Twitch fans were caught off guard when Maya Higa , wildlife conservationist and streamer, stepped away from the beloved Wine About It podcast. After nearly four years of laughter, deep dives, and occasional chaos with QTCinderella, the announcement had the internet buzzing. So why did Maya leave, and what’s next for the podcast?
Why Did Maya Leave?Maya Higa stepped away to give her full attention to Alveus Sanctuary, the nonprofit exotic animal sanctuary she founded in Austin, Texas. Between running educational streams, caring for over 30 animals, and building conservation awareness, she realized something had to give. Unfortunately, it was the podcast.
And yep, she made it super clear on X (formerly Twitter) that she’s still incredibly thankful for QT, the fans, and the wild journey the pod has been.
What’s Alveus Sanctuary?Alveus isn’t just a side project; it’s Maya’s life’s mission. It’s a one-of-a-kind animal sanctuary that’s grown massively since its launch. Even Twitch backed it with a $100K donation in 2024. QT herself was involved in building parts of the sanctuary (fun fact: she helped set up the fox enclosure). Maya’s been pouring her energy into educational content and making wildlife conservation actually cool and accessible.
QTCinderella’s Reaction: Supportive but SentimentalQT, who’s been co-hosting Wine About It since day one, opened up on X shortly after the announcement. Her tone? Bittersweet. She acknowledged the sadness of the change but made it clear that the podcast isn’t going anywhere. It’s just... evolving. “Wine About It has been my baby,” she wrote, “and this is a reallllllly sad change.” Still, she encouraged fans to stay tuned.
Valkyrae Joins the Mix: A Fresh Chapter BeginsNot long after Maya’s farewell post, fans were hit with another twist: Valkyrae is the new co-host. Yes, that Valkyrae.
Fresh off the closure of her own podcast, Press ESC, Valkyrae is no stranger to the format—or to chaos with friends. With Rae stepping in, Wine About It promises to keep its energy high, its wine flowing, and its topics spicy.
Maya Higa didn’t leave because of beef or burnout—it was simply time. Time to go all-in on Alveus. Time to let QT and Rae take the podcast into a new era. The pod still lives, and it’s still Wine About It—just with a different vintage. So whether you're team Maya, team QT, or just here for chaotic girl talk, one thing’s clear: the show must go on.
Why Did Maya Leave?Maya Higa stepped away to give her full attention to Alveus Sanctuary, the nonprofit exotic animal sanctuary she founded in Austin, Texas. Between running educational streams, caring for over 30 animals, and building conservation awareness, she realized something had to give. Unfortunately, it was the podcast.
I am so grateful for all of you and for my romantic partner @qtcinderella for everything Wine About It has given me in the past 4 years. thank you thank you thank you❤️
— Maya (@mayahiga) July 2, 2025
THE PODCAST IS NOT DEAD! @valkyrae is taking over as co-host and there are TONNSS of exciting changes coming… pic.twitter.com/ebqHCOTkKY
And yep, she made it super clear on X (formerly Twitter) that she’s still incredibly thankful for QT, the fans, and the wild journey the pod has been.
What’s Alveus Sanctuary?Alveus isn’t just a side project; it’s Maya’s life’s mission. It’s a one-of-a-kind animal sanctuary that’s grown massively since its launch. Even Twitch backed it with a $100K donation in 2024. QT herself was involved in building parts of the sanctuary (fun fact: she helped set up the fox enclosure). Maya’s been pouring her energy into educational content and making wildlife conservation actually cool and accessible.
If you've seen the title of the newest episode... it's true.
— Wine About It (@Wineaboutit69) July 2, 2025
The end of an era 😢
After today's episode, @mayahiga will be leaving the podcast to focus on growing @AlveusSanctuary and we wish her nothing but the best ❤️ (even though she never learned any celebrities) pic.twitter.com/sui1hcNQOz
QTCinderella’s Reaction: Supportive but SentimentalQT, who’s been co-hosting Wine About It since day one, opened up on X shortly after the announcement. Her tone? Bittersweet. She acknowledged the sadness of the change but made it clear that the podcast isn’t going anywhere. It’s just... evolving. “Wine About It has been my baby,” she wrote, “and this is a reallllllly sad change.” Still, she encouraged fans to stay tuned.
Some more big news...
— Wine About It (@Wineaboutit69) July 2, 2025
PLEASE WELCOME @Valkyrae AS NEW WINE ABOUT IT CO-HOST!!
We have lots of things planned so stay tuned :) pic.twitter.com/K0dR4tzdjx
Valkyrae Joins the Mix: A Fresh Chapter BeginsNot long after Maya’s farewell post, fans were hit with another twist: Valkyrae is the new co-host. Yes, that Valkyrae.
Fresh off the closure of her own podcast, Press ESC, Valkyrae is no stranger to the format—or to chaos with friends. With Rae stepping in, Wine About It promises to keep its energy high, its wine flowing, and its topics spicy.
Maya Higa didn’t leave because of beef or burnout—it was simply time. Time to go all-in on Alveus. Time to let QT and Rae take the podcast into a new era. The pod still lives, and it’s still Wine About It—just with a different vintage. So whether you're team Maya, team QT, or just here for chaotic girl talk, one thing’s clear: the show must go on.
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