Meet Beabadoobee: the Filipino-born, London-based singer has opened for Taylor Swift, Halsey and The 1975 – but she struggled at school and has faced death threats on social media

Feb 3 , 2025

Singer Beabadoobee shot to fame after opening for Taylor Swift in 2023. Photo: @radvxz/Instagram

Born in the Philippines, she moved to London at 3 years of age; she suffered bullying and a tough childhood before grabbing Matty Healy’s attention, then opened for Swift in 2023

Philippines-born, London-raised musician Beabadoobee is set to be one of the artists defining Gen Z’s music canon. With her songs – about love, heartbreak and defying convention – the 24-year-old has captivated fans with a distinct musical style that resonates with today’s listeners.

Beabadoobee has opened for Taylor Swift and is set to take over the airwaves. Photo: @radvxz/Instagram

Born Beatrice Kristi Laus, she gained widespread attention with her 2017 hit “death bed (coffee for your head)”, which has amassed more than 1.7 billion streams on Spotify to date. With more than 3.9 million followers on Instagram, 4.9 million on TikTok and at least 25.5 million monthly Spotify listeners, Beabadoobee is undeniably a star.

With numerous award nominations and stellar achievements under her belt – including being one of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour’s opening acts in 2023 and bagging a slot opening for “Espresso” singer Sabrina Carpenter at London’s BST Hyde Park festival last June – Beabadoobee is set for great success.

Not familiar with her? Read on to learn everything we know about Beabadoobee.

Beabadoobee is Filipino-British

Beabadoobee was born in the Philippines but moved to London when she was three. Photo: @radvxz/Instagram

Beabadoobee, born in 2000 in Iloilo City in the Philippines, moved to west London when she was three. Her father’s love of traditional Pinoy music influenced her early years, while her mother introduced her to artists such as Alanis Morissette, The Cranberries and Suzanne Vega. Beabadoobee credits them with shaping her musical identity.

She was kicked out of a conservative girls’ school

Beabadoobee struggled at a strict British school. Photo: @radvxz/Instagram

Beabadoobee tried to balance school and music but reportedly struggled at her strict, all-girls’ secondary school. She found it tough to fit in as one of few Filipinas.

During a chat with British GQ, she opened up about her past struggles. Her childhood was challenging, marked by racism at school, financial difficulties and the stress of immigration, which affected her academic performance and behaviour. This led to a lifestyle of partying and drug use with friends. At 17, she was expelled from school.