Bella Poarch talks about her upbringing in the Philippines during the 10th episode of the Press ESC podcast by hosts Valkyrae and Alythuh.

In a guest appearance on the Press ESC podcast, hosted by content creator and streamer Valkyrae and artist Alythuh, Filipino-American singer-songwriter Bella Poarch opened up about her upbringing in the Philippines. Uploaded on Monday, 16 December, the episode was titled “Being Filipino with Bella Poarch.”

It has been roughly 13 years since Poarch, whose real name is Denarie Kyla Bautista Taylor, left the Philippines. Despite her desire to return, scheduling conflicts and unforeseen circumstances have kept her from making the trip.

Before rising to fame on the social media platform TikTok, Poarch enlisted in the US Navy in 2015, a commitment that made returning to the Philippines particularly challenging.

“I was in the military, and usually, it’s really hard to go back to the Philippines when you’re in the military. I never really did it (going back) because, at that moment, I was working 12 to 14 hours a day. So, I didn’t have time,” she told the podcast hosts.

Poarch revealed that her decision to join the military at just 17 years old stemmed from her desire to escape her abusive parents, seeing it as her only option at the time.

“I just didn’t want to be there forever. And so, the military was one way out. And I also just didn’t want to be like, you know, just run away and be homeless and stuff. And so yeah, that was, like, my one option,” she added.

After leaving the military, Poarch attempted to return to her home country, but unexpected events once again prevented her from doing so.

“I got out of the military, and I booked a flight to [the] Philippines [in] 2020, this was before TikTok and everything,” she explained. “Covid happened, so it got canceled. My flight got canceled.”

Despite past challenges, the “Build a B*tch” singer shared her excitement for the coming year, revealing plans to return to her home country finally.

“I’m actually going home soon. I’m really excited. I can’t wait for this year to be over so I can go,” she said. “I’m just looking forward to going back to the Philippines and putting on my album and going on tour.” 

As a fellow Filipina, Valkyrae asked how Poarch managed to retain her fluency in Tagalog after moving to the States, noting that it must have been challenging since the language is rarely used in an environment where the English language is predominantly spoken.

“In the Philippines, I grew up speaking Tagalog in school because at home I couldn’t. My parents did not allow me to speak Tagalog at home. So, in school was the only way for me to [practice].”

Speaking in Filipino wasn’t the only thing Poarch was forbidden to do; she was also discouraged from making friends. However, she was able to overcome these challenges during her time in the Navy.

“I wasn’t allowed to have friends. That’s how bad it was. [But] because of the military, I learned to communicate and to make friends. But yeah, the first time I literally stepped foot into a mall was when I was in the military to buy my first-ever phone when I was 18 (years old). It was really fun.”

Growing up in the Philippines, Bella Poarch spent her early years as a farmer, planting over 30 mango trees that have since grown into towering, fruitful giants — a testament to her humble roots and hardworking spirit.

“My brother was sending me photos, and it’s insane to see them fully grown. I loved it. It was a fun experience for me, honestly. I’m actually grateful because I got to learn agriculture,” she said. 

“Now I know how to plant corn and mango trees and how to take care of coconut trees.”

Bella Poarch rose to fame on 17 August 2020, when a TikTok video she created, lip-syncing to British rapper Millie B’s song “M to the B,” went viral.

She is also set to release an album, with the title and release date yet to be announced. However, her latest single, “Sweet Delusion,” was already released in October.