How rejection prepared ‘TnT’ finalist for his ‘time to shine’

Julius Cawaling

For singer Julius Cawaling, it’s never too late to pursue your goals. At 40, the “Tawag ng Tanghalan” Season 3 grand finalist has, at last, fulfilled his longtime dream of releasing his own single.

“I can say that life begins at 40. Who would have thought that I would have an original song at this point in my life? Everything seems to be happening one by one. At 40, I know more people in the industry … people who trust in me and my talent,” Julius told the Inquirer at a Zoom interview.

“I waited for so long… It’s every aspiring artist’s dream to have a song he or she can call his own; to have a song that can be heard by many,” he added. “I’m thankful because not everyone gets this kind of opportunity.”

Released under RJA Productions, Julius’s debut single, “Ikaw Pa Rin” is pop ballad for hopeless romantics. “It’s a song for those who are still hoping to get back together with someone, even if it ends up hurting them. You want that person to come back because you’re still holding on to the good memories,” he said of the song, which was composed by Nathaniel Cabanero.

Julius’ road to this milestone was long and riddled with obstacles. He started joining amateur singing competitions at the age of 8. And in his late teens, he started working abroad as a band vocalist, landing regular jobs in South Korea and Singapore. It was his “bread and butter.”

Hardships

But while his overseas stint gave him steady income that helped him provide for his family, Julius was still filled with “what ifs,” especially when he watched talent searches in the Philippines.

“That’s why I continued joining contests like ‘Search for a Star’ and many more. But though I had experience singing abroad, I never quite made it all the way through in the contests I entered,” he said.

In fact, Julius didn’t even make it right away in “TnT.” He auditioned for the contest’s first and second season, but managed to get in only on his third try. That was when the pendulum started swinging in his favor. “I used to think that maybe it wasn’t for me. Sometimes, I look at other hopefuls and think, ‘But I’m just as good as them, if not better,’” he recalled.

“That’s why I never lost hope. I know I can push myself more,” added Julius, who’s a big Gary Valenciano fan.

Right timing

Reaching the grand finals of “TnT” in 2019 changed his life. “I gained some good exposure from the contest; some people now recognize me in public. My career improved. I became more confident as a singer,” said Julius, who had been performing in places like Strumm’s, Hard Rock Café and Makati Shangri-La Hotel before the pandemic struck.

But it’s all about the right timing. Perhaps all the rejections he faced and all those years he spent singing abroad were to prepare him for this moment.

“When you’re abroad, you need to be able to sing everything—rock, R&B, songs in foreign languages. Those experiences are important, because they taught me not to back away from songs I’m not comfortable with,” he said. “Good things happen when you least expect them.” INQ