Erika Costell

Erika Michaelanne Costell was born on November 12, 1992, in Toledo, Ohio, and grew up in Bedford Township, Monroe County, Michigan, as one of 13 siblings. She began her career in modeling at the age of 16 while attending Bedford High School. After graduating in 2011, she enrolled at Middle Tennessee State University, majoring in business administration. However, Costell left the university before completing her final semester to pursue modeling opportunities in Los Angeles, having previously been represented by Wilhelmina International and the DAN Talent Group. This early exposure to the entertainment industry laid the groundwork for her later ventures.

Costell’s career progression took a significant turn in 2015 when she became the first employee of Jake Paul’s Team 10, initially serving as his assistant and later advancing to the role of Chief Operations Officer (COO) within the influencer marketing management agency. In 2017, she launched her own YouTube channel, where she began posting vlogs, reaction videos, and music videos, which significantly boosted her public profile. Her musical endeavors also gained traction; in 2017, her single “Jerika” with Jake Paul charted on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Canadian Hot 100. Following her departure from Team 10 in 2018 to forge an independent career, she signed with The Orchard for music distribution.