Crystal Bell is the Digital Culture Editor at Mashable, where she leads coverage of the creator economy, internet culture, and digital life. Her work focuses on the people, platforms, and communities shaping modern entertainment, from YouTube creators and livestreamers to fandoms, social media trends, and the evolving relationship between technology and culture. She also oversees the Mashable 101, the publication's annual list recognizing the internet's most influential creators.
Previously, she was the entertainment director at MTV News, where she helped expand the brand's coverage of fan culture, K-pop, and the internet's most passionate communities. Her work has appeared in Teen Vogue, Rolling Stone, PAPER, NYLON, ELLE, Glamour, NME, W, The FADER, and elsewhere on the internet.
She's exceptionally fluent in fandom and will gladly make you a K-pop playlist and/or provide anime recommendations upon request. Crystal lives in New York City with her two black cats, Howl and Sophie.
Areas of Expertise
Author Recommended
How 'KPop Demon Hunters' became a love letter to K-pop and its fandom
Directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans unpack the visual cues, idol archetypes, and K-pop references that shaped Netflix’s breakout animated hit.
By Crystal Bell
Le Sserafim on tech, style, and staying connected in a digital world
Sony’s latest collaboration with Le Sserafim merges cutting-edge audio tech with K-pop style, redefining the relationship between music and self-expression.
By Crystal Bell
'Suzume' review: Makoto Shinkai's healing journey is stunningly personal
The feel-good disaster flick from the anime auteur is strongest when the hero puts herself first.
By Crystal Bell
Latest From Crystal Bell
Alberta Tech went from YouTube engineer to YouTube creator. Here's how she did it.
After six and a half years in software, she traded code reviews for comedy, and she has advice for anyone eyeing the same exit.
By Crystal Bell
What the creators of Tubby Nugget can't work without
Apparently, Tubby Nugget runs on Takis.
By Crystal Bell
Who is Taylor Swift's 'Pink Clouding' about? Swifties have theories.
Swifties think Taylor Swift's new song could look back at one of her past relationships.
By Crystal Bell
'Resident Evil' turns video game frustration into its best running joke
Why can't you just shoot the lock?
By Crystal Bell
Jenny Hoyos wants to be your 'internet best friend.' YouTube wants to make that easier.
YouTube is giving creators more ways to build and manage their communities without leaving the platform.
By Crystal Bell
YouTube's microdrama boom is getting bigger
Microdramas aren't just a phone thing anymore.
By Crystal Bell
YouTube is giving livestream communities more ways to play, pay, and participate
The platform's latest live features lean into the collaboration and audience interaction that already define livestreaming.
By Crystal Bell
Do you text like a millennial?
A viral TikTok has millennials and Gen Z debating the proper way to text
By Crystal Bell
Duncan Sheik soundtracked a generation of extremely online theater kids
The "Barely Breathing" singer and "Spring Awakening" composer, who died at 56, made music for young people who felt everything too much.
By Crystal Bell
Pokémon's 30th anniversary card drop is absolute chaos: Watch the video
Pokémon fans took "gotta catch 'em all" very seriously
By Crystal Bell
Meet Lofi House, where the Lofi Girl universe goes after hours
Lofi Girl's new 24/7 radio swaps the study session for evenings, weekends, friends, and house beats.
By Crystal Bell
YOASOBI knows how to go viral. That doesn't mean they make music for TikTok.
The internet helped build YOASOBI. Now the J-pop duo is figuring out when to embrace it — and when to tune it out.
By Crystal Bell
MeganPlays has been on YouTube for 13 years. Here's what she's learned.
The gaming creator opens up about burnout, brand deals, audience loyalty, and the downside of becoming too closely tied to one niche.
By Crystal Bell
YOASOBI makes maximalist pop with minimal tech
Producer Ayase breaks down the five tools behind the Japanese duo's intricate sound.
By Crystal Bell
How Tubby Nugget's creators built a 14-million-follower community without chasing the algorithm
The duo behind Tubby Nugget built a massive following by prioritizing community, authenticity, and a whole lot of silliness.
By Crystal Bell
TikTok is bringing voice notes to the comment section
The platform is adding voice comments, polls, photo carousels, and Live Photos to make the comments even more chaotic.
By Crystal Bell
Jeremiah Brown is building a post-'Love Island' creator career one book at a time
The reality star-turned-creator talks BookTok, Streamer University, and why he’s not worried about the "performative male" allegations.
By Crystal Bell
'GTA 6' Netflix extended look: Every song we heard during gameplay
Rockstar's trip to Leonida already has one hell of a soundtrack.
By Crystal Bell
Pamela Anderson's TikTok is the ultimate female fantasy
Flowers, fresh air, a little whimsy, and not a man in sight.
By Crystal Bell
WEBTOON is turning 6 fan-favorite webcomics into microdramas
Mashable has the first look at Short Dramas, WEBTOON's bet on the booming vertical entertainment format.
By Crystal Bell
Sydney Towle is living with cancer, one TikTok video at a time
Mashable 101: The creators shaping the internet in 2026
By Crystal Bell
Sydney Towle, who documented her cancer journey for 1.1 million TikTok followers, dies at 26
The creator invited millions into her life with remarkable honesty, documenting not just cancer but everything that made her who she was.
By Crystal Bell
'Larper' is the internet's new favorite insult. Here's what it means.
The internet has a new way to call you fake.
By Crystal Bell
How ENHYPEN's vampire universe grew far beyond K-pop
From DARK MOON to upcoming album "THE SIN : BLISS," the group explains how storytelling became as central to its identity as the music itself.
By Crystal Bell
For creators like Hank Green, AI is now a reputational risk
The YouTuber's apology has sparked a wider conversation about where generative AI belongs in the creative process and its impact on audience trust.
By Crystal Bell
