Canadian rapper bbno$, Thai singer MILLI hope to do shows in Phl

MANILA, Philippines — 88rising’s Thai singer and rapper MILLI’s part in the newly dropped single of dance-pop artist Party Pupils, and rapper-songwriter bbno$ called Girlfriend was the “finishing touch” they needed for the track.

The Party Pupils’ future funk duo is made up of pop artist Max (Max Schneider) and producer Ryan Siegel.

The dance-pop tune was born during the quarantine and has been in the works for over three years.

“Realistically, I was bored one day and Party Pupils and Max sent me a song. And I sent them a song called Boyfriend but no, no, no, we need to change the story and you need to make this called Girlfriend,” bbno$, real name Alexander Leon Gumuchian, told The STAR in an exclusive virtual chat.

“So they really messed with my head because I was making a song called Boyfriend. Because I wanted to be that person’s boyfriend. They changed the plot and let’s talk about how you need to be her girlfriend. So immediately at that point I was like alright, (I) can write a verse on.”

Two and a half years later, bbno$ met MILLI and the former invited her to hop in for the song Girlfriend. “And like damn she’s the perfect fit. I need to send her this version. I need to send her the song and two months after I sent it the song was done. And we were ready to release. A match made in heaven,” commented bbno$.

“He sent a DM (direct message) back then and (he was) like, ‘I’m gonna perform in Bangkok just come to my show.’ The ‘destiny’ thing is I’m already down to go into that show before he texted me. And I said I’m totally yes (for it),” recalled MILLI.

“’OK, let’s see each other.’ His performance is really good. His set is super, super funny. And after that we met (again),” shared MILLI.

They would continue to text each other and bbno$ would later ask MILLI for a music collaboration. “That was the first time he asked me (to do a song with him), it’s called Sex Song Demo 1. ‘Oh bro, I’m too young for that,’” MILLI told bbno$.

“And so he gave me another song called Girlfriend. I was like, ‘OK, your Girlfriend is fine.’ So I’m down to do it and I did.”

MILLI dropped her first single Pak Korn in 2020 with Sudpang as her second single. She just launched her debut album BABB BUM BUM. Her performance at the Coachella eating mango sticky rice on stage went viral in 2022.

She was one of the featured artists in Manila’s Head in the Clouds in 2022 and she could still remember the great times she had when she was in the Philippines.

“Even if they don’t know when I’m rapping and singing, they are still hyped. It’s like, ‘Oh ah, oh ah.’ Oh my god. I appreciate that. They enjoyed my music,” enthused MILLI.

She got so fond of her Filipino fans that she wants to learn the Tagalog language. “Tagalog language for me is like it’s faster than rapping. If you rap in English it’s fast, if you rap in Thai, it’s faster. But if you rap in Tagalog, it’s the fastest.”

“Mahal kita all my Filipino fans. Thank you for supporting me,” she expressed.

She is also down to bringing The MILLI Show Live in Bangkok to the Philippines. “I really love you guys. I still remember our experience together. And I hope I can go there soon.”

bbno$, meanwhile, is the music maker behind the TikTok hit Lalala (with Y2K) in 2019. He released his fifth studio album eat ya veggies in 2021 that included the single edamame, featuring 88Rising’s Rich Brian.

In the previous year, bbno$ released his eighth studio album, which was also his third album with Yung Gravy, titled Baby Gravy 3. This year, the Canadian rapper will be focusing more on his music, making a lot of it and putting them out. In 2025, he plans to mount a world tour.

He had only been to the Philippines for a layover but would love to do a show here if given the opportunity.

“I want to get to the Philippines and I wanna step outside of the airport and experience the Philippines. I have a bunch of Filipino friends, growing up in high school, so I’m like slightly familiar with the cuisine but not as familiar as other adjacent Asian cuisines.”

“I would love to do a show in the Philippines, in Manila. I will see you soon, maybe in 2025. Maybe with MILLI. (Maybe) MILLI and I are gonna tour Southeast Asia together.”