a career as a gynecologist.
Social Media:
- Instagram: @djswitchghana
- YouTube: DJ Switch Ghana
9. Anisiia Volodymyrivna Gonymovych
Anisiia Volodymyrivna Gonymovych, born December 24, 2007, made history in 2017 as the first Ukrainian to win “Mini-Miss Universe.” Hailing from Odessa, Ukraine, Anisiia is a multi-talented individual. She excels as a competitive ballroom dancer, model, singer, pageant winner, television correspondent, and journalist. She has graced events like Odessa Fashion Week and the 2017 International Kids Fashion Week.
Anisiia is a member of UNESCO’s International Academy of Journalism. In 2020, her incredible achievements led to her being listed among the Global Child Prodigy Award’s “Top 100 Child Prodigies of the World.”
Social Media:
- Instagram: @anisiia07
8. Stacey Fru
Stacey Fru, born on February 16, 2007, is an acclaimed South African author, activist, and public speaker. Her literary journey began impressively early; her debut book, Smelly Cats, was published in 2015 when she was only seven years old. Since then, Stacey has penned five more books, all released by Profounder Publishing in Johannesburg.
Her work has earned her numerous awards, including the Pan African Award for Literary Work in 2019 and the Outstanding Young African Entrepreneur Award in 2020. She was also shortlisted for the International Children’s Peace Prize in 2020. In 2022, Stacey took on the roles of Director and President of AfroStory.
Social Media:
- Twitter: @staceyfru
- Instagram: @staceyfru
7. Jhulia Rayssa Mendes Leal
Jhulia Rayssa Mendes Leal, widely known as Rayssa Leal, is an Olympic silver medalist born on January 4, 2008. Rayssa made a splash at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, competing in the women’s skateboarding street competition. She became the youngest athlete ever to represent Brazil at the Olympics and the youngest Olympic medalist in 85 years. Her exceptional sportsmanship during the games earned her The Visa Award.
Born in Imperatriz, Maranhão, Brazil, Rayssa proved her prodigy status in 2019. She competed against and outscored seasoned skateboarders like three-time X-Games Gold Medalist Alexis Sablone and six-time X-Games gold medalist Letícia Bufoni.
Social Media:
- Instagram: @rayssalealsk8
6. Tanaka Koki
Tanaka Koki, known by his stage name “Koki,” is a Japanese K-Pop idol born on January 29, 2009. He entered the K-Pop scene through the survival competition TV show LOUD in 2021. Despite being the second-youngest participant, competing against trainees up to 21 years old, Koki made the show’s final lineup in September 2021.
Although it was later announced that Koki would not be debuting with the group formed from LOUD, he continues his journey as a trainee under PSY’s label, P NATION, honing his skills for a future debut.
Social Media:
- Instagram: @pnation.official (P NATION)
5. Zuriel Oduwole
Born in July 2002, Zuriel Oduwole is an American filmmaker, education advocate, and public speaker from Los Angeles. She created her first documentary, The Ghana Revolution (2012), at the remarkable age of ten. Her second documentary, The 1963 OAU (2013), earned her recognition in Forbes. By age 12, Zuriel’s fourth film, A Promising Africa (2014), received international acclaim. Business Insider even cited her in their “World’s Most Powerful Person at Every Age.” In 2015, Elle Magazine included Zuriel in their list of “33 Women Who Changed The World.”
Zuriel now has seven films to her name. Her most recent documentary, Nelson Mandela—A Centenary Life of Giving (2019), was recognized by the Nelson Mandela Foundation in 2019.
Social Media:
- Twitter: @ZurielOduwole
- Instagram: @zuriel.oduwole
4. Juju Noda
Juju Noda, born February 2, 2006, is a professional racing driver. At 16, she was slated to compete in the 2022 W Series, an all-female formula racing championship. Juju is the daughter of former Formula 1 racer Hideki Noda. Her passion for racing started early; she began driving karts at four and has been testing “single-seat” race cars since she was just nine years old.
Juju’s professional racing debut was in 2019 at the Lucas Oil Winter Race Series, where she finished 14th. In 2020, she moved to Denmark to compete in the F4 Danish Championship with a team run by her father. She won her very first race and finished the 2020 season in 6th place overall. The following year, Juju finished the championship in 7th place.
Social Media:
- Twitter: @JujuNoda_Racing
3. Alma Deutscher
Born on February 19, 2005, Alma Deutscher is a highly respected composer, violinist, and pianist from Basingstoke, England. She composed her first sonata at the age of five. By three, she was already playing both the violin and piano. Her first opera, The Sweeper of Dreams, was completed in 2012 when she was just seven. She later wrote two more operas: Cinderella and The Emperor’s New Waltz.
Alma has also composed five orchestral pieces, six piano pieces, seven chamber pieces, and four songs. Her exceptional talent has earned her numerous accolades. In 2019, she received the Young Artist award from the Beijing Music Festival and the European Culture Prize. In 2021, Alma became the youngest ever recipient of the Leonardo da Vinci International Award.
Social Media:
- YouTube: AlmaDeutscher
2. Joey Alexander
Joey Alexander, a jazz pianist, was born on June 25, 2003, in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. He made history as the first Indonesian artist to chart on the Billboard 200. By the age of six, Joey had taught himself to play the piano by ear. In 2013, at nine years old, he won the Grand Prix at the Master-Jam festival. At eleven, he released his first album, My Favourite Things, which earned a Grammy nomination for “Best Jazz Instrumental Album” in 2016. Joey has also been nominated twice for “Best Improvised Jazz Solo” at the Grammys, in 2016 and 2017, for his pieces “Giant Steps” and “Countdown.”
A pivotal moment came when Joey was eight and performed for one of his idols, Herbie Hancock, during Hancock’s visit to Jakarta. After receiving praise from Hancock, Joey “decided to dedicate [his] childhood to jazz.” This dedication led him to win the Grand Prix at the Master-Jam Festival in Odessa, Ukraine, the following year.
Social Media:
- Instagram: @joeyalexandermusic
- YouTube: Joey Alexander
1. Ewok
Ewok is a professional E-sport athlete and influencer, born on September 18, 2005. Ewok began playing Fortnite in 2018 and, just one year later, signed a streaming contract with Twitch. He notably became the first deaf member of the FaZe Clan. Ewok has been a trailblazer for deaf representation in the gaming industry, explaining his use of a “sound visualizer” feature that Fortnite implemented to make their game more accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing players.
In 2020, Ewok came out as transgender and bisexual, becoming the first openly transgender player for FaZe. That same year, he was listed in Forbes’ “30 Under 30.” Despite facing online negativity regarding his identity and disability, Ewok continues to be a leader in his field. As of April 2022, he boasted 329.9k followers on Twitter, 336k on Twitch, and 490k on Instagram.
Social Media:
These ten young individuals are just a glimpse into the incredible talent and drive present in Generation Z. Their accomplishments in diverse fields demonstrate that age is no barrier to making a significant impact on the world. They inspire us to look beyond stereotypes and recognize the potential within every young person.
Who on this list amazed you the most? Do you know other young prodigies we should feature? Leave your comment below!
