Josi Martínez biography: the TikTok star

When the pandemic brought the world to a standstill in 2020, a teenager in his room in Chiclayo found a way to make millions of people laugh. Josi Martínez did more than ride the TikTok boom: he transformed Peruvian content creation, moving successfully from vertical phone videos to national television and film. At 22 in 2026, here is the story of the creator who put Chiclayo on the digital map.

Who is Josi Martínez?

José María Martínez Escobar, known simply as Josi, is a Peruvian actor, content creator and TikToker born on June 9, 2004, in Chiclayo. He is widely known for short comedy videos, exaggerated teenage dramas and parodies. With almost 24 million TikTok followers in mid-2026 and more than one million YouTube subscribers, he is one of the country’s most prominent digital voices and a young public figure for Peru’s LGBT community.

Josi Martínez: quick facts

Childhood in Chiclayo

Josi was born on June 9, 2004 in Chiclayo, the capital of Peru’s Lambayeque region, into a modest family in the north of the country. From childhood, he stood out for his theatrical personality: he loved making classmates laugh, imitating characters and acting in family skits. His home was always filled with music and with the presence of his mother, who years later would become a regular partner in his videos and feature in some of his most widely shared posts.

His interest in making content began early: in 2019, at just 15, he opened a YouTube channel and uploaded gaming videos and sketches filmed with friends. Although those first attempts did not take off, they planted the seed for what came next: his conviction that his future lay in front of the camera.

Taking off in the “Peruvian capital of TikTok”

It was in 2020, during the pandemic lockdown, that Josi found his calling. Using only his phone, his room in Chiclayo as a setting and a sharp, theatrical sense of humor, he saw his videos go viral within weeks.

Parodies about teenage heartbreak and online school, along with his popular “Josi Cocina” cooking videos featuring his mother, resonated with a generation looking for relief during lockdown. His success led Chiclayo to be informally described as a birthplace of major creators of the new era. His audience crossed borders: in 2021 he was nominated for the MTV MIA (Millennial Awards) in the Virtual Philosopher category, confirming his reach across the region.

From the internet to film and television

Josi Martínez’s online following was too large to remain only on the internet. Local producers soon came calling.

He made his film debut with a cameo in the successful Peruvian movie Asu Mare: Los Amigos (2023), and that same year joined the main cast of the Peruvian-Dominican film El año del tigre, produced by actor Carlos Alcántara, who publicly defended his inclusion in the project. Josi called the opportunity a dream: “I thought it was a joke,” he said when he heard about the role.

His breakthrough with a broader television audience came in 2023 when he took part in the third season of El Gran Chef Famosos (Latina), one of Peru’s most popular cooking competition shows. Josi won over viewers with his charisma and inexperience in the kitchen: he was eliminated several times, returned through a second-chance round and finished fifth. The judges, led by Giacomo Bocchio, praised him publicly (“you are talented and very funny”), while his mother helped him prepare through cooking lessons at home. After the show, he continued appearing on television as a guest on programs such as América Hoy (2025) and then became a contestant on Esto es Guerra between 2025 and 2026, including a much-discussed rivalry with Valentino Palacios.

A digital public figure in 2026

At 22 in 2026, Josi runs a community approaching 24 million TikTok followers —a figure that places him among leading Latin American creators—and has more than 1.2 million YouTube subscribers. His success allowed him to become financially independent: by 2023 he had bought his own apartment, a milestone he openly celebrated with his followers.

Alongside his talent for comedy, Josi is openly gay. His public visibility and success have made him an important public figure for younger generations in Peru’s LGBT community, showing that authenticity can be a strength. Alongside other Peruvian digital creators such as Cañita, he represents a new generation that turned social media into a substantial industry.

Personal life

In his public life, Josi presents himself openly and without filters on social media, while keeping his private relationships out of view. His family, especially his mother, is central to his life and often appears in his content, becoming well known in her own right. He has remained discreet about romantic relationships, preferring to keep them away from public scrutiny, while speaking proudly about his sexual orientation and against bullying and discrimination.

Facts about Josi Martínez

• He started on YouTube in 2019 with gaming videos and sketches filmed in his room in Chiclayo.
• His “Josi Cocina” cooking videos, featuring his mother, became part of Peruvian popular culture.
• He was nominated in the Virtual Philosopher category at the 2021 MTV MIA, alongside international figures.
• On El Gran Chef Famosos 3, he finished fifth after being eliminated and returning through a second-chance round.
• His role in “El año del tigre” made him one of the few Peruvian TikTok creators to act in a film associated with Carlos Alcántara.
• At 19, he had already bought an apartment with income from TikTok, an unusual level of independence for his generation.

Conclusion

Josi Martínez’s story shows that talent is not limited by age or geography. From a room in Chiclayo to national television, film and a large digital audience, his path has inspired young Peruvians who hope to make a living from their creativity. In 2026, at just 22 and with his career still growing, Josi continues to show how authenticity, humor and perseverance can open new possibilities.

Sources consulted

• Infobae: Josi Martínez finishes fifth on El Gran Chef Famosos
• La República: Josi Martínez in “El año del tigre” with Carlos Alcántara
• La República: Josi Martínez on telling his mother about his sexual orientation