Haliey Welch is an American internet personality who went global in 2024 after a viral interview on the street in Nashville, Tennessee, sparked global attention. Welch, also referred to as the Hawk Tuah Girl, became an over-the-counter sensation overnight when her answer, in a recorded exchange on video, to the question was humorous and unfiltered and went viral, spawning thousands of memes and garnering millions of views. Welch is a Belfast native who came to global internet prominence through his small-town obscurity in a way that illustrates the force of viral culture in the digital era.
What was originally intended to be a one-time affair soon extended into media exposure, merchandising, podcast projects, and business partnerships. As her rapid rise in fame brought both acclaim and criticism, Haliey Welch has been trying to convert the viral attention to long-term publicity and business opportunities. Her narrative is an example of how internet virality can transform normal lives, making one second of humor into a canvas of media impact and personal branding.
Haliey Welch Biography | |
|---|---|
| Real Name: | Haliey Welch |
| Birth Date: | July 13, 2002 |
| Age: | 23 Years |
| Birthplace: | Belfast, Tennessee, USA |
| Height: | 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) |
| Parents: | Mike and Jessie Welch |
| Boyfriend: | Kelby Blackwell |
Early Life
Haliey Welch was born on 13th July 2002 and grew up in Belfast, Tennessee, a small town with a strong culture and working-class background. Her paternal grandmother was the main person in raising her since her childhood years. Welch has described her childhood as simple and rooted in traditional values founded on family support and small-town life. Her father was a farmhand, and Welch has publicly said that she had minimal contact with her mother when she was growing up. She has been vocal about tough family situations and has repeatedly highlighted how her childhood experiences have contributed to her strength and self-sufficiency.
Haliey Welch experienced work before gaining internet fame, working early morning shifts in a bedspring factory that had him rising as early as 3:30 a.m. Her daily routine was an image of the normal life of most working Americans: her job was regular, she worked long hours, and her lifestyle was down-to-earth and not at all celebrity-like. There is minimal formal information about her education that was publicly documented, but her background indicates that she was still very much in touch with her local community until her viral breakthrough.
Haliey Welch Career
Haliey Welch started gaining prominence in June 2024 at CMA Fest celebrations in Nashville. An interview recorded on a YouTube channel saw her giving a hilarious and provocative answer to a question concerning relationships. She has used the term “hawk tuah,” and it soon turned into an internet meme, appearing throughout TikTok, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. The clip had garnered millions of views within days, making Welch a familiar internet personality.
Her honest character and humorous presentation appealed to viewers, launching her into viral celebrity. After her unexpected popularity, Welch started branded merchandise with her catchphrase, which apparently made good early sales. She took advantage of the publicity to create a media presence and grow her own brand. In September 2024, she also started her own podcast, Talk Tuah, in collaboration with Betr, the media company of Jake Paul. There are also celebrity guests and pop culture, relationships, and internet notoriety discussions in the podcast, which enabled Welch to transcend being a meme subject and become a personality in the media.
Later in the second half of 2024, she created Pookie Tools, an artificial intelligence dating advice application that helps users navigate modern relationships. She also declared a documentary project, DocTuah, which was to document her swift growth to fame and its effect on her person. Controversy has also been part of her career. Later in 2024, Welch launched a Solana-based crypto-token, named $HAWK, that rose in value and then plummeted. Haliey Welch claimed that she was paid a marketing fee and never participated in the development of the token.
Personal Life
Hailey Welch is dating Kelby Blackwell, to whom she has publicly admitted her relationship, and whom she occasionally calls Pookie. In late 2024, she affirmed the relationship and has discussed him on her podcast and social media. No verified engagement or marriage, as of early 2026.
Social Media
Haliey Welch is an active social media user, especially on Instagram, where her profile, known as @hay_welch, has gained more than 2 million followers. The posts on her social media profiles include lifestyle updates, podcasts, brand collaborations, a backstage view of her appearances in the world, and so on.
She has also gone viral on YouTube and TikTok with clips, collaborations, and podcast clips. The online persona of Welch revolves around humor, relatability, and open storytelling, which served to keep her relevant following her viral debut.
Hailey Welch Net Worth
As of 2026, Haliey Welch has a net worth of about $1 million to 1.5 million, which is not publicly verified. Her merchandise was reported to bring tens of thousands of dollars in sales at its early stages, with her podcasts and social media collaborations being a constant source of income.