It feels like a lifetime ago that a group of teenagers in a West Hollywood mansion basically rewrote the rules of the internet. If you were anywhere near YouTube in 2017, you knew the name. Team 10 Tessa Brooks was the pairing that made sense in a house full of chaos. She was the dancer with the technical skills and the "girl next door" energy that grounded Jake Paul’s high-octane, often cringey pranks.
But then, she just... disappeared.
The exit wasn't a slow burn. It was a sharp "I’m out" that left fans scrambling for answers. One day she was in the "It's Everyday Bro" music video, and the next, she was packing bags for a solo apartment. Looking back from 2026, her departure wasn't just a career move; it was the first real sign that the influencer house model was starting to crack.
Why Tessa Brooks Actually Left Team 10
Honestly, the "official" reason was that things felt different. In a tearful January 2018 video, Tessa admitted that the environment had shifted. When the crew moved from the original house to the massive Calabasas mansion, she chose not to move in. That was the red flag.
Imagine living, working, and dating in the same building as ten other people with cameras in your face 24/7. It sounds exhausting because it was. Tessa mentioned that "both parties felt" the disconnect. It wasn't just about the physical space; it was about the culture.
The Jake Paul era was defined by "clout." If you weren't making a scene, you weren't making money. Tessa, who had been a professional dancer since she was a toddler, seemed to want more than just being a background character in someone else's drama.
The Breakup That Fuelled the Fire
You can't talk about Tessa and Team 10 without talking about Chessa. Her relationship with Chance Sutton was the emotional heartbeat of the channel for a solid year.
- They did the "prank" breakup videos.
- They did the "truth about our relationship" vlogs.
- They even had their own merch line.
When they split in late 2017, the glue holding Tessa to the group dissolved. Fans were brutal. The comments sections turned into a war zone of "who cheated on who," even though both insisted they stayed friends. Leaving the house was the only way for her to escape the ghost of that relationship.
Life After the Mansion: The Solo Rebrand
Most people thought she’d fade away. That's the typical path for "ex-Team 10" members. You leave, the views drop, and you end up doing "storytime" videos about Jake Paul for three years to pay the rent.
Tessa Brooks took a different route. She pivoted hard into fashion and high-end lifestyle content. If you check her Instagram now, it’s a far cry from the messy room tours and trampoline stunts. We're talking red carpets at the Grammys, partnerships with major luxury brands, and a style that shifts between "ultra-femme" and boxy, androgynous power suits.
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She basically performed a masterclass in shedding a "Vine-era" reputation.
Is She Still Dancing?
She’s gone on record saying dance will always be her "first love," but it’s no longer her primary job. It’s more of a creative outlet now. She took singing lessons for a while and did some acting projects, including roles in Dirt and Honey: Rise Up and Dance.
The transition wasn't perfect. There were years where her YouTube channel felt a bit stagnant as she tried to find a voice that didn't rely on being a "team" member. But by 2023—her "Jordan year," as she called it—she had hit over 3 million subscribers and nearly 20 million Instagram followers. She wasn't just a YouTuber anymore; she was a celebrity.
The Reality of the Jake Paul Era
We have to be real about what that house was like. There was a lot of tension. There’s a famous, somewhat uncomfortable video of Jake Paul pushing Tessa during a "double date" game. People at the time used the hashtag #DontPushTessa, and it highlighted a darker side of the group's dynamic.
Jake was the leader, the boss, and the landlord.
When Alissa Violet was kicked out earlier that year, it set a precedent. Tessa saw the writing on the wall. She saw how the "family" could turn on you the moment the business interests diverged. Her leaving on her own terms was probably the smartest business move she ever made.
What You Can Learn from Tessa's Pivot
If you’re looking at Tessa Brooks as a blueprint for a career, the takeaway isn't about how to join a content house. It’s about knowing when to quit.
- Diversify your skills early. Tessa was a dancer first, which gave her a talent that didn't rely on a specific social media algorithm.
- Control your narrative. She didn't go on a "burn it all down" tour after leaving. She kept it vague enough to remain professional but honest enough to keep her fans.
- Invest in your brand, not just the trend. She stopped chasing the "vlogger" aesthetic and started leaning into fashion and modeling, which has a much longer shelf life.
Tessa Brooks is proof that you can survive the "Team 10" stigma. She’s no longer just a name attached to a 2017 house; she’s a standalone brand that managed to outgrow the person who gave her the initial platform.
If you want to track her current projects, her YouTube channel still sees occasional uploads that focus more on high-production "lookbooks" than daily life. For those following her career, the next logical step is to keep an eye on her film credits—she’s been vocal about wanting to move into more serious acting roles. Moving forward, her success will likely depend on whether she can maintain that "authentic" connection she built during her vlogging days while navigating the more polished world of traditional entertainment.