TJ Monterde—the face behind two Billboard PH Top 20 hits

TJ Monterde

His name may not ring a bell; his face not instantly recognizable. His songs, however, you’ve probably already heard.

TJ Monterde has had little television exposure. But through social media, he has, over the past few years, managed to cultivate an online following sizable enough to push two of his songs, “Tulad Mo” and “Dating Tayo,” into the recently launched Billboard Philippine Top 20—a local music chart that relies not on fan votes, but streaming numbers, video plays and digital sales.

“This is a dream come true for me. This is the reason I decided to leave my hometown in Cagayan de Oro, and try my luck in Manila,” the 27-year-old singer-songwriter, who’s now signed with PolyEast Records, told the Inquirer in a recent interview.

All about timing

“It’s overwhelming and heartening,” the singer added. “I didn’t expect that my songs, which I write mostly for my own pleasure, would end up being enjoyed by others, too. Perhaps it was all about timing.”

TJ, who used to do voice-overs for television commercials, started his music career by posting his material on YouTube, TwitMusic and SoundCloud.

Now, he’s accessible in just about every online platform. His biggest song thus far, “Tulad Mo,” which sits at No. 8 on Billboard this week, has over eight million views on YouTube and 694,000 plays on Spotify.

But because he’s not currently affiliated with a major television network or a show in which he could play regularly, a lot of people still don’t know what he looks like.

But he doesn’t mind. According to TJ, his current stature makes up for some amusing encounters with fans.

“When I do mall shows, no one would pay attention to me before I go onstage. But once they hear me play my songs, they start coming. And it’s not uncommon for some people to say, ‘Ikaw pala ang kumanta nu’n?’” said TJ, who described his acoustic music as simple and relaxing, “something one might play during a long drive.”

Perfectly content

Sometimes, he wonders how much further he could go, if given the chance to record a theme song for a film or soap.

But as things are, TJ is perfectly content. “I want to be known more as a songwriter than a singer, anyway. And I will keep writing original material,” he related.

He recently held his first solo concert, “Ikaw at Ako,” at the Music Museum, where he also launched his third album, “Kahit Kunwari.” For TJ, it was an experience that was nerve-wracking, surreal and thrilling all at once.

“Looking at the packed audience, I found myself thinking, ‘Wow, my online fans are actually real,’” he recalled, laughing. “Suddenly, the people I interact with in social media are there in front me, tangible.”