When did the 'Hawk Tuah' interview take place? Iconic meme revisited: Tracing Haliey Welch's rise and fall since then

If one has spent any time online over the past two years, chances are high that they have encountered the phrase “Hawk Tuah.” The viral expression originated from Haliey Welch during a street interview: a moment that quickly propelled her into internet stardom.

However, Welch’s rapid rise in fame was followed by an equally swift downfall due to a series of controversies and public missteps. After that, she stepped away from the spotlight entirely. After months of staying away from public view, Welch recently made a brief cameo on Disney+’s new series Chad Powers.

Haliey Welch, the “Hawk Tuah Girl,” rose to prominence after her now-infamous street interview conducted by TikTok creators Tim & Dee TV in 2024.

The interview format focused on speaking with women after a night of heavy drinking, often prompting candid answers and confessions that might not have surfaced otherwise.

During the Nashville-filmed clip, Welch was asked a sexually suggestive question about what “move in bed” made a “man go crazy every time.”

“You gotta hawk tuah and spit on that thing,” the Hawk Tuah Girl replied, with a heavy Southern accent (according to Mirror)

The phrase “hawk tuah,” which mimicked the sound of clearing one’s throat before spitting, quickly became the centerpiece of the viral moment. As the clip spread across platforms, Welch’s delivery, tone, and accent were endlessly replayed, remixed, and referenced, turning her into an overnight meme.

The viral moment also inspired countless recreations and sparked widespread online discourse.

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More about Haliey Welch's rise and fall post the 'Hawk Tuah' interview

Hawk Tuah Girl, Haliey Welch (Image via Instagram/@hay_welch)

Haliey Welch’s sudden rise to internet fame following her viral “Hawk Tuah” interview marked the beginning of a chaotic and short-lived era of online stardom.

According to a report by the Daily Star, after the clip surfaced online, Welch was rapidly catapulted into internet fame. She capitalized on the attention almost immediately, building a sizable fanbase and launching several ventures in quick succession.

Among them was the Hawk Tuah girl podcast, officially titled Talk Tuah with Haliey Welch. It was created in partnership with Jake Paul’s media company. The podcast was positioned as a space where Welch could reclaim control of the narrative surrounding her viral rise and speak directly to the public.

While promoting the show, Welch explained that the podcast would focus on meaningful discussions rather than viral soundbites, emphasizing her desire to engage with interesting guests and have genuine conversations.

“I’m sitting down with the coolest guests and having actual conversations with them,” Welch said in the podcast trailer ( as per Daily Star)

Despite the initial buzz, the podcast struggled to maintain momentum. After several attempts at weekly episodes, Welch ultimately shut down the project, citing the impracticality of constantly traveling between Los Angeles for filming and her home in the Midwest.

In December 2024, the Hawk Tuah Girl announced the launch of a memecoin called $HAWK, inspired by her viral moment.

The venture quickly unraveled and reportedly cost some supporters thousands of dollars in lost savings. The cryptocurrency was never officially registered with U.S. regulators, and its value began plummeting within hours of its debut.

As frustrated supporters poured money into the project, Welch offered little reassurance during the unfolding collapse.

At one point, Welch even attempted to calm investors by joining an X Spaces audio session to address mounting concerns. She assured listeners that the team was actively trying to resolve the issue, framing the situation as something that was being worked on behind the scenes.

“Anywho, I’m gonna go to bed and I’ll see you guys tomorrow,” the Hawk Tuah Girl said abruptly, cutting off a conversation on the stream before it ended ( as per Mashable)

As per Mashable, the aforementioned X Spaces appearance, which aired on the night of December 4 and extended into the early morning hours, marked the last time Welch publicly addressed the memecoin’s failure.

During the stream, Welch and members of the cryptocurrency group behind the project tried to explain why $HAWK collapsed shortly after launch. Following the broadcast, Welch largely disappeared from public view for some time.

As per the Daily Star, after a prolonged hiatus, Welch slowly began re-entering the public eye by launching a new chapter of her online career through streaming on Twitch, a platform dedicated to live broadcasts.

Her most recent return to mainstream attention came in October, when she made an unexpected appearance in the premiere episode of Disney+ hit series Chad Powers. Playing herself, Welch appeared in a nightclub scene where she encountered the show’s title character before storming off and pointedly instructing him not to reveal their meeting.

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Haliey Welch, the Hawk Tuah Girl, is currently working in her nonprofit, Paws Across America, spending time at animal shelters across Tennessee, and encouraging acts of kindness. She is reshaping her public image beyond internet fame. She also featured on TIME’s 2025 TIME100 Creators list.

Edited by Shayari Roy