Bella Poarch: How One Lip Sync Changed Her Life Forever

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Sometimes, aspiring stars will have to spend years — maybe even decades — toiling away on the audition circuit, slumming it with low-budget bit-parts, or playing in front of one man and his dog on the DIY music scene before making it big. Sometimes, all it takes is pulling funny faces to a diss track from an unglamorous coastal town's grime scene.

That's how Bella Poarch, a U.S. Navy veteran originally from the Philippines, found fame on TikTok in 2020. And the lip syncher, who was born Belinda Marie Macadengdeng Batumbakal, hasn't looked back since, crossing over from the video-sharing platform to the real world with everything from major label record deals and high-end fashion ranges to indie horror castings and superstar collaborations. Little wonder that just two years after going viral, she was announced as one of Forbes' 30 Under 30. Here's a closer look at her remarkable rise to fame.

While Bella Poarch has achieved success beyond her wildest dreams thanks to her shrewd grasp of TikTok, she wasn't exactly an overnight sensation. Indeed, it took eight months for her to gain traction on the video-sharing platform. And her first attempt to go viral completely bombed.

Speaking to Dazed in 2022, Poarch recalled the time she uploaded her first TikTok video, a vocal performance of Ariana Grande's "Raindrops." Unfortunately for the aspiring singer, the response was only tumbleweed. "It got like 100 views and then I took it down because I was just sad," the Filipino admitted.

Poarch revealed her initial reason for checking out TikTok had nothing to do with singing. "... [It] wasn't serious at first. I downloaded it because my friends kept sending me funny animal videos." Of course, her pals' love of sharing footage of cats and dogs getting up to mischief did inadvertently help to spearhead Poarch's remarkable rise to fame.

"If you don't know me I'm M to the B / Coming in hard, you better watch it Sophie ..." In 2016, Millie B, a relatively unknown rapper from the outskirts of the British grime scene, released a diss track aimed toward her fiercest rival, Sophie Aspin. And the rap went unnoticed until four years later when it suddenly exploded on TikTok. But it was a user who lip-synched along to the track, rather than the performer herself, who suddenly went stratospheric.

Indeed, after several false starts, Filipino Bella Poarch finally went viral in August 2020 with her very animated mime to the distinctly British tune. Indeed, the former military woman soon accrued a remarkable two million followers intrigued to see what she did next. By the end of the year, it had become the most-liked video in the platform's history, amassing more than 528 million views in the process!

So what did Millie B, who'd since given up her life of grime, make of all the madness? Well, speaking to BBC News, she admitted she was still in disbelief: "I had messages from other people telling me it's blown up on TikTok. I didn't really think much of it. But then when I went on it for myself and saw how big it actually was, it was crazy."

Bella Poarch may have proven that she could lip-synch for her life in the TikTok clip that instantly propelled her to online stardom. But could she cut it as an actual pop star herself? Well, Warner Records certainly thought so and signed the Filipino to a deal in May 2021.

"I feel like I found my family and part of that family is the label," Poarch told Billboard (via Yahoo Life) about her latest career development before citing the likes of Prince, Madonna, and Dua Lipa as Warner artists she's looked up to. "I realized Warner has helped all of those people along the way too. So I'm very honored to have a family that gave me a chance and believes in me."

And Warner seemed just as happy to have the TikToker on the books. "The first time I heard Bella in the studio it was obvious that she'd been singing for a long time," the label's senior vice president Stefan Max recalled, putting to bed any concerns that Poarch's talents were limited to miming. "I know I speak for the whole Warner Records staff when I say that we're overjoyed to be helping Bella bring that artistic vision to the world." And the star didn't waste any time in repaying their faith. 

On the same day that her signing to Warner Records was announced, Bella Poarch also dropped her debut single "Build a B***h," an empowering anthem which took aim at the unattainable standards that women are held to by the opposite sex ("Boys playing dolls / looking for thеir Barbie ... they don't look like Kеn at all").

The track was warmly received by the press, with Billboard hailing it as "an audacious, darkly comic slice of new-school pop." Vogue noted it "demonstrates both her innate musical talent and ambitions as an artist." And the general music streaming public appeared to agree with this consensus.

Co-written with a string of hitmakers including Salem Ilese and Sub Urban, "Build A B***h" entered the Hot 100 at No.58 thanks to 3,000 downloads, 260,000 radio play impressions, and no fewer than 13.1 million streams in the United States. It also graced the Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. US chart and helped Poarch reach the Emerging Artists chart, too.

Bella Poarch's remarkable rise to online fame continued in January 2022 when she achieved a Guinness World Record. Indeed, at the time she was honored, the Filipino had become the most-followed musician on the platform and the third most-followed individual overall!

Yes, only Charli D'Amelio and Khabane Lame had surpassed the 87.6 million followers, which were largely accrued due to her lip-syncing performance of Millie B's "M to the B." Speaking to Interview (via Parcinq) the year previously, the "Build A B***h" singer revealed how she hopes to inspire those who helped her evolve from complete unknown to internet superstar.

"When I was growing up, I didn't have any role models to look up to," acknowledged Poarch, whose breakthrough TikTok also became the platform's most-liked. "For most people that's their parents, but I knew I wanted to be different when I got older. I was my own role model. So I hope I can be a better role model for the kids like me out there."

Further proof of just how far Bella Poarch has ascended up the pop culture ladder came in 2022 when she released the video for the title track to her debut EP "Dolls." And the most notable name was undoubtedly the former Mrs Elon Musk.

Yes, pop maverick Grimes signed up to appear in the promo helmed by Andrew Donoho alongside the likes of (deep breath), Madison Beer, Chloe Cherry, Sykkuno, Bretman Rock, Miyoung, Laray, Valkyrae, Dream, Mizkif, Ludwig, and Hasanabi. And she was put through her paces, going head to head against Poarch in a battle intended to represent themes of power and control. "It was fun and kind of scary [shooting those scenes], to be honest," the Filipino told NME. "Grimes and I had to go through fight training and it's one of the coolest things I've done in a while."

The video, a follow-up to the "Build a B***h" in which she played a doll who escapes from her makers, was conceived by Poarch and heavily drew upon her love of anime and one Zack Synder film in particular. "I love mixing the dark aesthetic with the cute pastels. I'm also a huge fan of "Sucker Punch," so I named the robot arm [I have in the video] 'sucker punch.'"

After premiering four of its six tracks over the space of a few months, Bella Poarch finally unveiled her first EP in full in August 2022. Featuring collaborations with Grimes, Cashmere Cat, and Sub Urban, "Dolls" solidified the Filipino as a fully-fledged pop artist just two years after shooting to viral fame with a TikTok lip synch.

"I'm really excited to release my first EP after starting this journey during lockdown," Poarch noted in a statement (via Prelude Press). "Dolls is my personal story of challenges and growth over time that I hope my fans can relate to." And the Warner Records signing also expressed hopes that her audience will feel both confident and empowered by what they hear.

"It holds strong messages while sounding fun, dark and sweet," Poarch told the NME, going on to reveal how she prides herself on challenging herself with her music. "Each song has its own unique way of saying, 'I'm a bad b***h, so don't mess with me.'"

In November 2022, E! News revealed that Bella Poarch had filed for divorce after more than three years of marriage citing irreconcilable differences.  The announcement came as a shock to her fans, particularly for the fact that the Filipino had never publicly confirmed she'd been wed!

Yes, Bella had managed to keep her relationship with Tyler Poarch quiet through her remarkable rise from lip synching assassin to major label pop star. And she continued to keep shtum until she guested on Alex Cooper's hugely popular podcast "Call Her Daddy"  in October 2023. "We were both very introverted, and as soon as we saw each other we kind of fell in love," the Inferno singer recalled about the first time she met her ex when they were both in the military.

Trying to hold back the tears, Bella went on to admit that her sudden ascent to fame played a part in the breakup. "Everything just happened so fast. TikTok happened, and he didn't want to be in the spotlight," she added. "I respect that though. It's hard when I want to pursue music. I want to be an artist. But when the person you love wants something different, it's hard." The star also refuted claims that she'd cheated on Tyler, insisting their split was a mutual decision made entirely amicably.

Bella Poarch may be a solo artist, but she's spent much of her early career showcasing her collaborative spirit, too. Indeed, since crossing over from TikTok fame to the very real pop world, the Filipino has recorded songs with Mexican singer Kenia Os ("Bad Boy") and rapper 6arelyhuman ("Don't Like Anybody") — both of whom also first caught attention online — recruited the likes of Grimes and Cashmere Cat to work on her debut EP "Dolls," and duetted with one of pop's most sensitive souls, Lauv.

"'Crush'" is this fun, brighter side of me that I'm excited to showcase," Poarch remarked about her collaboration with the latter (via TOTALNTERTAINMENT). "It's about being in the moment and indulging in the simple things like binging 'Love Island,' or having an innocent crush without overthinking it (which I'm guilty of)." The star also went on to pay tribute to her musical partner in crime while throwing in a neat pun, too. "Lauv is such an incredible artist and being able to work with him is such an honor. He's one of the sweetest people I've ever met, and I LAUVed working with him hehe."

Thankfully, Lauv, who made the Billboard Top 20 with his debut album "How I'm Feeling," appears to have enjoyed the experience, too. "Love singing with [Bella] and so happy "Crush'" is finally out!," he remarked about the track that came accompanied by a Barbie pink-themed video.

It's fair to say that Bella Poarch is a dedicated follower of fashion. Shortly after becoming a viral sensation, she launched a limited edition clothing range named RIPNDIP x Paca Collaboration. She was invited to appear in one of the Savage x Fenty shows staged by Rihanna and she's rocked up to the Fashion Weeks in Paris, Milan, and London.

It was during an appearance at the latter that Poarch announced she was once again getting into the fashion game, this time joining forces with HUGO for an eponymous collection. "The HUGO team are so talented and creative, and they helped me with the whole process when we were designing," the Filipino told Wonderland. "It was very special and I'm so honored to be teaming up and working with them."

Although she's undoubtedly on the cutting edge of the sartorial world, Poarch also remains a fan of the footwear she sported during her four years in the military. "I would literally sleep with steel-toed boots during my time in the Navy and I ended up feeling really comfortable in them," she told Vogue about her unique sense of style. "No matter how big or tall, boots aren't an issue anymore."

Bella Poarch's acceptance within the wider entertainment world was confirmed in 2021 when "Build a B***h" was nominated for Best Visual Effects at the MTV Video Music Awards. And a year later, she went one better when the same network crowned her Breakthrough Social Star at their annual MTV Movie and TV Awards.

This isn't the only award attention Poarch has received. She also picked up Breakout Creator of the Year at the 2021 Streamy Awards, iHeart Radio Social Star of the Year at the 2022 iHeart Radio Music Awards, and Favorite Social Music Star at the 2023 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards.

After accepting the latter, Poarch took to Instagram to express her gratitude (via ABS-CBN). "Growing up in the Philippines, I never really had a family. But after being able to grow with all of you these past years ... and with all this love ... makes me really feel like I finally found what I've always been looking for," she wrote. "This one's for all of you guys, my real family. ️Thank you for giving me my first award for music." These heartfelt sentiments were obviously appreciated as a year later, the star once again reigned supreme in the same category.

After showcasing her more dramatic side in several cinematic music promos, Bella Poarch got the chance to prove her acting chops for good in 2025 when she was cast in a new indie horror. And its director would undoubtedly have been familiar with her work. Indeed, Andrew Donoho helmed the eye-catching, MTV Video Music Awards-nominated promo for her debut single "Build a B***h."

Variety reported that Poarch was cast alongside "American Honey" actor Sasha Lane in "Six Till Midnight," a scarefest in which an anonymous host lures six strangers into a mysterious web-based game show. The group must work out what deep dark secret connects them all before the clock strikes twelve, otherwise they won't see the following day.

Poarch had always expressed a desire to pivot into Hollywood, telling VMagazine, "I also see myself getting into acting, hopefully, to be a superhero." Considering how effortlessly she's crossed over from TikTok to the charts, don't be surprised to see the Filipino show up in a Marvel blockbuster within the next few years.

Having just been cast in indie horror "Six Till Midnight" and conceived a doll-themed promo which made the "M3GAN" franchise look like child's play, Bella Poarch was undoubtedly a no-brainer when it came to the second season soundtrack of Netflix phenomenon "Wednesday."

And the Filipino certainly didn't disappoint. She contributed two dark pop cover versions to the Jenna Ortega vehicle, a cover of The Cranberries' 1994 anti-war protest song "Zombie" and a rendition of Blue Oyster Cult's '70s rock classic "Don't Fear the Reaper." Poarch seemed particularly excited about cutting the latter, posting a behind-the-scenes clip of its studio recording on Instagram captioned, "So fun putting our own twist to this masterpiece."

It was something of a full circle moment for the star, having previously told Dazed how her own videos had been inspired by the man behind "Wednesday": "I take a lot of inspiration from Tim Burton films and anime. The darkness really comes from that."

Bella Poarch appeared to burst out of the blocks after signing her major label deal with Warner Records in 2022, dropping her debut EP "Dolls" and collaborations with Lauv and Kenia Os soon after. But three years on, and we're still waiting for a full-length album.

While speaking to Billboard at the 2024 Gold Gala, Poarch claimed that it was on its way and that fans should prepare for a more introspective new sound. "It's about seventy percent done," the Filipino said. "This type of Bella [in the album] is definitely going to be different from the 'Dolls' EP Bella and the 'F* OFF' Bella. She's gonna be more raw and authentic ... more emotional and [stripped] down."

Poarch has given two tasters of this musical reinvention so far, "Will You Always Love Her?" and "Sweet Delusion." Speaking about the latter (via Dork), the former TikTok sensation admitted she was feeling nervous about how audiences would respond. "My hope is that anyone who listens to it feels something — because what is music without evoking feeling? This track, and this new chapter, reflect the most raw version of myself, one that's learning to stay grounded and true despite all the external pressures and voices."