'Hawk Tuah' girl talks about the night that started it all

Hailey Welch, famously known as the viral "Hawk Tuah" girl, recently broke her silence about the rumours surrounding her personal life since her rapid rise to fame. 

During an appearance on Brianna LaPaglia's 'Plan Bri' podcast on Monday, Welch addressed the various falsehoods circulating online.

LaPaglia began by delving into the night that started it all, asking Welch about the infamous "Hawk Tuah" video. "So I want to know everything about you, but I want to go back to the day, the night of it all. Where were you? What happened?" LaPaglia inquired. Welch responded, "I was in Nashville, just out drinking and having a good night. Next thing I know, there's a microphone in my face, and I was like, 'Oh, I'm going to converse with him.'"

Welch explained that she did not expect anything significant to come from the encounter. "He only told us he was a YouTuber, never mentioned anything about Instagram or TikTok. I thought I'd never see it again," she said. However, the video went viral, and Welch saw it online just a few days later. "That was Sunday, and I saw it about the Tuesday after that. I was getting up at 2:00 in the morning for work when I saw it."

LaPaglia asked if Welch planned to return to social media, to which she responded, "I think we're working on that right now. I have a full management team, a manager, and a shooter. This happened like a week ago, yes ma'am."

Welch initially gained fame after a humorous clip from Tim & Dee TV on 11 June, where she coined the memorable phrase, "You gotta give 'em that 'hawk tuah' and spit on that thang." This phrase quickly catapulted her to internet stardom, capturing the attention of personalities like Joe Rogan. Reflecting on her sudden fame, Welch remarked, "It’s been a whirlwind, but I’m grateful for the support and kindness I've received from people all over."