Bianca Umali
While she has always loved music and has had experience singing in fan meetings and out-of-town gigs, Bianca Umali has never fully explored that side of her as a performer.
So, it came as a surprise to her when she was recently given an opportunity by GMA Music to record her first single. And the experience, she said, was “flattering and nerve-wracking” at the same time.
“It was fun. I never thought I would become a recording artist one day. I dreamed about singing, but I never focused on achieving it. I was happy and flattered, especially after shooting the music video and singing it live for the first time,” she told the Inquirer in a recent email interview about her debut song, “Kahit Kailan.”
The sentimental pop ballad was composed for Bianca by Paco Arespacochaga of the pop-rock band Introvoys.
“It’s titled as such, because, if you listen to the song, it’s actually about someone who’s longing for a person he or she loves, but can’t have—at least not yet or not anymore,” explained Bianca, who remembers listening to “loud music” with her late father when she was a child.
“My being into music was because of my dad. We both loved loud music, but we prefer listening to it alone—not outside or at parties. There’s no specific genre. As long as it sounds great, I would go listen to it,” the 20-year-old actress related.
Given the chance, Bianca said she would love to continue pursuing music. But she will always be an actress first. “I will not leave acting,” she stressed.
In fact, Bianca has been undergoing training for the third season of “Halfworlds”—a dark action-fantasy series by HBO Asia. The eight-part offering, whose plot involves engkanto, is directed by Mikhail Red and also stars Sam Concepcion.
“I underwent audition. I was told that they handpicked names of those they wanted to see in the auditions. It was a very short list, and I was the only Kapuso talent there,” she said.
Bianca went in without much expectations, but ended up landing the job. “I was surprised when it was finally announced here. I didn’t know how to react. I was in Singapore that time when news about it broke here in the Philippines,” she said. “I had to step away from everyone else because I couldn’t believe that I would be working for an international company.”
It was surreal, to say the least: The entertainment channel whose shows she used to watch will soon air a series that will carry her name.
“I have never thought about this. When I was young, I would watch movies on HBO with my dad. Before I got ‘Halfworlds,’ I followed ‘Game of Thrones.’ I’m so excited to show what we have been working on to everyone,” she said.
Does Bianca think the project will help open doors for her on the international entertainment scene? “Hopefully. That’s the goal,” she said.