Slingshot’s Connor Smith caught up with Kelsy “SuperGirlKels” Medeiros at The Big House 6 to talk about her Apex success, balancing Smash with YouTube videos and her Sonic play.

Connor Smith: You made a splash at Apex, beating Mew2King. Do you have goals or anything you want to do for The Big House to make an even bigger impression?



Kelsy “SuperGirlKels” Medeiros: Honestly, this is my first time in Michigan, and probably the last national I’m going to for the year. I came here with a really open mind, and everything I’ve been learning since Apex, and since this year, I just want to put that to the test. Like, where am I gonna end off the year? From there, it’s only gonna motivate me and I’m gonna learn from that and do better next year.

Honestly, I’m here to just ask questions to the players that I’ve never seen. I finally just met Wrath, so I’m excited. I’m just asking questions, taking notes, and hopefully I’ll just play the best I can. Get a good result. I already got out of Round 1 pools. I just beat Wizzrobe, so I was really happy about that. Round 2 tomorrow, it’s gonna be tough, but I’m gonna take it game-by-game, take notes, and from there, whatever happens, happens.

CS: You mentioned your pool matchup with Wizzrobe. It seemed like it was pretty clean victory. I know he’s a top player in Melee. What was it like playing against someone that’s been around so many Smash games for so long?



KM: He’s so inspiring. I actually was a huge fan of him when I first saw him in Project M, for Sonic. I was like, ‘Oh my God! Who is this kid?’ I had to be ready, for sure, cause this guy is just naturally talented in all the Smash games. I literally asked around. I needed help.

Luckily, my brother Jayy uses Sheik, so I really got a lot of the matchup from him. Wizzrobe had a really hard time getting kills, the first game. I think I was at 227 percent. That made it kind of clean. FD helped, cause I’m Sonic. But game two was a lot better. He took me to Smashville. He took the first stock, but I think he just lost the momentum, and I was able to get so much off of that, and I ended up killing him.

He played really well, though. I was really happy to play him, and I hope he enjoyed himself. I did, for sure.

CS: Sonics get a bad rep for a campy play style. I’d say most people describe your play as more aggressive, like hit-and-run. What are your thoughts on Sonic, as a character, and how you play him compared to others?

KM: I definitely agree that I think my Sonic is the most different Sonic. When I play people, I think that’s the only comment I get. I was raised with Sonic, since the Genesis days. I was always taught that he’s the character that runs in and hits Doctor Robotnik. He’s always going in. You play Sonic heroes, he’s running after him. In my mind, he’s supposed to be aggressive. He has the tools to do it. His spin-dash is so good, you can literally spin-dash, stop, spin-dash stop. And then you can do up-airs and all this stuff that’s so good that people just don’t use.

I think using other moves than just spin-dash is what makes him enjoyable to watch. Where Sonic’s use his best move, spin-dash, and just use that. But if they explore the character, he’s got a lot of tools, and that’s what makes the character entertaining. I think he’s definitely seventh on the tier list. I don’t think he’s top five, but I think he’s definitely seventh if you take out spin-dash, you have to realize what is his weaknesses. So, using everything he has is what makes Sonic.. Sonic. You have to treat that character like the actual character. That’s what I try to do with him.

CS: I remember you teamed up with 6WX for the double Sonic. What was it like playing with two speed demons running around like that?

KM: It was so cool! Me and 6WX actually kind of grew up together in the Smash community. We go all the way back in Brawl, so we know everything about each other. So he would be like the aggro, and then I’d be waiting back and following up. We really worked well together.

In the beginning, we were kind of hitting each other with the spin-dashes, knocking back. But then we really learned and were doing combos that were like absurd. I recently tweeted out a double Sonic combo where you can keep footstooling over and over again with spin-dash. That was sickening.

I would definitely love to do that again. That’s why I’m teaming with Komorikiri this tournament. It’s gonna make it interesting. I think it’s got some diversity.

CS: Other than being a Smasher, you also have a Youtube channel. How do you balance them both? Do you think it’s really fulfilling being successful in both worlds?

KM: Oh yeah! I think I love to do what I love to do. So if I’m not working, I’m playing Smash. If I’m not playing Smash, I’m working out. If I’m not doing that, I’m doing Youtube. I’m the type of person that’s, at heart, a very entertaining — I love to entertain, at heart. So when I’m on stage, I play my best. If I make people happy, that’s what I do.

If I’m not doing anything, if I have an idea and I feel creative about it, I’m gonna go do it — if I have the time. I was gonna do a vlog for this tournament, but I haven’t had the time. So I said I’m just gonna enjoy it. It’s my last tournament here, so let’s just go with it.

Managing it, I’m a person that’s very organized. I like to make a calendar. I write everything down with priorities to what I can do for fun. I just take it day-by-day. I try to do everything.

CS: Are there any players at this event that you wanted to give a shout-out?

KM: Honestly, all the Sonics. From StaticManny to Wrath, to 6WX and Komo. Honestly, every single one of them have something that I can learn from. I can literally be the best Sonic, but I’ll always learn from them and ask them. We brought all of our Chaos Emeralds with us today, so we’re all gonna go Super Sonic.

I love Manny’s edge guarding. I love Seagull’s aerial game. I love Wraith’s patience. There’s everything I can learn from. I literally ask every single one of them for advice, all the time.

CS: How far do you think you can go?

KM: How far? I really want to make Top 32. I really want to. I’ll be happy with that. If not, you know what? I’ll learn from it. It wasn’t meant to be. I’ll just take it from there and do better next time.

CS: I noticed you have a very good mentality about the game. How important is that to you? You said you do best performing onstage. How important is that, to you, in a tournament setting?

KM: I think it’s the most important thing. You’re leaving your home to escape to something that you love to do, to get away from everything that’s going on at home. Coming here, that should be the focus: having fun and experiencing this. You’re so blessed to be here and be surrounded by such a good community. That should be the priority, and going into a match, you’re playing people that you wished you could’ve played years ago, and just enjoy it.

Write down everything, and even if you don’t know the next person, you’re getting more knowledge. I think it’s very important to be positive and enjoy the moments. If you’re not being positive, or if you’re being negative, you’re not gonna have fun. What are you doing here? Go home. What’s the point? Surrounding yourself with a good atmosphere. Like, I brought a very important person to me. She’s here with me right now, so shouts out to RedRoseLiz. I brought of course my mom, she’s always supportive, and my brother, and my crew. Those are the people that make me happiest.

CS: Any final thoughts?

KM: Shoutout to every single person who’s been supporting me! It’s been an amazing journey. I think I have so much more to go. Thank you for interviewing me. All the the players who’ve been helping me, especially my brother, who’s been on my back lately in helping me out. Everyone who’s been training me, taking my notes. Special shoutout to everybody.

Cover photo by Connor Smith