Born in the South Bay area and raised with a strong connection to her Japanese heritage, PorshaBunz grew up with a natural love for performing. She is of full Japanese descent, and although both of her parents were born in the United States, she learned Japanese from her stepmother.
As a child, PorshaBunz had dreams that had nothing to do with music at first. She wanted to become a ballerina and an ice skater, eventually spending nearly a decade practicing. She never received formal professional training as a performer, but she always felt comfortable expressing herself. Some of her favorite childhood memories came from sitting in the backseat of her mother’s car, singing along to music.
As she got older, her relationship with home became difficult. She often felt restricted and grounded, which pushed her toward looking for another way of life outside of the house. That path eventually led her into the streets, where she was jumped into a gang. Her choices also affected her education, and she was kicked out of school during the 11th grade.
Not long after, PorshaBunz began gaining attention on MySpace, giving people an early look at the personality and presence that would eventually become part of her identity as an artist.
Her life took another serious turn when she became the victim of a shooting. Someone came to her home claiming they were there to deliver money. When PorshaBunz stepped outside, she noticed the man was shaking and reaching inside his jacket. She realized he had a gun and turned around. He fired nine rounds at her.
She was hit in the leg, back and stomach. The injuries caused serious internal damage, including damage to her lungs and kidney. She ultimately lost one of her kidneys. Doctors told her she would not be able to walk for more than a month, but PorshaBunz remembers making an unexpected recovery. She was walking again on the fourth day.
Her experiences have stayed with her, but they have also shaped the artist she is becoming.
PorshaBunz is focused on bringing back the emotional sound of late ’90s and early 2000s music, especially the feeling found in classic love songs. Rather than following every current trend, she wants her music to carry the emotion and honesty that connected with listeners during that era.
She has already released four singles and is now working toward her debut album. Her approach is simple: she writes a new song every day as she continues working toward her dream of becoming a performer.
Throughout her journey, songs like “Honey,” “Act Right” and “Someday” have helped define different parts of her musical path. Her latest single, “No Good 4 Me,” is now available on all streaming platforms.
PorshaBunz also carries a unique connection to her Japanese roots. When she visits Japan to see her parents, her extensive tattoos sometimes lead people to assume she is connected to the Yakuza. She has even noticed people moving out of her way when they see her walking down the street. For her, it has become an interesting part of how people interpret her appearance and identity.
From a childhood spent dreaming of the ice and stage, through difficult years, a life-changing shooting and the discovery of her own voice, PorshaBunz continues to move forward on her own terms. Her story is still being written, and her debut album represents the next chapter.
