Kunno or Papi Kunno is a 23-year-old Mexican social media personality, singer, actor, and model. He’s an LGBTQ+ activist who garnered attention for his TikTok account, @.kunno, on which he’s amassed over 31.3 million followers.
Early life, source of career
Kunno Guillermo Olivo Pérez de López was born on 8 May 2000 in Monterrey, Nuevo León Mexico. When choosing his name, his parents, Guillermo and Lucy, were inspired by actor Kuno Becker, a Mexican actor and film director born on 14 January 1978. Kunno has a brother named Chris and one or more brothers, according to his El Comercio interview.
Kunno told Billboard in 2022 that his parents are divorced. He told Los40 that ‘Guillermo was the masculine, attractive, sensual, and confident version of him. Contrastingly, Kunno was his crazy side, full of positive energy and love, refined to become a Latin America star.’ He developed a passion for cosmetics early because his desire to improve his skills prevailed over negative comments about his poorly-applied products. The first makeup product that Kunno used was black lipstick for Halloween, so he made it one of his signature looks. He then began sporting long nails, and discovered that people accepted his individuality, which gave him the courage to experiment.
Kunno admitted to Heraldo De Mexico that he’d been a victim of sexual abuse as a teenager. According to him, a person started touching him in the Monterrey nightclub where Kunno worked as an entertainer. Kunno thanked his friends for defending him because, while he was conscious, he was heavily intoxicated and had no control of his body.
Early education
In his video “73 Preguntas con Kunno.” or “73 Questions with Kunno,” he said that he was frequently bullied in high school. In his Veromerol MX interview from early 2024, he revealed that he didn’t stop pursuing his education, and took online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kunno wanted to become a surgeon before he switched to studying clinical psychology. He said he ‘switched his orientation over six times and might graduate with a communications or arts degree because he loves musical comedy.’
Career
Kunno started posting on TikTok in mid-2019, but rose to prominence in 2020 on social media and TV. He initially attracted attention with his video, originally captioned ‘Kunno Caminata,’ uploaded in July. It showed his distinctive walk, which included quick shoulder slumps and chest shaking as if he were an animated runway model, and he moved to the tune of “4K” by Noriel, Darrell and El Alfa.
That influx of interest led to Kunno being cast in an episode of the “Como Dice el Dicho” television series in September, and collaborations with social media personalities Verónica Montes and Domelipa, and singer Thalía.
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Controversy
Kunno reportedly overestimated his popularity, and faced backlash when he joined the HolaFan! Platform, on which he could charge fans for custom messages or videos, about 1,200 Mexican pesos or approximately US$55 at the time, which many saw as costly; consequently, he left the platform after about a month. Additionally, Kunno angered some fans after being nominated in the Latin Influencer of the Year category at the 2021 People’s Choice Awards. During his interview with YouTuber Alofokeradioshow, he discussed the event, sayingd that he ‘no longer considers himself a TikTok star, but a celebrity,’ which many deemed egotistical and arrogant.
Model’
Kunno modeled for various brands on his Instagram, @papikunno, on which he’s accrued over 6.4 million followers. Additionally, as a model, he appeared in Karol G’s music video for the song “Bichota” or “Bug” in November 2020. In 2022, he wore creations by Kim Loaiza, and walked the catwalk at the New York Fashion Week in New York City, US.
Moreover, in April of that year, Kunno appeared in two episodes of “Ritmo Salvaje” or “Savage Rhyhm,” a dance competition series that aired on Netflix. He told Infobae that he started discussing social media comments with his therapist, and treating them as critiques. That was useful after he graced the stage of Glamor magazine’s Women of the Year 2023 celebrations, and received gender-related hateful remarks.
Kunno attended the Latin Grammy Awards in 2022 and 2023. According to Net Notificas, during the latter year, he attracted attention by wearing an outfit in honor of Jesús Ociel Baena, the first Mexican non-binary magistrate. Jesús was found dead in his apartment next to their partner, who likely killed him before taking his life. Kunno unintentionally lightened the mood when he and four more attendees got stuck in an elevator at the event because the maximum capacity was four people.
Music
On 25 January 2021, Kunno released a music video for his debut song, “Tal vez No” or “Maybe Not,” to his YouTube channel, @kunnomusic1614. He released his second, entitled “Crush,” on 20 June, and his third, “Que Perra Soy” or “What a Bitch I Am” in September. In July 2022, Kunno was the featured artist on Trixy Star’s song “Perro Culatzo” or “Butt Dog,” and a year later, he released “Plakata” or “Posters” with Daddy Raidan and Rub Amaya.
Kunno returned to solo work in 2023, when he released singles “Bye Cabrón” or “Bye Bastard” and “EL GANADO” or “THE CATTLE.” On 26 January 2024, he released the single entitled “Misu Misu” with Yomel El Meloso and Menor Queen.
SeeTok MX reported in October 2023 that Kunno messaged singer Shakira about a collaboration, but that she blocked him about half an hour after reading or listening to his message. However, Kunno stated that some journalists misinterpreted his previous statement, and that the report was fake.
Other work
In 2022, Kunno attended Pride Month celebrations in Mexico City and Israel, and recorded a music video supporting freedom of sexual orientation in Cuba, a country with restrictive laws regarding LGBTQ+ community members; consequently, singer Harry Styles invited him to his New York City concert. Moreover, Kunno was vocal about his opinions on his YouTube channel, @kunno9154, on which he primarily uploads vlogs and short videos about his behind-the-scenes activities. He calls his subscribers’ brillos,’ meaning ‘glitters.’
Kunno’s motto is ‘to shine brighter than the Sun,’ and his biggest goals are to have a museum dedicated to his work and provide for his family. He has also experimented with inducing an autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) in his viewers, and shared his love for the “Lilo & Stitch” Disney media franchise and the Disneyland attractions. In November 2023, Kunno released an eye shadow palette in collaboration with the SINLESS BEAUTY brand.
Sexual orientation
In his El Siglo de Torreón interview, Kunno said that he never had to come out of the closet because his mom always knew that he was gay; he had his first same-sex sexual experience at 13. However, according to Infobae, Kunno came out as pansexual in April 2021, which he later retracted by saying that it was an April Fools’ Day joke. In his “100 PREGUNTAS EN 5 MINUTOS” or “100 QUESTIONS in 5 MINUTES” video from February 2022, he said that he wouldn’t consider a sex change operation.
Ex-boyfriend Samuel López
In 2020, Kunno was in a relationship with Spanish social media personality, Samuel López, Born on 22 June 1998 in Barcelona, Spain, he garnered attention by posting dancing, sip-synching, and singing-related content to his TikTok account, samuellopez_, on which he’s amassed over 20 million followers. Tjey broke up in August, then Kunno reportedly wanted to mend their relationship the following month, but Samuel started dating Mexican social media personality Osstev, in November.
Boyfriend Luis Torres
In 2022, Kunno started dating a makeup artist named Luis Torres. Their relationship was highlighted in Kunno’s YouTube video entitled “MI NOVIO ME ELIGE UN OUTFIT Y ME MAQUILLA” or “MY BOYFRIEND CHOOSES AN OUTFIT FOR ME AND DOES MY MAKEUP.” Luis released eyeshadow collections through Y&L Boutique and Cosmetics and Beauty Creations Cosmetics in late 2023.
Physical characteristics
Kunno has dark brown eyes and dark brown hair, which he dyed neon yellow and green, blonde, and pink. He’s 5ft 9ins (1.75m) tall and weighs about 140lbs (63kgs). Kunno’s distinctive facial features are dimpled cheeks, plump lips, and a prominent jawline.
Kunno has been open about operations such as liposuction, fat sculpting, and lip fillers, which he had in August and September 2020. In December 2021, he had two more operations, during which the doctor inserted a jaw implant, and the excess fat from his neck was reportedly transferred to his chest.
ALV😳🍑 pic.twitter.com/aVx5mMQi03
— Kunno✨ (@papikunno) February 21, 2021
Tattoos
In the “73 Preguntas con Kunno.” video, he said that he had about 90 tattoos; his favorite is the crown in the corner of his right eyebrow because few people have face tattoos. Kunno also had two snakes on his collarbone, wings on his neck, phrases ‘My body, my art’ and ‘Thanks for the memories’ on his right forearm, and a hand showing a demon horn on the wrist of his right hand. A tattoo that not many of his fans get to see is ‘Bad Boy‘ tattooed on the side of his right butt cheek.
Interesting facts, favorite things
- Kunno’s Instagram account was hackedin May 2020, discovered when he tried logging in at 5 a.m. to notify his fans about a movie that he was watching.
- He can burp on command; he starts some YouTube videos with a loud belch.
- Kunno has over 300 pairs of glasses.
- Kunno eats chocolate in some form daily, and considers it his biggest addiction.
- He calls himself ‘a super eater who loves anything that his mom cooks.’
- Kunno would struggle to become a vegetarianbecause his favorite food is trompo tacos made from marinated pork.
- His celebrity crush is Sebastián Yatra, while his female one is Danna Paola.
- Kunno’s favorite animal is a lion, and he has a tattoo of a lion’s head on his chest.
- Kunno paints in his free time.
- He would love to meet Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber. He also wishes that Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was alive so that he could meet her.
- Kunno would like to collaborate with J Balvin.
- He believes in the paranormal.
- Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Eiza González, and Ricky Martinare his favorite artists.
- Three songs that inspire him to go out of his house with a grin are “Hold It Against Me” and “I Wanna Go” by Britney Spears and “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga.
- 13 is his lucky number, incorporated into a tattoo.
- He’s cracked his skull three times.
- Strawberry Kiwi Electrolit is his favorite drink.
- Kunno understands English and French.
Net worth
Kunno has a net worth of about $500,000. Agencia Link Mexico and STARPRO Entertainment represent him.
Kunno has promoted Clarin Mexico, Cetaphil Mexico, Good Molecules, and LA MER.
He told Veromerol MX that he donated towards housing projects in Columbia and anti-sexual harassment and anti-childhood cancer organizations in Spain.
He has a black Chevrolet SUV but no driving license, so his team members operate the vehicle.
