Danielle Bregoli, also known as Bhad Bhabie, just released photos of her matching face tattoos with her partner and child's father. Bregoli started her OnlyFans account in 2021, shortly after turning 18 years old. The controversial rapper and social media personality has been a household name and a meme since her viral appearance on Dr. Phil in 2016. Recently, she's been in the spotlight for a different reason - her staggering earnings on OnlyFans.
So, how much has Bhad Bhabie earned from OnlyFans?
Bhad Bhabie disclosed her OnlyFans earnings, which have surpassed an impressive $57 million since 2021. This astronomical figure has raised not only eyebrows, but questions about what the platform's potential could be for content creators. According to the Daily Mail, much of Bregoli's earnings are from subscription fees, currently priced at $23.99 per month. Her other revenue driver? Fan messages that cost up to $50 apiece (and to think Spotify’s been catching flack about a measly $12/month). Clearly there’s something to her pricing strategy, as she recently purchased a $6.1 million mansion in Florida, paying in cash.
Cash and Consent
Bhad Bhabie's OnlyFans career has sparked heated conversations about the role the platform plays in the entertainment industry, and its potential for young creators. While some respect the hustle it takes to be successful as a content creator on OnlyFans, others are clutching their pearls and asking Bhad Bhabie to think of the children who look to creators like her as an example.
Sidenote to any and all concern trolls who expect survivors of the troubled teen industry to raise their children for them, we say: "Cash me outside."
Critics argue that her OnlyFans content— which began shortly after she turned 18— raises ethical questions about the sexualization of young women in the entertainment industry. Young, famous women occupy an impossible place in our cultural imagination. One where they must magically be multiple people at once in order to be seen as valued. Exhibit A: an 18-year-old woman is old enough to make choices with her career, her money, and her body— so long as what happens with her body isn’t intentionally monetized. When pop stars are pressured into creating sexualized content for the sake of streaming revenue and ticket sales for a record label, that kind of performance is fine. But when they join an adults-only platform of their own free will, self-direct the content they produce, and set their own prices for it; suddenly it’s a problem.
Hypocrisy, thy name is Western Media.
The Wider Impact of OnlyFans on the Entertainment Industry
Bhad Bhabie is just one of many celebrities leveraging their fame into an additional revenue stream. Olympians like Noah Williams and actresses like Drea De Matteo have also chosen to become OnlyFans content creators. In what scholars are calling the digital dark age, being able to have a one-to-one relationship with fans is key for longevity. In the past, one-to-many distribution reigned supreme. Now, direct-to-fan platforms are rapidly taking over, allowing stars to stay relevant and connect directly with their audience; no matter how ever-changing streaming platforms come up with new ways to charge their creators for the right to create monetized content.
The Broader Implications of Bhad Bhabie's OnlyFans Success
While Bhad Bhabie's earnings are impressive, they also raise key questions about privacy, consent, and the long-term effects of creating adult content at a young age. These are issues that society will need to own and grapple with as platforms like OnlyFans continue to grow in popularity and influence.
Privacy and Security Concerns
With the rise of platforms like OnlyFans, privacy has become an increasingly important issue. Sex workers face a higher risk of homicide than that of someone in a “traditional” profession. Content creators must be educated on the potential risks of creating a following, and take steps to protect their personal information. It is vital that platforms prioritize user privacy and security to ensure the safety of creators and consumers.
The Psychological Impact
The potential psychological effects of creating adult content at a young age are another important consideration. While financial success can be empowering, it's essential to consider the long-term emotional and mental health implications for young creators like Bhad Bhabie. Creators who started young have a higher risk of struggling with low self-esteem later in life, after spending their formative years receiving a steady stream of external validation based on their physical appearance.
In addition to self-esteem struggles, adult content creators face a higher likelihood of developing anxiety and other mental illnesses, frequently tied to increased rates of harassment and exploitation in the adult content industry. Burnout from constantly producing content, isolation from the societal stigma surrounding adult content, and a digital footprint that is hard to shake when content creators attempt to change careers; the toll is a heavy one.
To Sum Up
Bhad Bhabie’s staggering success as a viral sensation and then a million-dollar OnlyFans content creator thrusts the interplay of fame, financial independence, and the expectations of a society that is still clinging to puritanical roots with its fingertips. While she must be credited for her success, how her star rose forces us to grapple with some hard questions about the sexualization of young women that are going to need answers as the platform continues to grow in popularity. As she continues to write— or tattoo— her story, it is imperative to check our perceptions of consent, privacy, and the crushing pressure on women in the entertainment industry.
