Julie Anne San Jose
In “Limitless,” Julie Ann San Jose’s upcoming documentary-inspired musical special, the singer travels around the Philippines, using her voice to relate with people in quaint towns and the most picturesque of landscapes. Stripped of show biz’s trappings, she presents herself at her most vulnerable.
“I will be sharing music that has become special to me. I will be talking about how I started, and why I write songs—all while showing hidden gems in the Philippines. I’m sharing a piece of my heart here. And I have never been this vulnerable in a show,” she said at a recent virtual conference for the project. “So this is new to me because people usually see me at work.”
The first leg of the three-part series, which will premiere on Sept. 17, will have Julie Anne exploring various spots in Mindanao. One of the highlights, she related, was playing music at the La Palmera Mountain Ridge in Sultan Kudarat, where she couldn’t help but turn emotional while reminiscing about challenging moments in her career.
“I rarely rarely speak about my emotions and struggles. People always see me laughing … kunwari OK lang. But I’m also human and feel the same things. You will see that here,” she said. “It was overwhelming.”
Pent up emotions
And true to the series’ “Breathe. Heal. Rise.” theme, the filming experience allowed her to release all her pent up emotions and simmering frustrations because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There’s a part in the series’ trailer where I say, ‘Ang tagal ko nang kinikimkim.’ And I think I was speaking for everyone and everything we’re going through because of the pandemic. And we’re all affected in different aspects … I said that because all of us want to be free from the pandemic and see the world again,” she said.
Being able to travel in this period—despite all the restrictions—was a much needed breath of fresh air. “Traveling is something we all miss. There are a lot of changes and adjustments in the industry right now. I’m grateful we had this breather. We feel like weight has been lifted off our shoulders, ” she said.
She’s excited for the two remaining legs, which will be held in Visayas and Luzon. “This is more than an online show. It has led to realizations that there’s still life beyond the pandemic. I can’t reiterate enough that there’s so much to see out there. And I want people to experience this journey with me,” she said.
Warm welcome
In the beautiful places she visited were equally beautiful people who warmly received Julie Anne and the rest of the production team.
“We spent time with the locals and learned a lot from their culture, which is important … It was heartening to see them open up themselves to us. They trusted us,” related the singer-actress, who was joined by Christian Bautista and “The Clash” alum Jong Madaliday from North Cotabato. She also worked with musical director Myke Salomon (“Rak of Aegis”).
Though the pandemic has limited the way people move and interact with each other, there are still moments, Julie Anne said, when she feels limitless.
“I feel limitless whenever I discover new things about myself and my capabilities. I don’t get tired learning things I can apply to myself. I always have this hunger for honing my talents and maximizing them. That really makes me happy,” she related. “I just want to keep improving myself.”
“My purpose in life is sharing my experiences and the talent God lent to me with people. I want to use those skills to relate and connect with people. I want to make them happy and entertained in my own little way, whether it’s through acting, singing or playing instruments,” she added.
Produced by GMA Synergy, “Limitless” is directed by Paolo Valenciano. For viewing, ticketing, and other information, log on to www.gmanetwork.com/synergy. INQ