Q with Tom Power bbno$ on his journey from internet success to mainstream hitmaker
Feb 26, 2026
bbno$ (Alexander Gumuchian), a Canadian rapper who turned viral moments into chart success. He recounts his rise from making music for fun to scoring a global hit with catchy hooks. Hear stories of early virality in China, the making of "La La La," playful PR tactics, and how TikTok and relentless release strategy propelled him to mainstream recognition.
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From Bored College Kid To Choosing Music
- bbno$ started making music for fun with friends and realized it was what he wanted to do after laughing over a beat with autotune.
- That casual epiphany in his house led him from bored college kid to pursuing music seriously despite not expecting big success.
Unexpected Breakthrough In China
- bbno$ went viral in China in 2017 after a teen celebrity danced to his song on televised footage, which led to sudden fame and giant shows.
- He flew to China, experienced massive crowds and even had a fan tattoo his name, which motivated him to commit to rap.
How La La La Was Written Fast
- La La La was built intentionally as a 130 bpm, Latin-flavored, extremely repetitive hook created to be an easy banger.
- bbno$ and producer Y2K wrote the hook in about 15 minutes aiming for a jumpable, catchy track.