Bella Poarch

Infinitely fascinating and unpredictable, Bella Poarch is a true force of nature. Not only the world’s third-biggest TikTok star (with over 76 million followers and counting), the Filipino-American is a U.S. Navy veteran, gaming icon, anime obsessive, lifelong singer, and burgeoning songwriter whose created countless home recordings based on her emotionally raw lyrics and self-taught ukulele skills. On her debut single “Build a Bitch” – which recently smashed the record for the biggest debut EVER on YouTube by a brand new artist, with over 75 million first week video views and more than 230 million to date – Bella delivers a wildly original brand of dark-pop, making her introduction as an artist with a one-of-a-kind vision and the talent to see it through. 

Growing up on a farm in the Philippines, Bella first discovered her vocal gifts as a little girl and soon started performing despite her parents’ disapproval. “I was expected to just focus on academics and not do anything extracurricular, but I’d join all these singing competitions and talent shows even though I wasn’t allowed,” says Bella. Over the years, she collected over 30 medals from those contests without her parents’ knowledge, and in high school began writing songs of her own. With her family relocating to California, Bella graduated from high school at age 16 and at 17 joined the military. 

In her four years of service, Bella worked on helicopters and jets all over the U.S. and in Japan, ultimately landing in Hawaii after her contract ended. She now holds the record for most likes on a TikTok video, an August 2020 post that’s surpassed 50 million likes. By September 2020 she’d moved to L.A. and begun meeting with multi-platinum music producers, soon inking her deal with Warner Records. 

One of several songs she’s created with producer/songwriter Daniel Virgil Maisonneuve (aka Sub Urban), “Build a Bitch” finds Bella dreaming up a warped wonderland all her own, embedding the immediately catchy anthem with hypnotic beats and sweetly twisted sing-song vocals. And in crafting the track’s unapologetic lyrics, Bella drew directly from the constant scrutiny that comes with being a massively popular social-media star. “‘Build a Bitch’ is about accepting yourself for who you are instead of listening to other people’s ideas of what you should do or how you should look,” she says. “I hope it helps people to feel more confident and good about themselves, and also reminds them not to judge anyone else.” 

Now working on new music with the likes of benny blanco (Cardi B, Lana Del Rey) and Ryan Tedder (Lady Gaga, Sam Smith), Bella brings that balance of boldness and sensitivity to everything she creates. “Anytime I put out a song, I want it to have a strong message, especially about things like mental health,” she says. “A lot of people are scared that if they share what they’re going through, that means they’re weak—but really the opposite is true. I want everyone to know that they should never be afraid to talk about how they feel.”