Denarie Bautista Taylor[5] (born Belinda Marie Macadengdeng Batumbakal;[1] February 8, 1997[6]), known professionally as Bella Poarch (/pɔːr/ PORCH),[7] is an American social media personality and singer. On August 17, 2020, she created the most liked video on TikTok, in which she lip syncs to the song "M to the B" by British rapper Millie B. She is the most followed TikTok contributor from the Philippines.[8][9][10][11]

Bella Poarch
Poarch in 2021
Born
Belinda Marie Macadengdeng Batumbakal[1]

(1997-02-08) February 8, 1997 (age 27)
Pangasinan, Philippines
Other namesDenarie Bautista Taylor[a]
Citizenship
  • United States (naturalized)
  • Philippines (by birth)
Occupations
Years active2020–present
Spouse
Tyler Poarch
(m. 2019; sep. 2022)
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentVocals
LabelsWarner
TikTok information
Page
Followers94.5 million
Likes2.4 billion

Last updated: November 16, 2024

As of August 25, 2024, she has 94.1 million followers on TikTok,[12] ranking as the fourth most-followed individual on the platform behind Khaby Lame, Charli D'Amelio and MrBeast.[13] She signed a music record deal with Warner Records in May 2021, releasing her debut single "Build a Bitch".[14]

Early life

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Poarch was born Belinda Marie Macadengdeng Batumbakal[1] on February 8, 1997,[15] in the Philippines.[13] She was raised by her grandmother in slums until the age of three and was then adopted.[16] Her adoptive father is an American who had served in the United States military, and her adoptive mother is Filipina. Both parents met in Saudi Arabia where her adoptive father was stationed, before settling in the Philippines. In an interview, Poarch recounted that she and her adopted brother were heavily physically and emotionally abused throughout her entire childhood, up until her enlistment in the military. She lived on a farm with her adoptive parents and three (adopted) siblings, which include two older sisters and a brother. She had many responsibilities on the farm from as young as seven years old. Poarch has stated that her adoptive sisters did not receive the same treatment as her and her brother. Her father was verbally and physically abusive, while her mother did not get involved, but remained complicit. At age thirteen, Poarch and her family (with exception of her sisters who still reside in the Philippines) moved to San Francisco to reside with her aunt for several months, before moving to Texas[13] for her father's bypass surgery.[17]

Musical career

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Poarch shows her TikTok makeup routine for Vogue Taiwan in 2021.

In January 2020, Poarch created her TikTok account. She started actively posting on TikTok based on gaming and cosplay content in April 2020. She gained notability in August 2020, when her lip sync videos went viral, most notably her video where she is lip-syncing to "M to the B" by Millie B. The zoomed-in video of her lip-syncing and rhythmically bouncing went viral and became TikTok's most liked video of all time. Following her TikTok success, she launched a YouTube channel and Twitter page.

Poarch is also associated with her alpaca stuffed toy.[18][19] In 2020, she released a limited clothing line RIPNDIP x Paca Collaboration.[20]

In December 2020, Poarch's rising popularity peaked when she reportedly grabbed the interest of two large professional Esports organizations – 100 Thieves and FaZe Clan, which apparently showed interest in her, a live streamer and gamer at the time, as a content creator under their respective banners.[21]

In May 2021, Poarch signed a record deal with Warner Records. On May 14, Poarch released her debut single "Build a Bitch."[22] She stated that the song was inspired by her experiences with being bullied as a child,[23] disclosing "Growing up, I used to get bullied and stuff ... I wanted my first song to have a good meaning to it and to help a lot of people just to be like, more confident about themselves." The associated music video was described by Billboard as "an audacious, darkly comic slice of new-school pop," created with Daniel Virgil Maisonneuve, the producer-songwriter better known as Sub Urban."[14] The video features other notable internet personalities including Valkyrae, Mia Khalifa, Bretman Rock and ZHC.[24]

On an episode of the 100 Thieves podcast The CouRage and Nadeshot Show,[25] Poarch stated that she wanted to become a singer since she was a child.[26]

Poarch released her first EP, Dolls, on August 12, 2022. It includes her previous singles, "Build a Bitch", "Inferno", and "Dolls", as well as new tracks "Villain", "No Man's Land", and "Living Hell". A music video for "Living Hell" debuted alongside the EP. In addition to co-starring in the music video for "Dolls", Grimes features on "No Man's Land".[27] Rolling Stone praised the dark pop tone of the EP.[28] In addition, "Villain" would be used for WWE's Extreme Rules premium live event in 2022. She released a song and music video with Lauv on September 15, 2023, titled "Crush".[29]

Military career

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Poarch is a United States Navy veteran.[30] She enlisted in the Navy in 2017 as an aviation ordnanceman.[31][32] She served for three years, having been stationed in Japan and Hawaii.[33]

Personal life

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Poarch resides in Los Angeles.[33]

She has expressed her support on social media for the Asian-American community due to the rise in reports of anti-Asian hate crimes.[34] She also shared her experiences with Vogue, saying that she has been "treated differently" and "randomly attacked and assaulted" as an Asian teen after moving to the United States from the Philippines.[35]

In September 2020, Korean social media users criticized Poarch for having a tattoo similar to the Rising Sun Flag in her videos. The specific tattoo resembled a symbol of Japanese imperialism which is considered offensive to East Asians. She apologized and had it covered, then later removed.[36][37]

Poarch married fellow seaman[citation needed] Tyler Poarch in 2019. She filed for divorce from him in November 2022.[38]

In August 2021, she shared that she was a victim of sexual assault.[39][40]

Discography

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Extended plays

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Title Details
Dolls
  • Released: August 12, 2022[41]
  • Label: Warner
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming, CD, vinyl

Singles

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List of singles, with year released, selected chart positions, certifications, and album name shown
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
[42]
AUS
[43]
CAN
[44]
GER
[45]
IRE
[46]
NOR
[47]
NLD
[48]
NZ
[49]
SWE
[50]
UK
[51]
"Build a Bitch" 2021 56 28 28 86 23 25 78 24 65 30 Dolls
"Inferno"
(with Sub Urban)
[b] 61 [c] Hive and
Dolls
"Dolls" 2022 Dolls
"Living Hell"
"Crush"
(with Lauv)
2023 [d] TBA
"Bad Boy"
(solo or remix featuring Kenia Os)
"Don't Like Anybody"
(with 6arelyhuman)
2024
"F* Off"
(with Kenia Os)
Pink Aura
"Sweet Delusion" BP1
"—" denotes a recording that failed to chart, was ineligible for the chart, or was not released.

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Category Result Ref.
2021 MTV Millennial Awards Herself Global Creator Nominated [58]
MTV Video Music Awards "Build a Bitch" Best Visual Effects Nominated [59]
People's Choice Awards Herself New Artist Nominated [60]
UK Music Video Awards "Build a Bitch" Best Pop Video – International Nominated [61]
Streamy Awards Herself Creator of the Year Nominated [62]
Breakout Creator of the Year Won
Short Form Nominated
2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards Social Star Award Won
"Build a Bitch" Best Music Video Nominated [63]
Forbes 30 Under 30 Herself Social Media Included [64]
2023 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards Favorite Social Music Star Won
2024 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards Favorite Social Music Star Won

Notes

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  1. ^ This is Poarch's legal name. As she was adopted, her actual birth name is unknown.
  2. ^ "Inferno" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number four on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Chart.[55]
  3. ^ "Inferno" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 13 on the NZ Hot Singles Chart.[56]
  4. ^ "Crush" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 35 on the NZ Hot Singles Chart. [57]

References

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  1. ^ a b c RPReplay Final 1709153599, retrieved November 9, 2024
  2. ^ Baah, Nana (September 7, 2022). "Soldier, Tiktokker, pop star: The stratospheric rise of Bella Poarch". Dazed. Archived from the original on April 9, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Collar, Matt. "Bella Poarch AllMusic Bio". AllMusic. Archived from the original on July 3, 2022. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  4. ^ "Bella Poarch and Sub Urban Join Forces On Thrilling New Single "Inferno"". Crucial Rhythm. August 12, 2021. Archived from the original on April 25, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  5. ^ "TikTok star Bella Poarch confirms filing for divorce". CNN Philippines. November 9, 2022. Archived from the original on March 27, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
    "What is Bella Poarch's real name?". PopBuzz. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
    Adriano, Norman (November 7, 2022). "Did TikTok star Bella Poarch have a husband?". The Lookout. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
    Umali, Clara (November 7, 2022). "Bella Poarch is the new queen of lowkey relationships". WE THE PVBLIC. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  6. ^ "How old is Bella Poarch? When is her birthday?". PopBuzz. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  7. ^ "Bella Poarch Never Learned How To Swim... But Was In The Navy??! | 17 Questions | Seventeen". YouTube. September 6, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2022.,
  8. ^ Jennings, Rebecca (December 8, 2020). "Why Bella Poarch's 'M to the B' video was the top TikTok of 2020 Bella is the most followed Filipino Tiktok star". Vox. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  9. ^ Strapagiel, Lauren. "Here's Why People Can't Stop Watching Those Bella Poarch Tiktoks". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021.
  10. ^ Kastrenakes, Jacob (December 2, 2020). "TikTok says Bella Poarch's 'M to the B' was its biggest viral video of the year". The Verge. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  11. ^ "Kim Kardashian's Latest SKIMS Swimsuit Campaign Stars Paris Jackson, Bella Poarch, and Madison Bailey". E! Online. July 28, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  12. ^ "Bella Poarch (@bellapoarch) Official TikTok". TikTok. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  13. ^ a b c Collin, Hattie (May 14, 2021). "TikTok Star-Turned-Musician Bella Poarch on the Impossibility of Beauty Standards and the Value of Therapy". Vogue. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  14. ^ a b Lipshutz, Jason (May 14, 2021). "TikTok Star Bella Poarch Signs With Warner Records, Shares Debut Single". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  15. ^ "When is Bella Poarch's birthday?". Capital XTRA. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  16. ^ Poarch, Bella (June 17, 2021). "Bella Poarch – H3 Podcast # 247". H3 Podcast. Retrieved September 21, 2021. When I was three, before I was adopted, I was living with my grandma and it was in the slums. We were very poor.
  17. ^ Bella Poarch – H3 Podcast # 247, June 17, 2021, retrieved June 18, 2021
  18. ^ "First time you can see Paca".
  19. ^ "TikTok where Paca is directly referred to".
  20. ^ Haasch, Palmer (May 15, 2021). "How mysterious influencer Bella Poarch shot to fame with TikTok's most-liked video in just a few months". Insider.com. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  21. ^ 100 Thieves AND FaZe Clan Interest in Bella Poarch Tik Tok Star, December 14, 2020, retrieved June 7, 2021
  22. ^ Muraro, Alberto (May 4, 2021). "Bella Poarch: Build-A-B**** è il primo singolo della tiktoker" (in Italian). Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  23. ^ "Bella Poarch explains how being bullied inspired 'Build a Bitch' song with Valkyrae". May 14, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  24. ^ "ZHC". YouTube. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  25. ^ Bella Poarch on Valkyrae Music Video Collab & Making the Most Viewed TikTok of 2020, May 13, 2021, archived from the original on May 18, 2021, retrieved May 18, 2021
  26. ^ Haasch, Palmer (May 14, 2021). "How mysterious influencer Bella Poarch shot to fame with TikTok's most-liked video in just a few months". Insider. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  27. ^ Campbell, Erica (August 12, 2022). "Bella Poarch drops EP 'Dolls', shares video for sinister new track 'Living Hell'". NME. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  28. ^ Johnston, Maura (August 12, 2022). "Bella Poarch Delivers Darkly Hued Pop With a Winning Sneer on 'Dolls'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  29. ^ "Bella Poarch Recruits Lauv For The Bombastic Pop Song 'Crush'". UPROXX. September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  30. ^ "Who is Bella Poarch? Get to know the viral Tiktok star that sparked Filipinos' call to #CancelKorea – Manila Bulletin". mb.com.ph. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  31. ^ "Was Bella Poarch Really In The Military? Yes! Learn More Here". December 21, 2021. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  32. ^ "Why Bella Poarch Joined the Military". YouTube. June 18, 2021. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  33. ^ a b Spanos, Brittany (April 22, 2022). "Bella Poarch Conquered Her Past, the Navy, and TikTok. Now She's Coming for Pop Music". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  34. ^ "Bella Poarch on TikTok". TikTok. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  35. ^ Vogue (April 13, 2021). "Bella Poarch, Lastlings, Saweetie and Shawn Wasabi speak out on anti-Asian racism, fetishization and representation". Vogue India. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  36. ^ Jun-tae, Ko (September 13, 2020). "Racist remarks on Filipinos stir anger on social media". Korea Herald. Archived from the original on April 6, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  37. ^ Coulter, Samantha (April 11, 2021). "The Real Reason Bella Poarch Had To Get Her Tattoo Covered Up". The List. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  38. ^ "Bella Poarch is Divorcing Her Secret Husband of Four Years". Paper. November 6, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  39. ^ "Bella Poarch Opens Up About Her Sexual Assault on Sub Urban Collab "Inferno"". Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  40. ^ "Bella Poarch reveals she was a victim of sexual assault in second MV 'Inferno'". August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  41. ^ "Dolls – EP by Bella Poarch". Apple Music. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  42. ^ "Hot 100 Chart: June 12, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  43. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  44. ^ Peaks on the Canadian Hot 100:
  45. ^ "Bella Poarch – Build a Bitch". Official German Charts (in German). Retrieved June 11, 2021.
  46. ^ "Discography Bella Poarch". irish-charts.com. Archived from the original on May 24, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  47. ^ "VG-lista – Topp 20 Single 2021–22". VG-lista. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  48. ^ "Discografie Bella Poarch". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  49. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. June 6, 2021. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  50. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 22". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  51. ^ "BELLA POARCH | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on May 21, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  52. ^ a b "American certifications – Bella Poarch". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  53. ^ "British certifications – Bella Poarch". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 15, 2022. Type Bella Poarch in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  54. ^ "Canadian certifications – Bella Poarch". Music Canada. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  55. ^ "Bubbling Under Hot 100 Chart: The week of August 28, 2021". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  56. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. August 23, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  57. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. September 25, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  58. ^ "Estos son los nominados a los MTV MIAW 2021". Billboard Argentina. June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  59. ^ Martoccio, Angie (August 11, 2021). "2021 MTV VMAs: Justin Bieber, Megan Thee Stallion, Olivia Rodrigo Lead Nominations". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  60. ^ "2021 People's Choice Awards: Complete List of Nominees". E! Online. December 7, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  61. ^ "UK Music Video Awards 2021 nominations revealed". shots.net. September 29, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  62. ^ Spangler, Todd (October 20, 2021). "YouTube Streamy Awards 2021 Nominations Announced, MrBeast Leads With Seven Nods". Variety.
  63. ^ Grein, Paul (March 23, 2022). "Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo & Lil Nas X Are Top Winners at 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards: Full Winners List". Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  64. ^ "Forbes 30 Under 30 2022: Social Media". Forbes. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
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