Qai Qai

Who is Qai Qai?

Qai Qai is a stylized animated doll and children’s entertainment character inspired by tennis star Serena Williams’ daughter Olympia. The character was developed with the animation studio Invisible Universe and presents a confident, dance-forward personality that promotes self-belief and play for young children.

Creator & Studio

The Qai Qai doll originated in 2018 when Serena Williams created a doll for her daughter, and the property was later developed into a social-first animated franchise in partnership with Invisible Universe. Invisible Universe handles production, creative development, and franchise expansion for Qai Qai.

Platforms & Reach

Qai Qai appears on major social platforms including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Giphy, and the franchise reports millions of followers and substantial cumulative views across channels. The character is presented through short-form social clips, animated videos on YouTube, GIFs, and branded multimedia content.

Content Type & Format

Qai Qai’s content includes short-form dance and character clips on TikTok and Instagram, episodic videos and music-driven content on YouTube, and animated GIFs for sharing. These posts feature Qai Qai teaching dance moves, playing out short stories, and participating in trends and challenges.

The character’s themes center on movement, confidence, and friendship; many videos are choreographed to original music or kid-friendly tracks and are designed to encourage children to get active and play. Qai Qai’s personality—playful, bold, and encouraging—shapes the tone of captions, narration, and on-screen interactions.

Formats vary by platform: short vertical videos and dances on TikTok and Instagram Reels, longer instructional and episodic segments on YouTube (including the Dance with Qai Qai series), and shareable GIFs and stickers for messaging and social use. Music and simple call-and-response elements are often used to invite audience participation.

Visual Style and Aesthetics

Qai Qai is presented as a stylized Black doll brought to life in bright, colorful animation. The character frequently appears in playful, dance-ready outfits such as tutus and bold, kid-friendly wardrobe choices, with animation that emphasizes movement and expressive gestures.

Persona and Content

Qai Qai’s persona emphasizes confidence, perseverance, radical self-love, and a playful, “tell it like it is” attitude aimed at young audiences. Content focuses on dance, imaginative play, friendship stories, and short lessons about trying your best and believing in yourself.

Technical Details

Invisible Universe’s production pipeline for Qai Qai uses professional 3D tools and motion-capture to achieve lively, dance-centric animation. The studio has cited software such as Maya and Redshift, incorporated Unreal Engine in parts of the pipeline, and used motion-capture workflows and performers to create authentic movement for the character.

Qai Qai Collaborations and Campaigns

The Adventures of Qai Qai: Serena Williams x Qai Qai children’s book. Released in September 2022 and published by Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan, the picture book expands the character’s story into print with an uplifting tale about friendship and confidence formatted for ages 2–5. The campaign used book announcements, social media reveals, and illustrated assets to bring Qai Qai’s animated persona into a storybook world. Qai Qai Doll Release: Invisible Universe and Serena Williams x Retail. In 2020 the Qai Qai doll was made available for purchase online, turning the social character into a physical toy and supporting merchandising through product listings and social promotion. Dance with Qai Qai: Invisible Universe x YouTube series. Launched as a dance-focused series in 2023, the show teaches signature moves and seasonal themes for kids. Episodes use motion-capture choreography and combine music, guided dance, and short narrative beats to encourage family-friendly movement. Original Music Partnership: Republic Records x Qai Qai. The franchise has released original music tied to the character and social content in partnership with a record label to support streaming and music-driven video formats.

Voice, Performance, and Contributors

As Qai Qai expanded into episodic video, the character was given a speaking voice and performance collaborators. Young voice talent and motion-capture performers have contributed to Qai Qai’s on-screen movement and choreography, and choreographers and motion-capture actors have been credited for bringing the dances to life.

Narrative & Role

Qai Qai’s core narrative casts her as a lively, dance-loving friend who comes to life to support and inspire a child’s imagination. Storylines and short episodes center on everyday challenges like stage fright, playtime, and festive moments, always circling back to encouragement and playful problem-solving.