In just a span of a month, Bella Poarch went from a completely anonymous person to someone with more than 24 million followers on TikTok.
Her rise to fame didnât go as smooth as others would have believed though, as her name was notably shrouded with controversies and conspiracy theories.
Some people still question if she deserves to be a part of the mainstream in such a short amount of time, but one thing to keep in mind is that it’s not the first time a young, attractive woman went viral for doing something cute.
As a matter of fact, it’s becoming a relatively common recipe for success these daysâ as observed in the likes of Tik Tok star slash Twitch streamer Neekolul and GamerGirl BathWater entrepreneur Belle Delphine.
11 Facts about Bella Poarch
With millions of views on her TikTok clips, Bella Poarch is undoubtedly an online superstar now.
Behind her signature e-girl look and the many trailing controversies surrounding her career, here are some things you need to know about the influencer:
1. She was a part of the US Navy
In fact, Poarch served for a total of three years as a part of the United States navy. She joined the US Navy in 2017, proving she’s more than just a pretty face on the internet.
Poarch seems to be proud of her military history, considering her first post on Instagram is about her days in the navy.
And though she’s no longer affiliated with the institution, her IG bio declares she is a “proud” US Navy veteran.
As cute as Bella is, she can probably slay you in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare both in-game and an IRL version of it.
2. Philippine-born, Hawaii-raised
Born on February 8 1997, both of Bella’s parents were living in the Philippines before they immigrated to the United States when she was 13.
Although she keeps personal details about her life rather private, she shares how her childhood was influenced by a lot of music, video games, anime, and art.
3. She joined TikTok in 2020
Though the year has been rough for most of us, 2020 marked Bella’s breakthrough on social media. She first began her Tiktok journey in April 2020, and now she has over 41.3 million followers and accumulated 702.9 million likes on the platform.
Her popularity isn’t merely limited on TikTok as well. She also garnered 7.7 million followers on Instagram and more than 138.1k followers on Twitter, proving that she’s growing to be a social media powerhouse.
4. Went viral over her âM to the Bâ TikTok video, reminiscent of the famous Ahegao
With her TikTok gaming dubs, lip syncs, and dance entries, it’s no wonder how she landed a spot on Tiktokâs most recognized stars
However, she notably went viral for her âM to the Bâ video where sheâs bobbing her head, crossing her eyes, and making silly faces. It garnered over 42 million heart reacts as of writing.
5. Raising mental health awareness
In September, the viral influencer recently took to Instagram to share how badly she wanted to try Twitch – Amazon’s live streaming platform to share gameplays and other IRL vlogs.
However, she worries about her post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder, and general bad anxiety that might somehow push her to have a breakdown in the middle of her live broadcasts.
According to her tweets, she has been diagnosed with the disorder since 2017. Fortunately, Poarch has a good support system to help her get through it.
“Iâm diagnosed with major depressive disorder and ptsd since 2017 so donât worry about me, Iâve been living with it & I have a good support system to help me”
6. Subject of hate
Her overnight viral success hasnât been an easy ride. In fact, Poarch has been the favorite subject of online hate. She has been previously under fire for her social media posts in the past and the offensive tattoo that have clouded her rise to fame
For instance, her viral TikTok videos are deemed âlow effortâ by many. It remains a question to many why her clips were able to garner so many viewsâsome up to a million.
Some started to believe she’s either being boosted by a mysterious, powerful backer or the platform’s algorithm is completely broken. There are so many conspiracy theories formed around the time her TikTok clip went viral.
Is it easy to gather views on the internet and become someone relevant? It depends. But if youâre someone who looks like Bella Poarch, it comes rather naturally.
She has been called out countless times on social media such as on Twitter. Though a number of haters attempt to cancel Bellaâs influence, she remains to be an unstoppable force to watch out for.
7. Racist past?
She has also been accused of making a racist statement in a 2017 Facebook post when she called her friend, who is a person of color, Harambe. It was the name of a gorilla who was shot dead at the Cincinnati Zoo.
âYâall really trying to cancel me for calling my friend Harambe. That was his nickname back when we were stationed in Japan!â
As a response, Poarch did not apologize for making such an insensitive remark but instead clarified it was an inside joke between them.
8. Controversial tattoo
The name Bella Poarch took the online Korean community by storm, albeit in a rather negative light.
She had a rather controversial slip-up in a recent video which showed her tattoo of the Japanese rising sun flag, a red ball with 16 red rays that was Imperial Japanâs war flag from 1870 until the end of World War II.
It is considered as an insensitive and despicable reminder of the atrocities and human rights abuses by Japanâs imperialist past. To many Koreans, the symbol is perceived as a counterpart of the Nazi Germany Swastika.
Poarch’s tattoo is considered as a highly offensive symbol in their culture, hence it didn’t take long for her to be the subject of online flak on social media.
She issued a personal apology on Twitter over the said controversy:
“I apologize to Koreans because 6 months ago I got a tattoo of the red sun with 16 rays. At that time, I didnât know the history. But when I found out, I immediately had it covered and scheduled for removal. I am ashamed of myself for not doing my research. I sincerely apologize.”
The viral TikTok star, who is of Filipino background, caused the backlash to go as far as insulting the rest of Filipinos. A number of K-netizens called the entire nation poor, ugly, short, and uneducated.
In retaliation, this urged Filipino netizens to âcancelâ Koreans and their blatant racismâ with online cancel culture prevalent in today’s society as we all know it.
9. A possible music industry plant on TikTok?
The viral influencer has also been linked to a content marketing company, BAS.media.
YouTuber Def Noodles uncovered an interesting connection between Bella Poarch and the marketing company. First off, the email address on her TikTok profile is bellapoarch@bas.media, which has remained before she skyrocketed to viral internet fame.
A rather controversial look at the company reveals that top power players use TikTok as a way to influence the music industry, and BAS.media is “a group of viral-content marketers that has an exclusive partnership with Columbia Records to promote artists and tracks on TikTok and other social media platforms.”
BAS.media is in charge of several TikTok accounts to promote music, such as rapidsongs and goalsounds, and it so happens that the company is also affiliated with Bella.
Def Noodles hinted at the idea that Poarch may be employed by BAS.media to promote music from Columbia Records, as she has been consistently sharing lip-syncing videos after her âM to the Bâ video went viral.
Although there’s not much solid evidence to back the allegations, some believe it’s not an entirely far-fetched possibility.10. Tyga dating rumors
She has also collaborated with famous American rapper Tyga on some TikTok clips. These videos were filmed at Tyga’s mansion and featured the pair lip-syncing to some of his greatest hits.
Since their collab videos, there were circulating rumours that Bella and Tyga have been getting rather cozy with each other. Neither parties have confirmed the rumours, though.
Poarch also recently appeared alongside Justin Bieber in a TikTok video, which only enraged several of his loyal fans.
11. Illuminati involvement?
Jumping on the Bella Poarch clout train, TikToker larissadenisee shared a conspiracy theory on October that the influencer âsold her soul to the devilâ for fame and success.
In case you missed it, it’s a common conspiracy to involve the Illuminati with stars who quickly rose to fame, such as the DâAmelio sisters who are also TikTok stars.
She claimed that although Poarch is public with her military background, it actually contrasts the âchildlikeâ persona she portrays in most of her clips. To Larissadenisee, there is something suspicious in that.
She even went on to point out one of Poarchâs earlier posts, where she was wearing make-up portraying the devil.
Her video was an attempt to “put the pieces together,” and though it was vague, it garnered more than 151k heart reactions which could only suggest that her audience may believe in her suspicions.
However, she did not present any other proof aside from the screenshot of Poarchâs devil makeup photo. The comments on her conspiracy TikTok clips have long since been turned off as well.
On the other hand, some took it to Twitter to express their disbelief over the various Bella Poarch conspiracy theories, as it appears to be nothing more than a joke:
âPeople r saying bella poarch sold her soul to the devil for tiktok numbers but seriously its just the power of one pretty girl and her army of simps.â
âSome girl on tik tok is literally telling people that bella poarch sold her soul to the devil for tik tok clout… And her reasoning is that when she saw a photo of bella, she thought of the word illuminati??? oh my god i hate the internet sometimes.â
Delving on the Ahegao appeal
As a self-proclaimed fan of Japanese culture, Bella doesn’t shy away from making a lot of anime references, portrayed in her cosplays, flushed cheeks look, and the âAhegaoâ facial expressionâ a growing trend among female online personalities.
The Ahegao face is a common practice in the Japanese NSFW and pornographic industry, which describes exaggerated facial expression of female characters.
It involves crossed or rolled eyes, protruding tongue, a slightly reddened faceâ all of which indicates that the female character is clearly liking it.
While the Ahegao isnât exactly flattering, itâs everywhereâ from hentai content to Instagram models to dedicated Subreddits, its popularity is only rising on the internet.
And with a guaranteed devoted audience to those who do a beautiful Ahegao expression, it seems like Poarch sure knows what sheâs doing by capitalizing on her target audience.
The “Belle Delphine” Influence
One thing to note about Bella Poarch is how she greatly reminds her audience of another e-girl, Belle Delphineâ considered as the OG icon.
Some even suggested that they may be somehow related. Although both of them share some similarities in their styles, they’re actually not related at all.
Belle Delphine made headlines in 2019 for selling her âGamer Girlâ bathwater to thirsty gamer boys. In 2020, she began to sell exclusive content on OnlyFans, an 18+ website, thus officially making her an online sex worker.
Delphine recently posts bold clips on Twitter featuring butt plugs, half naked costumes, all with the infamous Ahegao expression. Compare this to Poarchâs career track record; lip-synching and making Ahegao faces at the cameraâ and youâll see how the two women actually differ in the content they offer.
The said comparison only makes sense for people who believe women who get famous online donât deserve it, simply because they didnât âearnâ it.
Poarchâs videos are considered shallow and untalented work, for instance. Some people on the internet have a habit of discrediting content creators for their hard work, even calling them just another âattention whoreâ or âthot.â
Then again, no one can blame Bella Poarch for taking full advantage of her good looks. Her rise to fame isnât the first time a young, attractive woman went viral for doing something cute.
A pretty woman getting online traction can do anything she puts her mind into, and look at how Poarch established her identity across various social media platforms today.
The Art of Face Dancing
Let’s take a closer look at how Poarch’s rather simple “face dancing” clips went viral online.
Aside from tapping into a trend, thereâs also a science behind why people feel satisfied and happy after watching Poarch do a silly yet cute face dance.
In an interview with Buzzfeed on the subject matter, Craig Richard, a professor of biopharmaceutical sciences at Shenandoah University, delved about the oddly satisfying and addicting video style further.
He believes that the act of face-dancing brings a joyful sensation to those who watch it, especially if done by someone considerably attractive.
“We enjoy looking at attractive faces. Adults, children, and even babies tend to gaze longer at faces that are deemed as attractive.”
Furthermore, he explains how most people generally like looking at happy faces. It’s why we get positive vibes from music with fast BPMs, enjoy seeing people dance, and watching something newâ of course.
“These videos are using a new camera effect that keeps the head centered for the viewer. Dopamine is strongly released during positive moments of novelty, which keeps us focused and intrigued,”
“Each of the statements above is not profound by itself. The importance here is that these videos seem to combine these components into a singular experience for the viewer â resulting in something that is oddly satisfying.”
It’s true. If there’s any phrase that best describes the appeal of Bella Poarch’s viral TikTok clips, it would be because it’s “oddly satisfying.”
Most recently, her content has featured fun dance challenges, gaming-focused clips, and of her singing.
Not a true Gamer Girl?
Her first video on TikTok, posted on April 10, portrays her as an attractive gamer girl. In the clip, Bella is seen holding a controller and is complete with a gamer ensemble as she sports a green gaming headset. It also has a caption that says:
“Playing online for the first time be like…”
She then continued to post TikTok videos with a focus on gaming, sometimes doing some entertaining lip-sync covers and even dance challenge videos.
If there’s one constant in her TikTok content, however, it’s evident how Bella emphasized on the “kawaii” or cute-focused aesthetic that she has since made an integral part of her online brand.
She even has a stuffed animal named “Paca,” which she often features in her content.
As her career progressed, she began to wear anime-like make-up, outfit, and hairdo and later tapped into the appeal of Ahegao.
Most recently, she took her online persona and applied it into real life by joining an $25,000 Among Us tournament organized by the esports org FaZe Clan.
It was known as the ‘Among Us In-vent-tational,’ which invited top content creators and gaming personalities such as CouRageJD, LazarBeam, and SypherPK.
The announcement of Bella Poarch’s involvement seems to have touched a raw nerve among gamers, as fans took offense over the involvement of a known TikToker.
A number of people online see TikTok stars in a negative light, believing they do not possess any ‘real’ talent and aren’t even gamers.
Even Twitch streamer 4Conner grew visibly frustrated and even raged at Bella Poarch since she barely spoke throughout the entire stream.
She also had a dull approach when performing tasks as a Crewmate, according to the other participants of the game.
Some people took to Twitter to question and criticize her involvement in the event:
“who the hell put bella poarch in an AMONG US TOURNAMENT…đđđnever seen such a horrible third imposter/among us player in my whole life”
“still wondering why they got bella poarch in an among us tournament with a bunch of streamers who do this daily when she doesn’t know how to do the basic tasks or even what the rooms are called like What. You Are Throwing And Costing Everyone Points.”
“yo iâm watching bella poarch and this girl is the worst at among us. SHE CANT EVEN NAME THE ROOMS”
“watching bella poarch play in an among us tournament and completely throw every single round may be the most miserable thing ever”
For someone who keeps on creating funny content based on the life of a gamer girl, it seems ironic for Bella Poarch to suck at a simple game like Among Us.
Next 100 Thieves member?
In October, Bella Poarch made headlines after her photo in 100 Thieves merch went viral. Some fans speculated she could be the next member of the popular eSports organization.
It happened around the same time of âOK Boomerâ girl and fellow TikTok star Neekolul’s signing, hence it wasn’t completely farfetched for Poarch to become the next content creator under 100 Thieves.
To date, there hasn’t been any official confirmation from both parties yet.
But, Poarch was already spotted wearing a cream 100 Thieves hoodie and even streamed from the 100 Thieves Cash App compound.
More rumors began to circulate on the internet after she became more vocal over her enjoyment of gaming on her social media accounts.
Only time can tell if Bella Poarch is truly set to become the next member to join the 100 Thieves family.
Bottomline
Bella Poarch might be involved in a number of conspiracy theories and controversies, but her online influence is only growing bigger by the day.
As what weâve mentioned, her âinstantâ rise to fame shouldnât come off as a surprise to many. This is usually what happens when a young, attractive woman goes viral for doing something cute.
If anything, Poarch sure knows how to seize the right opportunities and make the most out of her cutesy appearance!
