What You Never Knew About Bella Poarch
TikTok star Bella Poarch has experienced a meteoric rise to fame. Her story demonstrates that anyone can make it big, and it may not take long at all.
According to Insider, Poarch joined TikTok in April of 2020, and by that August, she was going viral with her "M to the B" lip-syncing video. Since then, her "hypnotizing head-bobbing video," as Vox puts it, has been liked over 50 million times and viewed more than half a billion times. A little creativity shot Bella Poarch to the top echelon of TikTok stars in a matter of months, and it's amazing to see her transformation from a normal girl to a celebrity.
But much of her past remains a mystery to fans. The short videos she posts online show a pretty, young woman doing viral dances and lip-syncing to popular songs, but just looking at the face in front of the camera doesn't tell us who she truly is. This is what most people don't know about her.
Bella Poarch was adopted
LADbible reports that Bella Poarch was born in the Philippines on February 8, 1997. She told interviewers for the "H3 Podcast" that she was raised by her grandmother "in the slums" until she was 3, when she was adopted by an American expat and his wife. Poarch explained that for the next 10 years, she spent much of her time working on the family farm and doing chores. Asked what her days were like, she described the experience by saying, "It was very hard because I had to wake up at 4 in the morning ... Sometimes I'd have to wake up at 3 if I wanted to get to school in time, because in the Philippines school starts at like 6:30." That is certainly not the typical childhood for most rising stars.
Bella Poarch said that much of her chores on the farm included cleaning up after the animals and shoveling excrement. She said she had little help and was bullied by her older sisters, which caused her interviewer to compare her to Cinderella. She added that her two older sisters weren't forced to do the same manual labor that was required of her and her brother, and that the older girls mostly cleaned inside the house. Despite any unfairness, she said that the treatment made her and her brother even closer.
She's talked about being abused as a child
In her "H3 Podcast" interview, Bella Poarch opened up about the treatment she received from her family growing up. She said her "nickname was 'stupid b***h' growing up," and that some of the punishments she would receive if she didn't clean up to her stepfather's satisfaction might include being deprived of breakfast or even being slapped. She also claimed that she once went to school with a bloody, swollen hand and was only met with criticism from her teachers for working too slowly, rather than help and concern over her injury.
Poarch seems to think the farm was the cause of most of her troubles. She said, "The abuse didn't start when they adopted me. It was good, for like, up until I was 6. When I was 7, that's when it started. When, like, we got all the animals and the farm, basically." Sounds like it must have been a difficult childhood.
She claimed her stepfather eventually needed to be in the U.S. for surgery, and in the months he was gone, she was "so f***ing happy" and able to do things like watch television, speak her native language, and sit on the couch, all of which she said were prohibited when he was there. Her father couldn't return to the Philippines because of his health, so the family, excluding her older sisters, relocated to the States when Poarch was 14.
If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.
Bella Poarch joined the Navy to escape her situation
On the "H3 Podcast," Bella Poarch discussed how her experience in the military began. She shared, "I didn't know what else I would do, except for college or join the military. So yeah, I decided to join the Navy. At first I was scared, but I was like, this is like the only way. This is my only way out, and I have to do it." So, she joined the U.S. Navy at age 17 by signing a waiver, and she told the interviewers that she served for the entire four years of her contract. According to Poarch, the last thing her adopted father said just before she left for boot camp was, "Don't ever come back here; this is not your home." Things got better once she began her work as a service member. She said she had a lot of fun and that the experience gave her "freedom."
When asked by Vogue India why she joined the military, Poarch explained, "I wanted to be free. I wanted to be independent. As weird as it sounds, the Navy allowed me to feel that way." It does seem hard to imagine that people would regard time spent in the military as giving them a sense of freedom, but given what she's said about her childhood, it makes sense.
She wasn't allowed to wear makeup when she was young
Though she is a natural beauty, Bella Poarch always wanted to do her makeup as a teen, but says she wasn't allowed. She told Vogue, "Growing up I wasn't allowed to wear makeup in school, so all my friends would have like lipstick and eyeliner on, and I wasn't allowed to. So I was always jealous." It seems the signature look she became famous for was hard won without help or encouragement from the people in her life early on. Once she left home to join the Navy, Poarch was presumably able to explore different ways of doing her hair and makeup.
In her tutorial video for Vogue, in which she showed the process behind her TikTok makeup routine, Bella Poarch said she learned to be "a perfectionist" in the military. As she wrapped up her hair and makeup process, you can just tell she isn't lying. That wasn't the only lesson she picked up while in the military though. She told Vogue India in an interview that her time in the Navy taught her "that you can't do everything on your own — you have to have a great family of people around you to trust and achieve great things."
The TikTok star got in trouble for a tattoo
In early 2020, Bella Poarch experienced some blowback from fans for a rising sun tattoo she got. When she displayed the tattoo on TikTok, fans immediately became angry, as the image has associations with Japanese imperialism following their occupation of Korea, according to BBC News, and is therefore regarded as offensive by many Koreans. Poarch handled the situation well, taking to Twitter with an apology and a promise to have it promptly removed. She also uploaded a video to TikTok with an image of the tattoo along with text stating, "I'm very sorry if my tattoo offends you. I love Korea. Please forgive me." Many accepted the apology, and the current health of Bella Poarch's career demonstrates that she handled the delicate terrain of cancel culture with grace.
When asked by a fan, "Why do you have so many tattoos?" Poarch responded with a TikTok video claiming that the tattoos she has are actually to cover up scars from her youth. In the video, she lifted her hoodie to show several of the tattoos up close. She captioned the video with this explanation: "I had a rough childhood. My scars from abuse made me insecure. And so I had to cover up my scars with tattoos."
Thanks to all of her body art, she graced the cover of Inked Mag for their July 2021 issue.
She found solace in TikTok fame
From a modest upbringing, Bella Poarch has risen to become an in-demand star. With close to 800,000 Twitter followers, more than 14 million Instagram followers, and over 84 million followers on TikTok, she is taking over social media. It's shocking to think that all of this has happened for her since the beginning of 2020. Just a few videos catapulted her to a level of stardom which normally would take someone many years to achieve. Though some have criticized her for the video content she produces, she is certainly seeing big results. Her celebrity is endearing, in part, because she has taken to reaching out through social media to thank fans for their role in this achievement.
At the end of 2020, Poarch said on Twitter that she wanted to thank TikTok for changing her life. In her message, she said that before her success on the platform, she was worried about paying her bills, but now she looks forward to waking up and living her life. She ended her tweet with, "I want other people who are in a similar place as me to know that things can change." Considering the challenges she's faced, this inspiring message should encourage anyone to keep fighting if they feel trapped by their circumstances.
Bella Poarch always wanted to be a singer
Bella Poarch is making her way as a musical artist these days and is on her way to rebranding herself as a legitimate singer and performer. Her natural talent for music is clear in videos where she sings acapella or performs with the gentle accompaniment of her ukulele. Vocal coach and popular YouTuber Tristan Paredes shared a reaction video to her singing on TikTok and was impressed, saying, "This is good!" He complimented her vibrato, and it seems that he sees what many do, which is a talent that deserves to be nurtured and encouraged. Thankfully, Poarch is making strides in this department and, with her new connections, will surely grow into a great singer and songwriter.
Bella Poarch said on the "H3 Podcast" that she has always wanted to be an artist, but had mostly performed only in talent shows before becoming famous. She's also opened up about her reasons for being drawn to music, writing on TikTok that singing helps her "get through anxiety, depression and PTSD."
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
She's released hit singles
In 2021, Bella Poarch signed a record deal with Warner Records. This leap to professional musician must be incredibly exciting for her, and so far, it appears she is a good investment for Warner. Poarch has released two music videos for her singles "Build a B***h" and "Inferno," as of this writing, but they've already garnered nearly 400 million views on YouTube combined. The former was a record-breaker, scoring the title of "biggest artist debut video on YouTube of all time in the first month," Andrew Donoho, the video director for "Build a B***h," told Variety.
"Build a B***h" also debuted with a strong start on the record charts, according to Billboard, starting "in the top 25 on both worldwide lists." For someone without previous professional music experience, Poarch's instant success indicates that she was meant to be doing this type of work. Her songs are catchy and unique, incorporating themes you wouldn't expect from someone who barely spoke in the videos which first brought her into the public eye.
Poarch was scheduled to tour with Sub Urban in the autumn of 2021 for the Virgil's Mania Tour, but this was been postponed. A message from Sub Urban on See Tickets states, "I've been locked away in the studio ... Touring an incomplete project doesn't sit right with me so I'll be pushing back the tour dates to early next year." It seems we'll have to wait a while to see Bella Poarch perform live.
Bella Poarch's music has meaning for her
Her hit "Build a B***h" was based on bullying she experienced as a child, according to Insider, and meant to empower people to feel more confident. Bella Poarch took to Twitter upon her first single being released and said, "This song isn't just any song. It means the world to me." She also told Elle about the song, "It has a really strong message about self-acceptance and loving yourself." Clearly she has a deep connection with the words she penned as the songwriter for her big hit, in addition to the pride of having achieved what she has at this point. This catharsis wasn't limited just to her first song, though.
Her single "Inferno" also has a powerful message. She said in a comment on the YouTube video, "Trigger warning: As a victim of sexual assault, this song and video mean a lot to me ... It's very hard for me to talk about. But I'm ready now. I decided to express myself by creating a song and video with Sub Urban based on how I wished my experience went. It's a fantasy I wish was true." Though it sounds like she's been through something horrifying, it's amazing that she is overcoming it through her art.
At this rate, it's safe to assume Poarch will continue to use her platform to inspire and empower her listeners through music.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Bella Poarch is a fashion lover
In addition to making a name for herself on TikTok, Bella Poarch been making some waves in the fashion world now too. Her outfits have been increasingly extravagant these days compared to the early videos she posted online. On a visit to Paris in October 2021, she strutted around in some intimidating thigh-high spiked boots. That month, she also attended her first fashion show during Paris Fashion Week, posing for photographers outside the Valentino event. On her Instagram, Poarch shared several photos from her time in Paris, in which she looks delightfully stylish and genuinely happy.
Poarch isn't just attending fashion shows, though. In September 2021, she walked as a model for Rihanna's Savage x Fenty brand, as reported by Nylon Manila. The publication also noted that she was styled by fellow Filipino Nikko Panti. On Twitter, Poarch seemed to be celebrating this new turn as a runway model when she posted a short promo clip with the caption, "[Rihanna] has me feeling like a bad b***h." In photos and video of the Savage x Fenty event, Poarch stands out for her petite frame as much as she does for her fierce looks. The reveal of this new talent seems to qualify her as a crossover star! Dancing, singing, modeling — what can't she do?
The star has a connection with alpacas
Bella Poarch can be seen with stuffed alpacas in many of her TikTok videos, so it isn't hard to believe her when she claims to love these animals. Her fluffy friends crop up all over her social media, including on her Instagram. Sometimes she's playing video games while hugging an alpaca stuffed animal. Sometimes they are being puppeted around in her TikTok videos and shown longboarding, as if they'd been brought to life. Gaimer reports that Poarch also gifted a stuffed alpaca to fellow gamer Pokimane for her birthday.
You could say that alpacas have become something of a signature for Bella Poarch. If you checked her most-used emojis, the alpaca would definitely be up there. As for why, Poarch hasn't revealed what it is about them that she likes so much. Perhaps it has to do with her childhood around animals on the farm, or maybe she is just a natural animal lover. Either way, she apparently has a collection of stuffed alpacas that continues to grow, and make appearances on her channels.
Bella Poarch has been tapped for sponsorships
Thanks to her self-made star power, Bella Poarch is now raking in money with her new record deal and sponsorships. In her interview with the "H3 Podcast," Poarch admitted that some of the deals she has been signing have come with a lot of money. She said most of her income after becoming popular on TikTok was from the site's Creator Fund and from promotions she was doing with brands. By this point, she was being represented by management who have been able to continue securing lucrative advertising deals for her.
Just in May of 2021, a billboard in Times Square displayed her venture as a curator for Pandora. Even more recently, Bella posted a promo video on Instagram highlighting her collaboration with HyperX, a brand that manufactures gaming equipment and microphones. She'll be operating as a brand ambassador and spokesperson, according to BusinessWire. Considering her background as a gamer, Poarch was a great choice for this and can certainly hold her own behind a controller, as well as a mic.
In the future, Bella Poarch will be entering the blockchain universe. According to Cultr, TikTok is exploring new ways to use NFTs (non-fungible tokens). Grimes, Bella Poarch, and other celebrities have already signed on for an NFT collection, but it remains to be seen how TikTok and its stars will meld with this burgeoning form of exchange.
This is Bella Poarch's net worth today
All the hours spent making TikTok videos are paying off. Between the income made directly from social media sites and all of the income from sponsorships and ad deals, Bella Poarch has been working hard and getting paid. Although the exact number isn't known, there are some best guesses as to where her finances sit currently. She definitely appears to be making more these days than she was when she was as a new recruit for the U.S. Navy.
Bella Poarch's net worth is estimated on the low end around $200,000, but it could be as high as $2 million. Cosmopolitan points out that her profits from her record deal with Warner Records are still unknown, so until we see more solid numbers, all we can say confidently is that Bella Poarch is doing very well for herself. Hopefully she stays on that trajectory so that we can follow her success for years to come. Someone with her talent, who has been through her struggles, certainly deserves a break.