Serena Williams announces daughter Olympia's doll Qai Qai will be voiced by 16-year-old Taikirha Miller in new YouTube series

Serena Williams has revealed that her daughter Olympia's doll Qai Qai will be voiced by Taikirha Miller in a new YouTube series. Qai Qai started off as a doll a few years back but has become a social media sensation over the years and will now become even more prominent thanks to the series.

Speaking to People magazine, Serena Williams said that she was happy that Qai Qai will be voiced by 16-year-old Miller in the program, which is produced in partnership with animation studio Invisible Universe.

"Everyone needs to find their voice, and I'm happy Qai Qai found hers in Taikirha," Williams said. "Qai Qai has built a massive community on Instagram and TikTok, and I think her loyal fans will love getting to know her on a deeper level. Now that she's found her voice, the possibilities for the franchise are endless."

Miller herself was elated at being granted such a huge opportunity by the 23-time Grand Slam champion and recalled how she reacted to the prospect of voicing Qai Qai by screaming in the lobby after a national pageant.

"I found out about [it] two weeks ago when I had just got off the stage from a national pageant," she said. "I was doing casual wear, and I went to find my mom in the lobby, and she was like, "Good job, Qai Qai." And she said it so suddenly, and I wasn't sure what she was talking about. And then it clicked in my head, and I got really excited and started screaming in the lobby."

Hailing Qai Qai as an "empowering" character, the 16-year-old hoped fans would be able to feel empowered themselves after seeing the doll brought to life on the screen.

"I want them to be able to hear her personality and be able to watch her and laugh and smile and be happy," Miller said. "I want them to feel empowered because she's an empowering character. She has a lot of representation. She represents confidence and poise and being yourself. So I want people to be able to have all of that and take that away from Qai."

Apart from the YouTube series, a children's book titled 'The Adventures of Qai Qai' by Serena Williams will also be released in stores on September 27.

How has the 2022 season been so far for Serena Williams?

Serena Williams exited in the first round at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships

Serena Williams returned to action after a 12-month hiatus during the grass-court season, as she competed in the women's doubles tournament at the Rothesay International in Eastbourne with Ons Jabeur as her partner. The pair reached the semifinals but were forced to withdraw after the Tunisian suffered an injury.

Serena then competed at Wimbledon but lost in the first round to Harmony Tan in a thrilling three-setter. The American is set to participate in a number of upcoming events in the US and Canada up next.

She is on the entry lists of the National Bank Open in Toronto, the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati and the US Open. Many will be eager to see how Williams fares in these tournaments, especially if she can win her record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows come September.