Haliey Welch, known for her viral “hawk tuah” phrase, may be seeing her 15 minutes of fame dwindle after a lackluster reception at Alabama’s Rock The South Festival. The 22-year-old internet star, who shot to fame with her unique term for spitting as part of a sexual act, found herself greeted by an unenthusiastic crowd over the weekend, according to the Daily Mail.
Welch attempted to energize the audience as she introduced Warren Zeiders and Jelly Roll, shouting, “Let’s hear it for Warren Zeiders and Jelly Roll!” However, her enthusiasm was not reciprocated, leading many to speculate about her declining popularity.

“Critics on social media were quick to declare Welch’s viral fame as fleeting. Ugh, can we be done with this girl now,” one person commented on a post. Another added, “I think people are over her already.” A third chimed in, “She was June. This is July. Time’s up.”
“Shows how quick the viral flame can burn out,” another person noted. Others echoed similar sentiments, saying, “She was funny for a minute but this is just stupid now,” and, “Honestly, it was overdone after the third time hearing it. Time to move on.”
Despite the negative reactions, some fans defended Welch. “She’s much better to watch than the political bulls**t we’ve been looking at. More Hawk Tuah,” one supporter commented. Another praised her for making the most of her sudden fame, saying, “What I think is dope is she’s actually shown she’s a good person and done a lot with her 15 minutes of fame compared to others we keep making famous for some ungodly reason.”
Welch’s rise to fame included a notable appearance at a Zach Bryan concert and a tour in New York City, leading to a lucrative career managed by The Penthouse. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Welch is earning $20,000 per appearance, with her management team working tirelessly to align her with the right projects.
Jonnie Forster, founder of The Penthouse, emphasized the strategic planning behind Welch’s career. “We’ve been working around the clock to align Haliey with the right projects for her blossoming career,” Forster explained.

Recently, Welch collaborated with celebrity TikTok musician Jax Writes Songs to debut a short jingle explaining the meaning of “hawk tuah.” Welch responded to criticism from tennis star Nick Kyrgios, who mocked her appearance at Jake Paul’s boxing match, by saying she does not let haters affect her. “I don’t wake up and hate on anybody else, I don’t understand why people do that,” she told TMZ. “They have their own opinion, they’re entitled to it, I don’t care what they think. At all.”