Haliey Welch, widely known as the viral “Hawk Tuah Girl,” is only 21 or 22 years old and already boasts an estimated net worth of $500,000 as of 2025. Her sudden rise to internet stardom in mid-2024 took the world by surprise, turning a one-liner into a cultural moment—and a brand.
So, how exactly did she go from working at a mattress spring factory in small-town Tennessee to signing media deals, launching a podcast, and even creating her own crypto coin? Let’s explore Haliey Welch’s incredible journey to viral fame and fortune.
Where Is Haliey Welch From?
Haliey Welch was born in 2002 or 2003 in Belfast, Tennessee, a small rural town about an hour south of Nashville. Before her rise to fame, she lived a modest life and reportedly still resides there with her grandmother.
She wasn’t a social media influencer, model, or entertainer. In fact, she had no online presence at all before June 2024. Welch was simply a small-town girl working in a factory when the internet found her—and the rest is viral history.
What Made Haliey Welch Go Viral?
On June 11, 2024, Haliey appeared in a street interview filmed by YouTube channel Tim & Dee TV on Nashville’s Broadway strip. The question was simple:
“What’s one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?”
Her instantly iconic response?
“You gotta give ‘em that hawk tuah and spit on that thang.”
The phrase, delivered with her Southern twang and charm, spread like wildfire. Within hours, it was being quoted, memed, remixed, and stitched across every social platform. Overnight, Welch became known as the “Hawk Tuah Girl.”
How Did She Turn a Meme Into Money?
Welch didn’t waste any time capitalizing on her sudden fame. She launched Hawk Tuah-themed merchandise in collaboration with local apparel company Fathead Threads. In just a few weeks, she pulled in over $65,000 in merch sales—not bad for someone who didn’t even own a public Instagram account the month before.
In July 2024, she officially signed with The Penthouse, a talent management firm, and began building her social media presence. Within one day, she had more than 100,000 followers—a number that now exceeds 2.4 million on Instagram and 1.6 million on TikTok.
She also founded a company called “16 Minutes”—a clever twist on the classic “15 minutes of fame”—and filed trademarks for her catchphrase to secure her brand in entertainment and fashion.
Did the “Hawk Tuah Coin” Actually Take Off?
Yes—and no. In December 2024, Haliey jumped into the crypto craze with her own meme coin called Hawk Tuah Coin. In true internet fashion, the coin skyrocketed to a $500 million market cap before crashing back down to about $25 million—a typical rise-and-fall story in meme coin culture.
Even though the coin lost most of its value, it proved just how powerful her internet pull really was.
What Other Projects Has She Done?
Haliey isn’t just riding the viral wave—she’s diversifying. In September 2024, she launched her very own podcast titled “Talk Tuah” through Jake Paul’s media company, Betr. The podcast allows her to connect more personally with fans, share her thoughts, and keep her audience engaged long past the viral moment.
She’s also appeared on high-profile podcasts like Whitney Cummings’ Good For You and Bill Maher’s Club Random, showing her potential to thrive in long-form media as well.
Plus, she’s been spotted onstage with Zach Bryan, partied with Shaquille O’Neal as he DJ’d in Nashville, and even threw the first pitch at a Mets game in August 2024.
What Is Haliey Welch Like Behind the Scenes?
While she’s known for her bold, cheeky viral moment, Haliey has also shown a softer, more philanthropic side. In July 2024, she shared a video shopping for pet supplies at PetSmart before donating everything to a local animal shelter.
She spotlighted a dog named Blondie, who had been in the shelter for over 130 days, and encouraged her fans to adopt and support rescue animals. The gesture led Rolling Stone to call her a “charming Gen Z Dolly Parton.”
When fans criticized her appearance at the Mets game, Welch released a heartfelt video explaining that her participation was to raise awareness for America’s VetDogs, a nonprofit that pairs service dogs with veterans.
What’s Next for the Hawk Tuah Girl?
Though her initial fame came from a single soundbite, Haliey has proved she’s not just a flash in the pan. With a growing media presence, brand partnerships, a podcast, and even a crypto coin under her belt, she’s building a multifaceted brand with long-term potential.
Whether she stays in comedy, moves into music, or builds out her lifestyle platform, one thing’s for sure—Haliey Welch is here to make the most of her “16 minutes.”