Bella Poarch, born Belinda Marie Macadengdeng Batumbakal on February 9, 1997 in San Fabian, Pangasinan, Philippines, is a Filipino‑American social media star, singer, and U.S. Navy veteran. After a challenging childhood, she emerged in 2020 as one of TikTok’s biggest creators and quickly transitioned into a serious music career.
Early Life and Adoption
Bella was born in 1997 and raised by her grandmother in impoverished conditions until age three, when she was adopted by a Filipino mother and an American father who had met while her father was stationed overseas. She spent her early years on a farm in the Philippines, performing many household chores. Her adolescence included periods living with relatives in San Francisco, followed by a move to Texas for her adoptive father’s bypass surgery.
Military Service
At age 20, Bella enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an aviation ordnanceman in 2017. She served approximately three years, stationed in both Japan and Hawaii, before leaving the service.
Rise to TikTok Fame (2020, 2021)
In January 2020, she began posting gaming and cosplay videos on TikTok. In August of the same year, a close‑up lip‑sync video set to Millie B’s “M to the B” went viral and became TikTok’s most‑liked video ever. That breakthrough cemented her status as one of the platform’s top creators, frequently ranking among its most‑followed and the most followed from the Philippines.
Music Career and Label Signing
In May 2021, Bella Poarch signed with Warner Records and released her debut single “Build a Bitch” on May 14, 2021. The song debuted strongly and its video, noted for its darkly satirical tone, featured internet personalities like Valkyrae and Bretman Rock. She followed with an EP titled Dolls in August 2022 and released further music including collaborations and standalone singles, expanding her pop‑electropop sound.
Recognition and Influence
Her impact was acknowledged in Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2022. In 2024, she released “Sweet Delusion” and joined Kenia OS on the Pink Aura Tour.
Personal Life
Bella married Tyler Poarch in 2019; public records indicate they divorced in 2023. She has shared aspects of her challenging upbringing and mental health journey publicly, but she does not often discuss intimate personal details.
Net Worth and Earnings
Net worth remains speculative. Grizzly Bulls provides a modeled estimate of a $15 million base case, with a range from $8 million to $25 million as of September 23, 2026. This is based on earnings data from Forbes (e.g., $5 million in 2021, $3.32 million in 2023) and makes clear this is an estimate, not confirmation. Other estimates vary: Celebrity Net Worth lists $16 million (no sourcing), while CreatorStats offers a broad machine‑model range of $12 million to $20 million, with low confidence. None of these figures have been publicly confirmed by Bella herself.
Summary
- Born in the Philippines in 1997, adopted and raised partly in the U.S.
- Served three years in the U.S. Navy
- Went viral on TikTok in August 2020, launching a major online presence
- Signed to Warner Records in 2021; released several songs and an EP
- Recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30
- Estimated net worth between $8 million and $25 million, based on external modeling
FAQ
- When was Bella Poarch born?
- She was born February 9, 1997 in San Fabian, Pangasinan, Philippines.
- How did she become famous?
- Her rise began in August 2020 with a TikTok lip‑sync to “M to the B,” which became the most‑liked video on the platform.
- What music has she released?
- Her debut single “Build a Bitch” (2021), the EP Dolls (2022), and later singles like “Sweet Delusion” (2024).
- Is her net worth confirmed?
- No. Estimates range widely (from $8 million to $25 million) but these are model‑based and unverified.
Featured image: Angie Freems / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0).
