Alex Warren Hosts 2026 KCAs; Swift Leads Noms — SkimNews
Get the Culture newsletter
Daily culture — film, music, books, the trends and ideas worth your attention. Free.
- Alex Warren, the Grammy-nominated artist who rose from TikTok, will host Nickelodeon's 39th annual Kids' Choice Awards on Nov. 14, 2026, with the show airing live from Los Angeles on CBS and Nickelodeon and streaming on Paramount+ from 8-9:30 p.m. ET.
- Taylor Swift leads individual nominees with six nods, followed by a tie between Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter at five each, while BTS, Olivia Rodrigo, Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, Cardi B and Karol G also earned nominations across artist, song, album and collaboration categories.
- The show spans 36 categories including film, TV, music, gaming and sports, with blockbuster franchises like 'Wicked: For Good,' 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,' 'Toy Story 5,' 'Wednesday' and 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' dominating the ballot.
- Three new categories debut this year: Watch Party: Kids' Choice, Favorite On-Screen Duo/Trio, and Favorite Clutch Player of the Year — reflecting Nick's push into ensemble-cast and live-event content.
- Alex Warren is also nominated himself for Favorite Music Collaboration via 'Bloodline' with Jelly Roll, marking a rare host-and-contestant year.
- Done + Dusted produces the show with official sponsors Burger King and Wayfair, and fan voting is now open via the KCAs platform.
- On-demand viewing will be available the next day for both premium and essential Paramount+ subscribers in the U.S., with global Paramount+ access following the linear premiere.
Why it matters: Nickelodeon tapping Warren — a creator who built his audience on TikTok — as host signals the kids' network is actively courting Gen Alpha's short-form video pipeline rather than recycling traditional Disney-Channel alumni. The nominee slate, dominated by Taylor Swift, BTS and billion-dollar film franchises, confirms KCAs remain a useful barometer of what kids are actually watching, with voting now live and 36 categories up for grabs before the Nov. 14 broadcast.
Ask SkimNews
