Thanks to the power of the internet, any person in the right place at the right time can find themselves dominating social media. Since social media went mainstream, there have been numerous stars born from nothing more than a chance encounter. One of the best examples is Hailey Welch. Doing nothing more than stopping for a quick interview, Welch watched as stardom materialized right in front of her. Uttering the phrase “Hawk Tuah”, Welch became an internet sensation as she recently took the stage with Zach Bryan. And not wasting her time in the spotlight, her representative shared what the future holds for her.
With Welch swamped with endorsement deals, appearances, and reality show ideas, she decided to hire Jonnie Forster as her manager. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Forster revealed that American Idol reached out to Welch, hoping she would join the new season in some capacity. When it comes to American Idol, the bar for quality entertainment is set to a high standard. But that didn’t stop them from asking.
For those who might believe Welch will make an appearance on American Idol in 2025, Forster insisted, “In the email was, ‘We saw her sing at the Zach Bryan show, and she had such an amazing voice. We’d love to see how we can get her on the show.’ I emailed back, ‘She can’t sing at all. Did you even watch the performance? Because she couldn’t carry a tune in a bag.’”
American Idol is currently undergoing a bit of a revamp. Long-term judge Katy Perry will not return for next season. Fellow judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie are expected to come back, although the former told Billboard that’s yet to be confirmed.
Reality Television Takes Ahold Of Hailey Welch
Just over the last week, it was reported that Welch brought in a staggering $20,000 for appearing at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. And that is just the start as she will take home another $30,000 for traveling to New York City.
As for what the future holds for Welch, it’s unclear how far her newfound fame will go, but according to Forster – there are some reality show ideas in the works. “There’s the docu format that would be, ‘Here’s someone from a small town who’s now recognizable and thrown in the deep end. What’s the day in the life?’ That’s the obvious one, and we’re vetting that out. The other thing that’s really of interest to her is traveling because she had never been on a plane before this. I go, ‘Can you imagine if you go to Japan or France or these exotic places, and it’s like a fish out of water with you and your friends?’”