If you or anyone you know suspects child abuse, you are urged to immediately call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential and the hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
TikTok star and musical sensation Bella Poarch revealed her harrowing story of surviving childhood abuse and how it affected her later in life on the 'H3 Podcast'. The star revealed she had been through years of abuse resulting in trauma. During her nearly two-hour interview on the 'H3 Podcast', the musician opened up about her heartbreaking childhood growing up on a farm in the Philippines.
When the world was first introduced to Bella Poarch in 2020, she was a viral TikToker without anyone hearing her voice. Poarch's lip-syncing videos (and undeniable charisma) rapidly garnered a following that exceeds 92 million, making her TikTok's third most-followed star and the top Asian American influencer in the world.
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'My stepdad would get really mad at me'
In the podcast, Poarch was asked about her upbringing by host Ethan Klein. Her answers shocked the comedian. When Klein asked Bella about her daily routine in a candid conversation, she described every bit of it in detail. She spoke openly about the time when she was adopted at three, and how her stepdad started showing his true colors when she turned six. "My stepdad would get really mad at me and be like you're not eating breakfast if you don't get this done," she said. She also noted how she had to clean goat poop before going to school.
Apparently, neither neighbors nor her school teachers cared about what she and her younger brother went through. "I went to school one time with a swollen hand and it was bleeding. My teacher was asking me why I was so slow at writing that day. Nobody gave a sh**," she said.
Poarch also opened up about her stepfather's rage and revealed that she was constantly living in fear as a result. She candidly shared how she was referred to as a "stupid b**ch" growing up, and expressed her frustration at the lack of external support she received. Despite making efforts to seek help, she was dismayed by the lack of intervention from adults. Poarch, who was living in the Philippines at the time, explained how societal norms made it challenging to intervene in others' affairs. This was to the point that neither her mother nor her two elder siblings came to her support while she suffered her stepdad's monstrosities.
The celebrity also shared how her foster dad prohibited her from showering in the mornings, causing her to experience bullying at school as she smelled like goat poop.
The young and talented 26-year-old further confessed to Klein that she still carries the burden of the trauma she endured during her early life, resulting in her developing PTSD. Regardless, she made it clear that she takes no pleasure in inflicting harm or exploiting others. Interestingly, after she achieved recognition on TikTok and through her music, her family attempted to reconnect with her but made no apologies for their past mistreatment of her.
What's the story behind 'Living Hell'?
The music video 'Living Hell' was inspired by Poarch's childhood room and her struggles to escape it.
In an interview with Grammy, Poarch said, "I've been very open about it with social media and it has helped me a lot. It's hard for me to express my feelings. But it also helped other people that are struggling with expressing themselves."
"The room in the music video is yellow — everything's yellow. It's because I grew up in a yellow bedroom with yellow curtains and yellow tiled floors. And I was basically forced into that color. My parents were like, "You're gonna love this color," she added.
With symbolism from Bella's childhood chiseled into the music video, the imagery reflects experiences from her past that she has been unable to process.
