QTCinderella: Fame, Safety, and the Streamer Awards Journey

The Twitch star known as QTCinderella, whose real name is Blaire, has built a global following by streaming video game sessions and cooking live on camera. Now 31, she founded the annual Streamer Awards in 2021, with this year’s event streaming online this weekend.

While she feels incredibly lucky to be in her position, Blaire is candid about the darker side of online life—the constant scrutiny, occasional safety worries, and the emotional toll of public attention make it hard to enjoy the job.

“If I could tell my younger self one thing, I would urge them to pause and consider whether this path is right for long-term happiness,” she told INLIBER. The reality of online fame has led her to reflect on how much of it she would change if given the chance.

Beyond personal safety, Blaire has faced financial and digital harms linked to fame. In 2021 she spent more than £1,500 each month to remove heavily edited photos and other content from the internet. In January 2023 she learned that a deepfake site used her likeness in pornographic material, alongside other well-known female streamers.

This year she opened a craft shop in Los Angeles, hoping to blend creativity with her audience. However, she has limited visits there after men began arriving at the shop seeking her, raising concerns for staff safety.

From drama to positivity

Blaire says Streamer Awards security will be tighter than at many other events to help attendees feel safe and comfortable. The ceremony recognizes top creators across categories such as Best Community and Gamer of the Year, with the Streamer of the Year nomination led by Kai Cenat, a figure widely regarded as the most-followed streamer on the platform.

Winners are decided by a mix of fan votes (about 70%) and input from industry judges (around 30%). In late 2024 Blaire addressed criticism claiming some popular streamers were held back from certain categories for being too “problematic,” a claim she denied. Clips of her tearful response to the debate circulated online, prompting her to acknowledge she would like to respond less, while striving to be understood as a human being under pressure.

She says the ongoing ups and downs of online drama are part of why she created the awards: to bring people together and cut through the toxicity that pervades the internet. “For one night, the negativity can disappear,” she explains, hoping the event offers a moment of unity for the streaming community.

Expert view

Expert comment: Dr. Lena Hart, a media-safety analyst, notes that public figures in online spaces face complex risks and that large events can model safer practices if they maintain strong security and clear conduct rules. She adds that transparency about safety measures helps build trust among both creators and fans.

Short summary

QTCinderella reflects on the costs and benefits of online fame, including safety challenges and personal risk. She launched the Streamer Awards to foster community, celebrate talent, and reduce toxic online behavior—at least for one night. While she continues to navigate public scrutiny and safety concerns, she remains devoted to uniting creators and fans in a positive space.

“A well-organized, safety-focused event can counteract much of the online toxicity that shadows creators, showing that community matters as much as reach.”

BBC News