Hailey Welch

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Haliey Aliene Welch — commonly referred to as the Hawk Tuah Girl — is an American internet personality, podcast host, and entrepreneur born in 2003 or 2004 in Belfast, Tennessee. She grew up in one of the state’s smallest communities — a town of fewer than 900 residents — and worked at a bed spring factory before her life changed in the summer of 2024.

On June 9, 2024, Welch was filmed during a street interview in Nashville by the YouTube channel Tim & Dee TV. Her quick-witted, Southern-drawl response to a question about relationships went viral within days, turning the phrase “hawk tuah” into one of 2024’s defining internet memes. The video accumulated millions of views across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and Welch became a recognizable name in internet culture nearly overnight. She quit her factory job on June 27, 2024, and pivoted to full-time entrepreneurship.

Welch moved quickly to monetize her viral moment. She partnered with Fathead Threads, a Tennessee-based apparel company, to launch Hawk Tuah merchandise. Within weeks, sales exceeded $65,000 in hats and shirts. She signed with management agency The Penthouse, which also helped develop her personal brand 16 Minutes — a reference to her ongoing cultural moment. She also secured merchandise distribution deals with Spencer’s stores through Killer Merch and produced her own Spirit Halloween costume.

In September 2024, Welch launched her podcast Talk Tuah, originally in partnership with Jake Paul’s media company Betr. The show attracted guests including comedian Whitney Cummings, rapper Wiz Khalifa, and business mogul Mark Cuban, and climbed into the top charts on Spotify. She parted ways with Betr in early 2025 and now independently owns and operates the show. She also appeared alongside NBA legend and country music stars at public events, commanding appearance fees reported at $30,000 per engagement.

In December 2024, Welch was associated with the launch of the HAWK meme coin on Solana, which briefly reached a market capitalization of approximately $500 million before plummeting more than 95%. The SEC investigated the matter and closed its inquiry in March 2025, stating it found no evidence of fraud. Welch expressed public remorse for investors affected by the collapse and cooperated with affected parties. After a three-month social media hiatus following the controversy, she relaunched Talk Tuah in March 2025 under independent ownership. Her estimated net worth is approximately $500,000 to $1 million (estimated), per Celebrity Net Worth, reflecting merchandise earnings, podcast revenue, brand deals, and appearance fees. She is based in Tennessee.