A former viral YouTube star says she joined OnlyFans after fans repeatedly mass-reported her bikini photos until her Instagram account was taken down.
Maddie Joy, from California, was one half of the couples channel “Maddie and Elijah”, which attracted a huge following, largely made up of young girls.
“I was one of the OG channels,” Maddie told Need To Know. “Almost all of my fan base came from that and people still bring it up years later, even though we’ve broken up four years ago.”
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As she got older, Maddie says her audience struggled to accept that she had grown up.
“Anytime I would post a bikini photo on my Instagram, the fans would get really upset with me and report it,” she said.
“Any time I would show any tiny bit of cleavage, I would get death threats and really, really awful comments since I had a young girl audience from the couple channel.”
Eventually, the volume of reports led to her Instagram being taken down.
“I knew I had to find a platform that I can fully be myself on,” she said. “I didn’t want to live life and post content only to please other people.”
She discovered OnlyFans in 2020 and says she has used the platform every day since.
The decision shocked many of her followers.
“Everybody was extremely shocked because I had the most innocent, good girl persona for so many years,” she said.
“I lost a huge chunk of my fan base and audience that I built for 10 years on social media. But I was 17 when I started social media and I’m 27 now. A lot can change in 10 years.”
Maddie says the freedom she has gained has been life-changing, especially because she remembers what it was like to struggle financially.
Before earning money online, she worked while studying dentistry.
“I remember hesitating to get a taco from Taco Bell on the way home from work because it was too expensive,” she said.
“Now I always like to add an extra taco when I’m in the drive thru to treat myself.”
Despite her success, Maddie says she does not live extravagantly.
“I don’t have any fancy cars, name brand luxury items, and I don’t even own a home. I usually just film with them as props,” she said.
“The two things I care about most in life are happiness and freedom. With money comes that.”
She says financial independence is deeply important to her.
“I really make sure that I’m financially responsible so that I don’t ever need to rely on anyone else,” she said.
“I definitely want to have the freedom to leave situations I’m uncomfortable in, which is something I didn’t have before.”
Her close friends and family have supported her decision.
“My best friends want me to be happy. My dad wants me to be happy too,” she said.
“I’m 100 percent still the same innocent girl in real life.”
Her message to other women is clear.
“Be yourself. Don’t live to please others. Get out of the box they try to put you in.”
