Filipino Singer Ylona Garcia—the international superstar in the making has released a new song and is performing at the Head in the Clouds music festival in LA. Tatler caught up with her before the big show
Ever since finishing her stint in the Filipino reality show Pinoy Big Brother, Ylona Garcia has been on the rise. The Filipino Australian singer and actress landed her first acting role and was signed by a record label. She’s also amassed a following thanks to her bubbly personality and powerful voice, often compared to Ariana Grande. It’s no surprise she’s an international star in the making.
On her continued superstardom, Garcia has recently signed to Paradise Rising, a label under 88Rising that focuses on Filipino artists. 88 Rising is the label of Asian artists such as Gen T honouree Rich Brian and Asia’s Most Influential Culture List honouree, Jackson Wang. The powerhouse singer released a new single, Don’t Go Changing shortly after arriving in the US to prepare as one of the performers at the upcoming Head in the Clouds festival at the Rose Bowl Stadium.
Ahead of Garcia's performance, Tatler caught up with the songstress to chat about her new song, her music career and her advice to aspiring singers.
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You joined the reality show, Pinoy Big Brother in the Philippines. Why did you decide to do so?
Honestly, I didn’t want to go for it because I wanted to focus on finishing my studies. But with the continuous encouragement from my parents, I realised that maybe this could be something that’ll serve as a stepping stone for my ambitions. I went for it and it served me well—lessons learned and on top of that, I finished my studies.
During your time there, you already showcased your talent in singing, did you know that you’d eventually pursue music?
I decided to truly pursue music as a career when I was 16 years old. That might sound as a contradiction when I started my career when I was 13 years old, but I felt as though I had some sort of realisation that this life chose me and presented opportunities that others may have the chance to only dream of, and now I have to make the conscious decision whether to choose it or not.
Looking back, how much do you think you’ve changed and grown as an artist?
With almost six years into this business, I feel I can confidently say that my resolve as an individual has grown but my heart remains the same.
You’ve spent the last year in Australia, briefly went to the Philippines and now in the US. How has that been for you? Have you learned anything new?
I’ve learned that there’s only so much your body can handle. You have to make sure to take a minute and see how your body feels then go from there.
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