On November 3rd, 2023, infamous celebrity and influencer news YouTuber Spill Sesh spilled her biggest secret of all—her identity.
After five years of remaining anonymous on YouTube and constant speculation about her identity, Spill Sesh decided to tell the world that she was Kristi Cook.
Spotlight sat down with Kristi Cook to hear about her life since spilling the tea about who she truly is.
You started your YouTube channel, Spill Sesh, in 2018. Why did you decide to start this channel?
I decided to start Spill Sesh because, at the time, I was consuming YouTube content so much but I felt that there weren’t many people talking about influencers like they were about celebrities. Celebrity news was so widely covered, but at the time I felt that no one was looking at influencers or internet stars with that same level of fame.
I stumbled upon this community of people who were talking about YouTuber’s lives. Now, of course, it’s expanded with TikTok and other platforms. There was a lack of talking about those people on the internet—and I was so excited to do it!
What challenges did you face staying anonymous for so long? How did you overcome them?
Staying anonymous was very hard with meeting new people. When they asked me “What do you do for work?” a different answer would come out every time. Sometimes I would be so honest and tell people I’ve just met. But mostly, I would beat around the bush by saying “Oh, I talk about celebrities and influencers on the internet.”
Not being honest about my job was definitely one of the hardest aspects. Also, I had anxiety about my identity coming out and, if it did come out, I wanted it to be from me and not anyone else. I wiped every trace of myself off of the internet so that nobody could connect the dots.
Many people look to Spill Sesh for celebrity news. How were you able to source information while being completely anonymous?
I am always online. I’m always looking at stuff on the internet; I’m on my phone more than I should be. When I’m on TikTok and Twitter I’m always looking to see what people are talking about. I follow a bunch of people so that I know about all the news. That is really how I find stories, get information, and stay in the loop.
Staying anonymous was helpful during certain times. For example, when I went to events and no one knew who I was. It felt like I was Gossip Girl which was exciting. However, I think that revealing my identity has led me to more opportunities and stories than I had before.
Why did you decide to reveal your identity after five years on YouTube?
I heard people talking about my identity. Trisha Paytas said on her podcast that she was curious about who I was. I honestly felt like curiosity might’ve died a bit. It had been so long, so I figured people were kind of like “She’s never going to do it.” But, I thought, “Ok, wait. People are still kind of curious about it, so maybe I should just do it while people are still talking about it.” That definitely made me feel like it was time.
What has been your favorite moment in your career thus far? Why?
Revealing my identity was so huge and something I honestly didn’t think would ever happen. I was always teetering on if I was ever going to reveal my identity, but the stars aligned for it to all happen. I decided I couldn’t miss the opportunity—I knew I would regret it forever. I have so many new ideas. The opportunities seem endless now.
How has revealing your identity impacted you emotionally?
I definitely feel a sense of relief now, whereas before it [having her identity revealed] was always in the back of my mind. Now, I know it’s out there, and it’s not even a thought in my mind. I’m not freaking out about anything!
A lot of people were nervous for me to reveal. I felt like if someone was going to come for me, they would’ve done it already—whether I was anonymous or not. I have a bit of peace now.
Do you recall a moment when you almost uncovered your identity? Tell us about it.
There were some times when some people got pretty close to finding out who I was, and there was another time when someone did really find out who I was. I was so scared that they would reveal it and so I thought about saying it first. However, I never got as close as I did this year.
Now that you’ve revealed your identity, what does the future look like for Spill Sesh?
The future is exciting! There are so many opportunities to come. I want to keep my YouTube channel pretty much the same—I know people are scared of change. I’d love to start doing interviews with people.
I used to go to red carpets and work events, but I’d love to bring interviews to my own channel. In addition to what I’m doing now, I have so many ideas. I’d also love to do a show or a podcast—I think that would be something I’d love!
