Santea's Real Name and Background
Santea, whose real name is Santiago Albarrán, is a TikTok star, dancer, and social media personality from Houston, Texas. He was born on November 3, 2001, making him 24 years old as of 2026. His zodiac sign is Scorpio. Santea is of Hispanic ethnicity with Mexican heritage, raised in a working-class household by immigrant parents. His father worked in apartment maintenance and did photography on the side, while his mother was a homemaker who also cleaned apartments and restrooms. He has a brother named Diego Albarran.
From Home Depot to TikTok Fame
Santea began posting lip-sync and dance videos on TikTok in late 2019 while working at a Home Depot in Houston. He filmed clips in his orange work apron, earning the nickname "the Home Depot boy." After being let go in May 2020, he used $2,000 in savings to focus full-time on content creation. His TikTok account grew to approximately 3.4 to 3.5 million followers by 2026. He expanded to YouTube, Instagram, and Twitch, and launched a merch line called Sunny Merch.
Group Content and Collaborations
Santea is a member of the online dance trio Dadwiggies, alongside creators Jaycoset and Actually Jose. The group is known for colorful bob-wig looks and comedic dance videos. He has collaborated with other Latino TikTok creators including Malu Trevejo, Emelly Hernandez, and Devin Caherly. His November 2020 lip-sync with Emely Hernandez topped 5 million views. He also streams on Twitch under the handle SanteaTV.
Education and Personal Life
Santea attended J. Frank Dobie High School in Houston, graduating in 2020. According to Rolling Stone, he was known as "that skinny, funny kid" who got along with everyone. He stands 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) tall and weighs around 143 pounds (65 kg). His on-and-off girlfriend is a fellow creator known online as Dano (sometimes Dano Mall or Dano Maldonado). They went public in February 2025 after a separation, but the relationship has been marked by multiple breakups and reconciliations through 2026. There is no confirmed report that Santea has a child.
Net Worth and Family Support
Santea's net worth is not officially verified, but he earns from brand partnerships, TikTok and YouTube monetization, his Sunny Merch line, and modeling work. In August 2022, he bought his parents a dream house after years of living in rental apartments. He also used his earnings to retire his mother from menial jobs. In a YouTube video, he said: "My mom called me she was like, Mijo, I really like this house... so I was like if my mom likes it she's the one that's gonna be living in it, my dad's the one that's gonna be living in it, my brother too they all fell in love with this home, and I told him I would put an offer up on it, and I did." He added: "I put the best offer I could to try to beat everybody because they had two offers, and we got the house."
Trivia
- Santea attended Freeform's "Halloween Road" event in LA in 2021.
- He paid day laborers outside his old Home Depot to play soccer on camera.
- He has made repeat appearances at the Houston Rodeo.
- His secondary TikTok account, @santea.santea, has its own following.
Santea's real name is Santiago Albarrán. He was born and raised in Houston, Texas, a city that shaped his life. His Hispanic upbringing informs the content that made him famous. The TikTok sensation used his income to buy his parents their dream home and retire his mother from doing menial jobs.
