Haliey Welch (Hawk Tauh Girl) – Biography, Networth, Early Life, Crypto Coin, Podcast and Personal Life

After going viral, she became a full-time content creator and started a podcast called Talk Tuah in September 2024, where she talks with different guests and shares her Southern charm. In December 2024, she launched a cryptocurrency called $HAWK, but it quickly faced problems when its value crashed and there were claims of insider trading. Haliey said she did nothing wrong and was just a paid promoter. As of 2025, she still connects with her fans through her podcast and other projects, staying active in online entertainment.

Who is Hawk Tauh Girl?

The "Hawk Tuah Girl" is Haliey Welch, a young woman from Belfast, Tennessee, who became an internet sensation in mid-2024 after a viral street interview. In the clip she humorously responded to a question about what makes a man go crazy by saying “You gotta give him that ‘hawk tuah’,” mimicking a spitting sound. The phrase quickly exploded across TikTok and social media, turning Welch into a meme icon. Following her viral fame, she launched an Instagram account, started selling branded merchandise, appeared at public events and even hosted her own podcast. Despite her sudden rise to fame Welch also faced controversy after being involved in a failed meme cryptocurrency project which she claimed she did not fully understand. Her story reflects both the rapid rise and risks of viral internet fame.

Haliey Welch's Net Worth

Haliey Welch is better known as the “Hawk Tuah Girl,” has an estimated net worth of about $500,000 as of mid-2025. After going viral in June 2024, she built several income streams that helped her grow her earnings. She made over $65,000 early on from selling “Hawk Tuah” merchandise like hats and shirts. She’s also made good money through public appearances, where she gets paid to attend events.

In September 2024, she launched her own podcast called Talk Tuah, which became very popular and brought in even more income. Thanks to her large social media following with over 2.5 million Instagram followers and strong TikTok views she also earns from sponsorships and brand deals. Although she was involved in a meme coin project called $HAWK, there’s no solid proof that it added to her wealth. Overall, Haliey has turned her viral moment into a successful online career worth around half a million dollars.

Early Life

Haliey Aliene Welch was born in 2002 or 2003 in Belfast, Tennessee, a small country town about 60 miles south of Nashville. The town is very quiet, with only a few hundred people and no traffic lights. Haliey was raised by her grandmother, who took care of her from the time she was just nine months old. She grew up there with her two older brothers.

Before she became famous online, Haliey lived a very simple life. She worked at a bedspring factory, didn’t use social media, had never flown on a plane, and had never even driven on a highway. Her life was quiet and focused on her family and small-town community.

Crypto Coin

In December 2024, Haliey Welch, also known as the “Hawk Tuah Girl,” launched a memecoin called $HAWK on the Solana blockchain to grow her brand in the world of crypto. At first, the coin’s value exploded reaching nearly $500 million in market value but then it suddenly crashed by over 90% within minutes, causing many investors to lose money. Experts found that about 80–96% of the coins were owned by a small group of wallets, which led to claims of a “pump-and-dump” scheme and insider trading.

Some critics, including popular YouTuber Coffeezilla, said it was one of the worst token launches ever. Haliey, however, said she and her team didn’t sell any coins and that they added high fees to stop bad actors from taking advantage of the launch. Not long after, investors filed lawsuits, saying the coin was being sold illegally as an unregistered security. While some companies were named in the legal filings, Haliey herself was not included as a defendant. She later spoke out, saying she felt bad about people losing money, was cooperating with legal teams, and took the situation “extremely seriously.”

During the chaos, FBI agents visited her grandmother’s home, which brought even more attention and led Haliey to step back from the spotlight for a while. She later returned in April 2025, relaunched her “Talk Tuah” podcast, ended her deal with Betr Media, and started focusing on new projects, including a possible documentary. Overall, the $HAWK coin became a big warning sign about the risks of celebrity-backed cryptocurrencies. Haliey has denied any wrongdoing and says she was just a paid promoter, but the controversy has left a lasting impact on her public image.

Talk Tuah Podcast

The "Talk Tuah" podcast was launched in September 2024 by Haliey Welch (the “Hawk Tuah Girl”) through Betr Media, a company co-founded by Jake Paul. In each weekly episode, Haliey chats with famous guests like Whitney Cummings, Josh Richards, Jake Paul, and Mark Cuban. The show includes fun conversations, relationship advice, Southern humor, and sports talk, all mixed with Haliey’s laid-back personality.

The podcast quickly became popular, reaching high spots on Spotify’s charts and gaining over 100,000 YouTube subscribers shortly after launch. Originally made with Betr Media, the podcast is now run by Haliey’s own company called 16 Minutes. "Talk Tuah" gives fans a chance to see the real Haliey not just the viral meme as she shares funny, honest, and down-to-earth moments with her guests.

Personal Life

Haliey Welch, famously known as the “Hawk Tuah Girl,” leads a personal life rooted in her small-town upbringing. She was raised in Belfast, Tennessee, by her paternal grandmother after her mother left early in her life. Haliey grew up with two older brothers and lived a quiet, humble life working in a bedspring factory before gaining viral fame in 2024. Despite her sudden rise to internet stardom, she continues to live with her grandmother and prefers a low-key lifestyle close to her hometown.

Haliey is in a committed relationship with her longtime boyfriend, Kelby Blackwell, a local plumber she affectionately calls “Pookie.” The couple has stayed grounded even as her fame grew. In her podcast, she has openly shared parts of her past, including having been born with health challenges and having little contact with her birth mother. Outside of work, Haliey enjoys the outdoors, horseback riding, and taking care of animals. She also started a charity called Paws Across America to support animal rescues, showing her down-to-earth values and love for giving back.