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Valkyrae

This article is about the live streamer. For the Norse mythological figure, see Valkyrie.

Rachell "Rae" Marie Hofstetter (born January 8, 1992), better known as Valkyrae, is an American online streamer and YouTuber. She is a co-owner of the gaming organization 100 Thieves and founder, co-owner, and CEO of media company Hihi Studios. She has been YouTube's most-watched female streamer since 2020.

Valkyrae
Valkyrae in 2019
Personal information
Born
Rachell Marie Hofstetter

(1992-01-08) January 8, 1992 (age 32)
Moses Lake, Washington, U.S.
Occupations
Organization100 Thieves
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2014–present
Genres
Subscribers4.09 million[1]
Total views718.9 million[1]
Associated acts
100,000 subscribers2018
1,000,000 subscribers2020
Twitch information
Channel
Years active2015–2020
Last updated: July 26, 2024

Hofstetter began streaming on Twitch in 2015. She had her breakthrough by playing the competitive online game Fortnite in 2018 and joined 100 Thieves as their first female content creator. In 2020, she switched streaming platforms by signing an exclusive contract with YouTube. Later that year, she saw significant follower growth and reached her peak viewership when playing the online social deduction game Among Us, which led to her winning the Game Award for "Content Creator of the Year" and the Streamy Award for best live streamer. She was also named "Gaming Creator of the Year" by Adweek in 2021 and was included on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list in 2022.

Early life

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Rachell Marie Hofstetter was born on January 8, 1992, and grew up in Moses Lake, Washington.[2][3][4][5] She is of Filipino and German descent[6] and has three brothers and one younger sister.[7] She cites her mother as the reason she became interested in video games, who encouraged her to pursue it as a hobby from a young age.[8] She attended community college and worked a job at GameStop to support herself,[9] later graduating with an associate degree in arts and science.[10]

Career

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While working at GameStop, Hofstetter began sharing her gaming hobby on Instagram, gaining a following. After being encouraged by her followers, she started live streaming on Twitch in 2015.[9][11] She later began uploading her gaming content to YouTube and had her breakthrough by playing the competitive online game Fortnite in 2018.[11] That October, she became the first female content creator for the gaming organization 100 Thieves.[12][13]

On January 13, 2020, Hofstetter left Twitch for an exclusive streaming contract on YouTube.[14] In her first three months on YouTube, she averaged around 1,500 concurrent viewers.[15] Her stream then experienced significant growth and, in late 2020, regularly peaked at concurrent viewer counts exceeding 100,000.[16] This was driven by her playing the online multiplayer social deduction game Among Us and collaborating with popular streamers like Disguised Toast, Sykkuno, Pokimane, PewDiePie, and Cr1TiKaL,[16] in addition to public figures like politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, musician Lil Nas X, and television personality Jimmy Fallon.[9][17] Hofstetter became the fastest-growing female streamer of 2020 and surpassed Pokimane as the year's most-viewed female streamer.[16]

On April 7, 2021, Hofstetter and CouRageJD joined the ownership group of 100 Thieves, alongside Dan Gilbert, Scooter Braun, Drake, and its founder, Nadeshot. As co-owners, they received equity in the company, which Forbes valued at $190 million at the time.[9] Throughout 2021, she made appearances in music videos for "DayWalker" by Machine Gun Kelly featuring Corpse Husband,[18] as well as "Build a Bitch" and "Inferno" by Bella Poarch.[19][20]

In September 2022, Hofstetter became an ambassador for the fitness apparel brand Gymshark.[21] On March 11, 2023, Hofstetter co-hosted the second annual Streamer Awards alongside the event's creator, QTCinderella; the ceremony averaged 425,000 live concurrent viewers.[22][23][24]

In May 2024, Hofstetter's streaming heavily involved playing a character on the modded Grand Theft Auto V roleplaying server NoPixel.[2] On July 13, 2024, she appeared and participated in a MrBeast video titled "50 YouTubers Fight for $1,000,000".[25] In September 2024, Hofstetter founded her own media company called Hihi Studios, the company is set to "develop and produce IP for graphic novels, TV and film projects with a specific emphasis on anime-inspired content."[26]

Other activities

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Philanthropy

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On April 6, 2021, Hofstetter participated in an Among Us charity livestream held by The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon with several notable celebrities such as Gaten Matarazzo and Noah Schnapp of Stranger Things, American hip-hop band The Roots members Questlove, Black Thought, and Captain Kirk Douglas, and fellow streamers and YouTubers Sykkuno and Corpse Husband. The event raised over $25,000 for Feeding America.[27]

In June 2022, Hofstetter participated in a Minecraft charity tournament held by the MC Championship with several other creators to raise money for The Trevor Project. Hofstetter also donated $10,000 towards the charity.[28] In late November 2022, Hofstetter donated $15,000 towards No Kid Hungry during Ludwig Ahgren's charity event.[29][30] In December 2022, Hofstetter participated in "Thankmas", an annual charity livestream event hosted by YouTuber jacksepticeye, to raise money for World Central Kitchen. The event raised over $10 million in donations.[31]

Hofstetter donated $10,000 towards the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023.[32]

RFLCT and controversy

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On October 19, 2021, Hofstetter announced the launch of her skincare brand, RFLCT. The brand, primarily geared towards gamers and those who put in heavy screen time, claimed that users are susceptible to skin damage caused by prolonged exposure to blue light and that their products protect against it.

RFLCT received backlash due to insufficient evidence supporting the claim;[33][34] according to Kathleen Suozzi, the director of the aesthetic dermatology program at Yale University, unless someone was already prone to melasma or hyperpigmentation, they were unlikely to suffer any consequence of sitting in front of a screen for long periods of time.[35] Hofstetter responded by stating that "all of the hate, doubt, concerns, and criticisms are all warranted and valid" and that she was "very upset and confused" with the lack of information on its website, promising additional information supporting the products would be made available.[35][36] She was later informed that the research conducted by RFLCT supporting the products—which she had been given access to during development—could not be released to the public.[37]

Hofstetter then expressed a desire to part ways with RFLCT but was contractually bound.[38] On October 30, 2021, RFLCT ceased operation of its website and online store. A statement on the website read: "While we believe in the formulations created, after further reflection, have decided to move forward on new paths, effectively terminating the RFLCT brand."[39][40]

Personal life

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From 2016 to 2021, Hofstetter was in a relationship with fellow streamer Michael "Sonii" Sherman.[24] From April 2023 to July 2024, Hofstetter moved into a house in Los Angeles with fellow streamers Leslie "Fuslie" Fu, Miyoung "Kkatamina" Kim, and Christina "TinaKitten" Kenyan. They were collectively known as "The Roomies".[41] She owns a dog named Mika.[2]

Hofstetter endorsed Kamala Harris in the 2024 United States presidential election.[42]

Filmography

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Film

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List of film roles
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2023 The Family Plan Herself [43]
2025 A Minecraft Movie TBA Post-production [44]

Television

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List of television appearances and roles
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2022 Tribe Nine Hannya Squad Member Voice role; episode: "Chiyoda Tribe Showdown" [45]
Sonic Prime Squad Commander Red Voice role; episode: "Situation: Grim" [46]

Music videos

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List of music videos
Year Title Artist(s) Ref.
2021 "DayWalker" Machine Gun Kelly and Corpse Husband [18]
"Build a Bitch" Bella Poarch [19]
"Inferno" Bella Poarch and Sub Urban [20]
2022 "Car Crash" eaJ [47]
"Memories" Yungblud and Willow Smith [48]
"Dolls" Bella Poarch [49]
2024 "Echoes" Valkyrae, Fuslie and Ylona Garcia [50]
"Run Back to You" Lay Zhang and Lauv [51]
"Girls" The Kid Laroi [52]
"Drag Me Under" Blessthefall and Alpha Wolf [53]

Discography

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Singles

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List of singles, showing year released and album name
Title Year Album Ref.
"The Fortnite Rap Battle Round 2"
(NerdOut featuring Valkyrae, TimTheTatman, SypherPK, Nate Hill and AvaGG) 		2018 Non-album single [54]
"Last Cup of Coffee"
(with Natsumiii, featuring LilyPichu) 		2021 Non-album single [55]
"Echoes"
(with Fuslie and Ylona Garcia) 		2024 Non-album single [50]

Awards and nominations

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List of awards and nominations received by Valkyrae
Ceremony Year Category Result Ref.
Adweek Creator Visionary Awards 2021 Gaming Creator of the Year Won [56]
The Game Awards 2020 Content Creator of the Year Won [57]
Shorty Awards 2019 Gaming Nominated [58]
The Streamer Awards 2022 Best Variety Streamer Nominated [59]
Feb 2024 The Sapphire Award Won [60]
Dec 2024 Pending [61]
Streamy Awards 2021 Livestreamer Won [62]
2022 Streamer of the Year Nominated [63]
Variety Streamer Nominated
2023 Streamer of the Year Nominated [64]
Variety Streamer Nominated

Listicles

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Publisher Year Listicle Result Ref.
Forbes 2022 30 Under 30: Games Placed [65]
Gold House 2024 A100 Honoree [66]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "About Valkyrae". YouTube.
  2. ^ a b c Cruz, Christopher (May 24, 2024). "How Valkyrae's Imaginary Relationship With a Killer Clown Became a Streaming Hit". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  3. ^ Bhatti, Fariha (January 8, 2021). "Valkyrae surprised with a birthday party on Rust server". WIN.gg. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  4. ^ Polhamus, Blaine (February 10, 2022). "How old is Valkyrae?". Dot Esports. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  5. ^ Magalong, Marga (May 4, 2023). "Livestreaming Phenom Valkyrae Is Redefining Celebrity On The Digital Landscape". Vogue Philippines. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  6. ^ Wang, Lindsay (April 10, 2021). "Filipina American Valkyrae makes gaming history". AsAm News. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  7. ^ "Richard E Hofstetter Obituary". Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  8. ^ Periwal, Saahil Agnelo (May 8, 2021). "'I wouldn't be where I am today': Valkyrae shares heartfelt message of appreciation for mother". Sportskeeda. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  9. ^ a b c d Hawgood, Alex (April 7, 2021). "Valkyrae Gets a Big Chair in the Gaming World". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 8, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  10. ^ Amaz (July 15, 2016). Meet Valkyrae. YouTube. Event occurs at :51. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Fagan, Kaylee (June 11, 2018). "This 26-year-old Fortnite streamer says she paid off her mom's debt with her Twitch earnings". Business Insider. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  12. ^ "From the 11th Annual Shorty Awards: Valkyrae". Shorty Awards. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  13. ^ Peters, Jay (April 7, 2021). "Valkyrae and CouRage are now co-owners of 100 Thieves". The Verge. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  14. ^ Park, Gene (January 13, 2020). "YouTube signs on exclusive streaming deals with 3 big gaming creators: LazarBeam, Muselk and Valkyrae". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  15. ^ Hale, James (October 19, 2020). "YouTube Exec Ryan Wyatt Says Valkyrae Is "The Fastest-Growing Livestreamer In The Entire World"". Tubefilter. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  16. ^ a b c Banerjee, Sonu (January 14, 2021). "Valkyrae Surpasses Pokimane As The Most Viewed Female Streamer Of 2020". TalkEsport. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  17. ^ "Forbes 30 Under 30: Rachell Hofstetter". Forbes. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  18. ^ a b Kaufman, Gil (March 19, 2021). "Machine Gun Kelly Is a Street Fighter in Blood-Drenched 'Daywalker' Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  19. ^ a b Haylock, Zoe (May 14, 2021). "And Now, TikTok Star Bella Poarch Steps Into the Pop-Girl Ring". Vulture. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  20. ^ a b Haylock, Zoe (August 13, 2021). "Bella Poarch Welcomes You to Her Tower of Terror in the 'Inferno' Video". Vulture. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  21. ^ Gutelle, Sam (September 12, 2022). "Thanks to a deal with Gymshark, Valkyrae can now be found on a Times Square billboard". Tubefilter. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  22. ^ Cropley, Steven (March 14, 2023). "The Streamer Awards 2023: Full list of winners -- a night of surprises". OneEsports.gg. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  23. ^ Andres, Amiel Rose (March 15, 2023). "The Streamer Awards 2023 Dominates Twitch". TopTwitchStreamers. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  24. ^ a b Asarch, Steven (February 12, 2024). "Valkyrae On The Family Plan, Working Retail, And How To Stream Authentically". Kotaku. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  25. ^ Brigstock, Jake (June 6, 2024). "Who are all the influencers in MrBeast's 'biggest video ever'?". Indy100. Archived from the original on June 7, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  26. ^ Maas, Jennifer (September 27, 2024). "Gaming Streaming Star Rachell 'Valkyrae' Hofstetter Launches Anime-Focused Media Company Hihi Studios (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  27. ^ "Stranger Things stars join YouTubers and Jimmy Fallon for charity Among Us stream". Sky News. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  28. ^ Fay, Kacee (June 22, 2022). "MC Championship Pride (MCC) 2022 raises over $145,000 for The Trevor Project". Dot Esports. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  29. ^ Biazzi, Leonardo (December 7, 2022). "Why did Ludwig get a Twitch tattoo?". Dot Esports. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  30. ^ Stewart, Sam (December 8, 2022). "YouTube Streamer Ludwig Gets Twitch Logo Tattooed on Himself". Game Rant. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  31. ^ "Jacksepticeye's latest 'Thankmas' charity stream crossed the $10 million mark". Tubefilter. December 13, 2022. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  32. ^ "Twitch, YouTube Streamers Raise Big Funds For Syria-Turkey Earthquake Relief". Kotaku. February 7, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  33. ^ Nightingale, Ed (October 20, 2021). "Streamer Valkyrae faces backlash for new gamer skincare range". Eurogamer. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  34. ^ Polhamus, Blaine (October 19, 2021). "Valkyrae's new skincare line sparks controversy". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  35. ^ a b Grayson, Nathan (October 22, 2021). "YouTube streaming star Valkyrae launches skin care line to controversy, ethical questions". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  36. ^ Alford, Aaron (October 21, 2021). "Valkyrae finally breaks her silence over RFLCT blue light controversy". InvenGlobal. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  37. ^ Alford, Aaron (October 23, 2021). ""The research isn't fake:" Valkyrae stands by RFLCT blue-light product amid controversy". InvenGlobal. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  38. ^ Katuwal, Arun (October 24, 2021). "Valkyrae Feels Trapped in RFLCT Contract — Drama Explained". HollywoodMask. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  39. ^ Bolding, Jonathan (October 30, 2021). "That controversial gamer skincare line is no more". PC Gamer. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  40. ^ Polhamus, Blaine (October 30, 2021). "Valkyrae's skincare line, RFLCT, is no longer available". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  41. ^ ""W Roomies" - Internet Goes Crazy to See TinaKitten Move In With Valkyrae and Her Streamer Roommates". EssentiallySports. April 20, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  42. ^ Park, Gene (October 22, 2024). "Bernie Sanders to stream with Pokimane and Valkyrae in support of Harris". The Washington Post.
  43. ^ The Family Plan (Motion picture). Apple TV+. 2023. Event occurs at Closing credits.
  44. ^ "Valkyrae reveals awkward on-set encounter with Jason Momoa in Minecraft movie". Mundo Deportivo USA. September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  45. ^ Saksena, Sanchay (April 12, 2022). "Corpse Husband, Valkyrae, Sykkuno, and Disguised Toast Are Voice Actors in the 'Tribe Nine' Anime". IGN India. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  46. ^ "Rachell Hofstetter". Behind The Voice Actors. Inyxception Enterprises, Inc. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  47. ^ Chin, Carmen (April 8, 2022). "eaJ unveils music video for 'Car Crash', starring 100 Thieves' Valkyrae and Kyedae". NME. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  48. ^ Purkayastha, Siddid Dey (May 6, 2022). "Valkyrae's Stunning Cameo Alongside Willow Smith and Yungblud Earns Immense Praise From Millions". EssentiallySports. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  49. ^ Mier, Tomás (July 15, 2022). "Bella Poarch Fights Grimes in 'Dolls' Video Featuring Madison Beer, Chloe Cherry". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  50. ^ a b Carbonilla, Hans (February 23, 2024). "Ylona Garcia teams up with Valkyrae, Fuslie for new song release". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  51. ^ Bodegon-Hikino, Kara (February 23, 2024). "Lay Zhang and Lauv team up on new collab 'Run Back to You' – listen". Bandwagon. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  52. ^ "The Kid Laroi Releases 'Girls' Single and Video". Rolling Stone Australia. June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  53. ^ blessthefall [@blessthefall] (August 28, 2024). "Our video is LIVE! Huge thanks to @Valkyrae and @AlphaWolfCVLT for being a part of it and yes we will be playing Drag Me Under on tour" (Tweet). Retrieved September 3, 2024 – via Twitter.
  54. ^ NerdOut (September 29, 2018). The Fortnite Rap Battle Round 2 ft TimTheTatMan, SypherPK, Valkyrae & More. YouTube. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  55. ^ Natsumiii (March 14, 2021). Valkyrae x Natsumiii Ft. Lily - Last Cup of Coffee ♫ (A LilyPichu Cover). YouTube. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  56. ^ "27 Innovators Who Are Unlocking the Creative Potential of Social Media". Adweek. May 2, 2021. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  57. ^ Stedman, Alex (December 10, 2020). "The Game Awards 2020: Complete Winners List". Variety. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  58. ^ "Michelle Obama, Noah Centineo, Marie Kondo, John Mulaney Win 2019 Shorty Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. May 5, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  59. ^ Miceli, Max (February 22, 2022). "All nominees for QTCinderella's Streamer Awards". Dot Esports. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  60. ^ "The Streamer Awards-Winners". The Streamer Awards. February 17, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  61. ^ "The 2024 Streamer Awards: All Nominations". Esports Illustrated On SI. November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  62. ^ Strause, Jackie (December 12, 2021). "Streamy Awards: MrBeast Wins 2021 Creator of the Year". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  63. ^ Hipes, Patrick (October 27, 2022). "Streamy Awards Nominations: MrBeast Tops List Again". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  64. ^ Spangler, Todd (July 24, 2023). "Streamy Awards 2023 Nominations Announced, MrBeast Leads With 5 Nods". Variety. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  65. ^ "Forbes 30 Under 30 2022: Games". Forbes. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  66. ^ Thompson, Jack; Dunn, Jack; Kuznikov, Selena; Tangcay, Jazz; Thompson, Jaden (May 1, 2024). "Keanu Reeves, Jung Kook, Hayao Miyazaki Among Gold House's A100 Honorees". Variety. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
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