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KEEPINGITREAL

Life is indeed a song. Five of the Philippines most exciting singers share how life is like for an artist in these strange new times

Yeng Constantino is going back to the basics when it comes to her music. The multi-awarded hit maker has gone a long way from her days as a contestant in Pinoy Dream Academy to being a judge herself in numerous reality talent shows. Even now as a member of DIVAS, together with KZ Tandingan, Kyla, and Angeline Quinto, she still prioritizes writing music for herself. And she’s currently making a follow-up to her iconoclastic Synthesia. She describes how the process for the album in the making is markedly different compared to her signature pop rock sound and even moreso the album it succeeds. “Parang hindi ko ini-intend to be different this time. Gusto ko lang na gawin siya kung paano dumarating sa akin. Walang formula. Pakiramdam ko nag jo-journey lang ako day to day. I don’t think [too] much [about it].”

Working with rock icon Raymund Marasigan for her album has tapped into her core once more as a musician. “I’m just opening my heart kung ano man ang input niya sa songs that I wrote sa taon na ‘to,” she shares, noting how they dress the songs up as they go along, in a manner that may seem counter-intuitive, but makes complete sense to Yeng. “Siguro sa age ko na rin now, when I create music now, parang tinitreat ko na person ‘yung music. Walang agenda sa kanya. Kung iisipin ko na ‘this should be a hit song’ parang pinakinabangan ko na siya agad hindi pa nga siya dumarating. I don’t want my relationship to be like that with music anymore.”

This time, Yeng is going back to her raw truths and wants her music to mirror her passage into her life, her heart. Here is an artist that rejects the comfortable and predictable, an evergrowing soul. “Ang ikli na lang ng buhay para magrun around in circles sa kung anong magpapasaya sa’yo. You never know when ka mawawala sa industry. Just do things that make you happy and be strategic about it. If it’s not bad for you and not bad for your career, why not do it?”

Besides an album in the coming months, Yeng is also a blooming actress and auteur. She is set to produce a musical film with TBA Studios, together with the producers of her two indie films, and we might see her in the theater in the near future. Who knows? Certainly she does.

“YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN KA MAWAWALA SA INDUSTRY. JUST DO THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY AND BE IT” STRATEGIC ABOUT