Good morning. Google now features creators as trusted sources, meaning we may start seeing specific creators at the top of search results depending on their skill sets. The real question: Will Salt Fork guy Ben Walker earn recognition from Google as the internet’s leading expert on salt forks?

— Hannah Doyle & Nate Graber-Lipperman

Valkyrae Announces Anime-Focused ‘Hihi Studios’

Gaming streamer Rachell “Valkyrae” Hofstetter launched a new media company called Hihi Studios last week. The mission? Develop “anime-inspired content,” starting with a publishing partnership with comic book platform GlobalComix.

“My love for animation has only grown and [I’m] now excited to be able to be involved in creating entertainment across TV, film, and other [media]!” Valkyrae tweeted.

We spoke with Kai Gayoso, Valkyrae’s manager and Hihi cofounder, to hear more about why they launched the company →

Hihi came from Valkyrae’s authentic love for anime. That fandom has led her team to work with several anime networks and studios in the past—eventually inspiring her to create her own IP as she branches into traditional entertainment.

“We spent the last two years doing as much research as possible…to figure out the right set of partners and creatives that could bring Rae’s vision to life,” Gayoso said.

Expansion requires a strong community. Gayoso thinks Valkyrae’s fans have proven that they’ll follow her across different ventures—including fashion and the esports company she co-owns, 100 Thieves—because of her unique voice and creativity.

“The diversification of [creators’] businesses from solely digital content into other endeavors is not just expected but celebrated by their audience[s]…Rae has an incredible community that has really shown up for her time and time again,” he said.

The ultimate goal? To pay Hihi’s success forward. Valkyrae tweeted about her desire to “open up” job opportunities for writers, artists, actors, and even other creators—though the first step is to nail Hihi’s process.

“For now, I think we are most focused on building credibility for the company, which comes down to putting out the best version of a project possible,” Gayoso said.

Kai Cenat Makes LBA Basketball Debut

Gaming streamer Kai Cenat made his debut as a player for the LBA’s New York City Skyscrapers on Saturday, finishing the game with eight points and 20 rebounds as the Skyscrapers defeated the Dallas Giants.

Wait, what? Cenat, who stands 5’4”, invented the LBA (or Little Basketball Association), where he plays against kids live in front of fans, professional referees, and his 13.4 million followers on Twitch.

How he got here: Cenat’s road to the league has been winding.

• The streamer fell to the 24th pick in this year’s LBA draft (also streamed on his channel) after promising fans he’d be picked in the top three.

• Pro sports commentators including Stephen A. Smith and Nick Wright have delivered tongue-in-cheek analyses on how Cenat can improve his game (and potentially enter the “greatest of all time” conversation).

Big picture: Cenat’s new LBA series 1) provides a creative backdrop for Cenat’s streams and 2) works as a natural integration with Nike, one of his biggest sponsors—Cenat is seen wearing Nike shoes and apparel both on the court and in his postgame press conferences.

Sponsored by Artlist 

$100K to One Innovative Creator…Could It Be You?

Have a big idea that calls for a big budget to match?

The Artlist $100K Fund is back for the second time! If you’re a video creator, you can earn this special grant to pursue your creative vision without limits.

Here’s how to apply:

• Post a short social video (90 seconds max) pitching your $100K idea.

• Tag @artlist.io and use the hashtag #Artlist100KFund in your post.

• Fill out and submit your application form on the fund’s website.

The deadline to apply is October 24, so don’t wait.

Make your creative dreams come true with this year’s Artlist $100K Fund.

Spotify Puts Free and Premium Podcasts in One Feed

Spotify revealed a new “Synced Feeds” tool last week that lets podcast creators merge free and subscriber-only content into one feed. Previously, creators had to link premium episodes out to a different feed or app.

Context: Membership platforms including Patreon, Substack, and Memberful have integrated with Spotify’s “Open Access” features over the last year.

This gives creators the option to distribute their paywalled content to Spotify, where they can potentially convert a slice of the platform’s 626 million monthly active users into paying members.

Zoom out: Spotify said that half of podcasters earning money on Patreon now use the Open Access integration—and of that group, 15% of Spotify listeners who clicked through to Patreon bought a creator’s paid membership.   

👀 Creator Moves

• TH3RD BRAIN is hiring a videographer to shoot and edit content for musicians’ channels.

• The Roost is hiring a partnerships coordinator to play a key role in creator outreach for its podcast network. 

• Brandon William is hiring a lead editor to help define his fitness channel’s creative style.

Looking to bring on new team members? You can post opportunities on our (free) job board here.

🔥 Press Worthy

• 25% of music creators upload directly to platforms like TikTok without a label or distributor, according to a new study. 

• The Tribeca Film Festival announces a “Creators Forum” as part of its 2025 slate.

• MrBeast faces backlash after posting (and retracting) a job listing for an “AI Concept Artist.”

• YouTube blocks songs by Adele, Bob Dylan, Green Day, and more as the platform negotiates with performing rights organization SESAC.

• Critical Role’s Amazon Prime Video show The Legend of Vox Machina uploads its first two seasons to YouTube ahead of the season 3 debut.