Haliey Welch
Haliey Welch | |
|---|---|
 Welch in November 2024 | |
| Born | 2002 or 2003 (age 21–22) |
| Other names | Hawk Tuah Girl |
| Occupation | Internet personality |
| Years active | 2024–present |
| Known for | Viral interview and catchphrase |
Haliey Welch (/ˈheɪli/; born 2002 or 2003) is an American Internet personality. She is best known for being interviewed during a viral TikTok video posted in 2024, becoming notable for a catchphrase, "hawk tuah", an onomatopoeia for spitting during oral sex, specifically, fellatio. She is also known for her podcast Talk Tuah and a cryptocurrency coin which faced criticism following release.[1]
Early and personal life
[edit]Welch is from Belfast, Tennessee, and worked in a bedspring factory prior to internet fame.[2] She currently lives with her grandmother in Nashville, Tennessee.[2]
Career
[edit]On June 11, 2024, a vox populi YouTube channel, Tim & Dee TV, released a video featuring an interview with Welch. During the video, she was asked a series of not-safe-for-work questions including, "What's one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?". Welch, in a heavy Southern accent, replied by proclaiming, "You gotta give 'em that 'hawk tuah' and spit on that thang," referring to a spitting sound made during oral sex.[3][4][5] The original video went viral, earning millions of views across TikTok and Instagram, spawning remixes and remakes of the original audio, and earning Welch the nickname Hawk Tuah Girl.[6]
Initially, Welch was mortified that her clip had gone so viral. "The first week of it, I was so embarrassed," Welch said. "I wouldn't come out of my house. I went to work, but that's about it. Other than that, I didn't go anywhere. But I went from being embarrassed to living in the moment."[7] She had seen vendors hawking unofficial regalia of her viral moment and decided to capitalize on the moment herself. "If everyone else is making money off of it, I might as well, too."[7]
She quit her job at the bed spring factory on June 27, 2024,[7] and partnered with a local apparel brand to begin selling Hawk Tuah merchandise, earning over $65,000 within a couple of weeks.[8][9] On June 29, Welch joined Zach Bryan on stage during his concert in Nashville, Tennessee, to perform Bryan's song 'Revival'.[10] A few days later, Welch joined Shaquille O'Neal during his DJ set in Nashville.[11] On July 2, Welch signed for representation with The Penthouse.[12][13]
Welch premiered a podcast with Jake Paul's company Betr, Talk Tuah, in September 2024.[14] It was ranked number five in Spotify's top podcasts charts shortly after release.[15] On November 14, Welch released a dating advice app, Pookie Tools. To build the app, Welch partnered with Ben Ganz, founder of Ultimate AI Studio, an AI automation platform.[16]
Meme coin scandal
[edit]In December 2024, Welch released a cryptocurrency meme coin on Solana called $HAWK token. The coin reached a market capitalization of nearly $500 million before plummeting to $25 million,[17] with at least one investor filing a complaint with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.[18] This led to Welch and her team being accused of performing a pump-and-dump scheme[1] and the coin being accused of being a rug pull scam, including by cryptocurrency journalist Coffeezilla, who also accused Welch and her team of insider trading.[19][20][21] Welch's team has denied the accusations.[22]
Later that month, a lawsuit was filed against the $HAWK creators in the United States district court in New York for unlawfully promoting and selling cryptocurrency that was allegedly never properly registered.
References
[edit]- ^ a b McMahon, Liv (5 December 2024). "Online star Hawk Tuah girl faces crypto coin criticism". BBC. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Haliey Welch aka the 'Hawk Tuah' girl learns firsthand what it means to go viral". The Tennessean. 3 July 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ Craighead, Olivia (1 July 2024). "What's the Deal With 'Hawk Tuah' Girl?". The Cut. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ Murphy, Chris (3 July 2024). "The Hawk Tuah Girl: Everything You Need (and Absolutely Don't Need) to Know". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ Vargas, Ramon Antonio (3 July 2024). "'Hawk tuah girl' leans into craze she ignited but looks forward to moving on". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "Who's the 'hawk tuah' girl Howard Stern calls 'every father's worst nightmare'?". South China Morning Post. 28 June 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ a b c Hurt, Melonee (3 July 2024). "Who is 'Hawk Tuah' girl: Meet Haliey Welch and her take on going viral". The Tennessean. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ Murray, Conor. "'Hawk Tuah' Meme Explained: How Woman In Viral Interview Made A Reported $65,000 And Prompted TikTok Craze". Forbes. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ Dickson, Ej (26 June 2024). "Hawk Tuah Girl Has Already Sold at Least $65,000 Worth of Merch". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ Haring, Bruce (30 June 2024). "Country Star Zach Bryan Brings Down The House With Hawk Tuah Girl Cameo". Deadline. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ Cowen, Trace William. "'Hawk Tuah' Star Haliey Welch Joins Shaq for DJ Set at Jon Bon Jovi's Nashville Bar". Complex. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ Vlessing, Etan (2 July 2024). ""Hawk Tuah Girl" Hailey Welch Finds Representation". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ McCarty, Andrew (2 July 2024). "The 'Hawk Tuah Girl' Has Officially Signed With Hollywood Agent". The Spun. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "Haliey Welch, "Hawk Tuah Girl," launches new podcast 'Talk Tuah' with Jake Paul's Media Company Betr". The Express Tribune. 4 September 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "The 'Hawk Tuah' Creator's Podcast Ranks No. 5 On Spotify—Here's How She Kept The Meme Going For Months". Forbes. 3 October 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ Forristal, Lauren (14 November 2024). "'Hawk Tuah' girl launches Pookie Tools, an AI-powered dating advice app, and it's fine?". TechCrunch. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "'Hawk Tuah' Creator Haliey Welch Criticized For Memecoin Launch After Price Crashes". Forbes. 5 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "Sell that thang: Hawk Tuah girl faces 'pump and dump' allegations as crypto coin collapses hours after launch". The Independent. 6 December 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ McMahon, Liv (6 December 2024). "Online star Hawk Tuah girl faces crypto coin criticism". BBC News. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ Shackleton, Niamh (5 December 2024). "People are calling for Hawk Tuah Girl to be jailed after she launches cryptocurrency that everyone lost their money on". UNILAD. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ Art, Pop Culture & (5 December 2024). "Coffeezilla confronts Hawk Tuah Girl over alleged $HAWK meme coin rug pull and insider trading". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ "'Hawk tuah girl' Haliey Welch's crypto launch draws scrutiny". NBC News. 6 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.