Valkyrae

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

Valkyrae
Valkyrae in 2023
Personal information
Born
Rachell Marie Hofstetter

(1992-01-08) January 8, 1992 (age 33)
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
2025–present
Last updated: July 26, 2024

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.

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

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

2015–2019: Early career, initial popularity, and joining 100 Thieves

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] In May 2019, she was nominated for the Gaming award at the 11th Shorty Awards.[14]

2020–2024: Move to YouTube, continued growth, and business ventures

Hofstetter during a photoshoot for 100 Thieves in July 2019.

On January 13, 2020, Hofstetter left Twitch for an exclusive streaming contract on YouTube.[15] In her first three months on YouTube, she averaged around 1,500 concurrent viewers.[16] Her stream then experienced significant growth and, in late 2020, regularly peaked at concurrent viewer counts exceeding 100,000.[17] 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,[17] in addition to public figures like politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, musician Lil Nas X, and television personality Jimmy Fallon.[9][18] Hofstetter became the fastest-growing female streamer of 2020 and surpassed Pokimane as the year's most-viewed female streamer.[17] In December 2020, she won Content Creator of the Year award at the 2020 Game Awards.[19]

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] In May 2021, she won Gaming Creator of the Year award at the 2021 Adweek Creator Visionary Awards.[20] Throughout 2021, she made appearances in music videos for "DayWalker" by Machine Gun Kelly featuring Corpse Husband,[21] as well as "Build a Bitch" and "Inferno" by Bella Poarch.[22][23] In December 2021, she won the Livestreamer award at the 11th Streamy Awards.[24]

In 2022, she was named to Forbes' 30 Under 30 list in the games category.[25] In March 2022, she was nominated for Best Variety Streamer at the 2022 Streamer Awards.[26] In September 2022, she became an ambassador for the fitness apparel brand Gymshark.[27] In December 2022, she was nominated for Streamer of the Year and Variety Streamer at the 12th Streamy Awards.[28] On March 11, 2023, she co-hosted the second annual Streamer Awards alongside the event's creator, QTCinderella; the ceremony averaged 425,000 live concurrent viewers.[29][30][31] Later in August 2023, she was nominated for Streamer of the Year and Variety Streamer at the 13th Streamy Awards.[32]

In February 2024, she won The Sapphire Award at the February 2024 Streamer Awards.[33] In May 2024, Hofstetter's streaming heavily involved playing a character on the modded Grand Theft Auto V roleplaying server NoPixel.[2] Later that month, she was named among Gold House A100 honorees.[34] On July 13, 2024, she appeared and participated in a MrBeast video titled "50 YouTubers Fight for $1,000,000".[35] 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."[36] In October 2024, Hofstetter launched her podcast Press Esc with artist Alyssa "Alythuh" Dios as her co-host with the first episode airing on October 13.[37][38] In December 2024, she was nominated for The Sapphire Award at the December 2024 Streamer Awards.[39] On December 28, Hofstetter announced that her exclusive streaming contract on YouTube had expired and that she would be returning to Twitch starting in January 2025.[40]

2025–present: Return to Twitch

On January 8, 2025, she streamed for the first time after returning to Twitch while also celebrating her tenth streaming anniversary and her 33rd birthday.[41] After a week of her comeback on Twitch, she became the most-watched female streamer in the second week of January, based on hours watched.[42][43]

Other activities

Philanthropy

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.[44]

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.[45] In late November 2022, Hofstetter donated $15,000 towards No Kid Hungry during Ludwig Ahgren's charity event.[46][47] 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.[48]

Hofstetter donated $10,000 towards the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023.[49]

RFLCT and controversy

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;[50][51] 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.[52] 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.[52][53] 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.[54]

Hofstetter then expressed a desire to part ways with RFLCT but was contractually bound.[55] 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."[56][57]

Personal life

From 2016 to 2021, Hofstetter was in a relationship with fellow streamer Michael "Sonii" Sherman.[31] 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".[58] She owns a dog named Mika.[2]

Hofstetter endorsed Kamala Harris in the 2024 United States presidential election.[59]

Filmography

Film

List of film roles
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2023 The Family Plan Herself [60]
2025 Goldbeak Ratchet Voice role (English dub); Direct-to-video film [61]
A Minecraft Movie TBA Post-production [62]

Television

List of television appearances and roles
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2022 Tribe Nine Hannya Squad Member Voice role (English dub); episode: "Chiyoda Tribe Showdown" [63]
Sonic Prime Squad Commander Red Voice role; episode: "Situation: Grim" [64]


Music videos

List of music videos
Year Title Artist(s) Ref.
2021 "DayWalker" Machine Gun Kelly and Corpse Husband [21]
"Build a Bitch" Bella Poarch [22]
"Inferno" Bella Poarch and Sub Urban [23]
2022 "Car Crash" eaJ [65]
"Memories" Yungblud and Willow Smith [66]
"Dolls" Bella Poarch [67]
2024 "Echoes" Valkyrae, Fuslie and Ylona Garcia [68]
"Run Back to You" Lay Zhang and Lauv [69]
"Girls" The Kid Laroi [70]
"Drag Me Under" Blessthefall and Alpha Wolf [71]

Discography

Singles

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 [72]
"Last Cup of Coffee"
(with Natsumiii, featuring LilyPichu) 		2021 Non-album single [73]
"Echoes"
(with Fuslie and Ylona Garcia) 		2024 Non-album single [68]

Awards and nominations

List of awards and nominations received by Valkyrae
Ceremony Year Category Result Ref.
Adweek Creator Visionary Awards 2021 Gaming Creator of the Year Won [20]
The Game Awards 2020 Content Creator of the Year Won [19]
Shorty Awards 2019 Gaming Nominated [14]
The Streamer Awards 2021 Best Variety Streamer Nominated [26]
2023 The Sapphire Award Won [33]
2024 Nominated [39]
Streamy Awards 2021 Livestreamer Won [24]
2022 Streamer of the Year Nominated [28]
Variety Streamer Nominated
2023 Streamer of the Year Nominated [32]
Variety Streamer Nominated

Listicles

Publisher Year Listicle Result Ref.
Forbes 2022 30 Under 30: Games Placed [25]
Gold House 2024 A100 Honoree [34]

See also

References

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  5. ^ Magalong, Marga (May 4, 2023). "Livestreaming Phenom Valkyrae Is Redefining Celebrity On The Digital Landscape". Vogue Philippines. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
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  34. ^ a b 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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  37. ^ "Valkyrae Launches Her Podcasting Journey with Press ESC". October 14, 2024. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
  38. ^ Valkyrae (October 11, 2024). "Started a podcast with @Alythuh ! New episodes every Sunday 8am pt❤️". X (formerly known as Twitter). Retrieved December 12, 2024.
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  45. ^ Fay, Kacee (June 22, 2022). "MC Championship Pride (MCC) 2022 raises over $145,000 for The Trevor Project". Dot Esports. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  46. ^ Biazzi, Leonardo (December 7, 2022). "Why did Ludwig get a Twitch tattoo?". Dot Esports. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  47. ^ Stewart, Sam (December 8, 2022). "YouTube Streamer Ludwig Gets Twitch Logo Tattooed on Himself". Game Rant. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  48. ^ "Jacksepticeye's latest 'Thankmas' charity stream crossed the $10 million mark". Tubefilter. December 13, 2022. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  49. ^ "Twitch, YouTube Streamers Raise Big Funds For Syria-Turkey Earthquake Relief". Kotaku. February 7, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
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  60. ^ The Family Plan (Motion picture). Apple TV+. 2023. Event occurs at Closing credits.
  61. ^ "Valkyrae Is Voice Acting As A Bird — Goldbeak Trailer". Esports Illustrated On SI. December 17, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  62. ^ "Valkyrae reveals awkward on-set encounter with Jason Momoa in Minecraft movie". Mundo Deportivo USA. September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  63. ^ 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.
  64. ^ "Rachell Hofstetter". Behind The Voice Actors. Inyxception Enterprises, Inc. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  65. ^ Chin, Carmen (April 8, 2022). "eaJ unveils music video for 'Car Crash', starring 100 Thieves' Valkyrae and Kyedae". NME. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  66. ^ 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.
  67. ^ Mier, Tomás (July 15, 2022). "Bella Poarch Fights Grimes in 'Dolls' Video Featuring Madison Beer, Chloe Cherry". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  68. ^ 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.
  69. ^ 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.
  70. ^ "The Kid Laroi Releases 'Girls' Single and Video". Rolling Stone Australia. June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  71. ^ 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.
  72. ^ NerdOut (September 29, 2018). The Fortnite Rap Battle Round 2 ft TimTheTatMan, SypherPK, Valkyrae & More. YouTube. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  73. ^ Natsumiii (March 14, 2021). Valkyrae x Natsumiii Ft. Lily - Last Cup of Coffee ♫ (A LilyPichu Cover). YouTube. Retrieved February 17, 2023.