DADADEL
Hailey Welch, a 21-year-old from Tennessee, gained sudden fame when her spontaneous phrase “hawk tuah” went viral in a video. Now, she’s speaking out.
During a recent interview with Brianna Lapaglia for Plan Bri Uncut, Welch discussed her first thoughts upon seeing the video go viral. She explained that the moment was captured after CMA Fest activities last month.
“He only told us he was a YouTuber. He never said anything about Instagram, TikTok, or anything of the sort. So I was like, oh well, I’m never gon’ see this again. Sure enough, I saw it again,” the ‘Hawk Tuah’ star said about the Tim & Dee TV-shared video.
Welch explained that she didn’t notice the clip gaining viral traction until several days had passed.
“So that was Sunday. I seen it about the Tuesday after that. I shit a brick. I seen it at, like, 2:00 in the morning when I was up getting ready for work,” she said.
Recorded backstage at Zach Bryan’s sold-out show at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, the interview delves into Welch’s discomfort with her photos being used on numerous fake accounts. Welch, who had deleted her social media six months before “Hawk Tuah” went viral, cited personal reasons but hints at a potential comeback.
Amid the “hawk tuah” frenzy, false claims about Welch circulated widely. Contrary to rumors, she never worked as a teacher or bartender—instead, she was employed at a factory. Addressing another misconception, Welch clarifies that her father is not a preacher, stating, “so far from a preacher it’s crazy.”
In the recently released interview, at around the five-minute mark, the ‘Hawk Tuah’ star discussed her parents’ response to her sudden fame.
“They think it’s so funny,” she said. “They know how I am though, because you can never tell what comes out of my mouth. I mean, it’s a hit or a miss, what comes out of my mouth. I just talk out of my ass. The one time I say something like that, of course there’s a camera in my face.”
However, occasional instances of unsettling behavior from complete strangers have surfaced.
“So the guy that does my hats, he got offered $600, like, three days ago for me to spit in a jar and sell it,” Welch said. “That is revolting. That is just disgusting, is it not?”
The ‘Hawk Tuah’ star has decisively moved on from her previous factory job. “I done quit my job,“ she stated. “I said, peace.”
