4th Impact dismayed by lack of support in PH

4th Impact. Image: Screengrab from YouTube/GMA Network

Filipino girl group 4th Impact — consisting of sisters Almira, Irene, Mylene, and Celina Cercado — became emotional as they opened up about the lack of support in the Philippines as one of the factors that hindered their singing career in the country.

Speaking in a “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” interview last Friday, Dec. 8, the quartet lamented the lack of support in the Philippines even if “they have been trying” their best.

“Last year, ang daming nangyari sa group namin… nag-break down talaga kami,” Irene said, disclosing they’re currently based in the US. “As in gusto na namin mag-give up talaga. Pagod na rin kami.”

“Ayaw naming magsinungaling pero the reason is gusto naming mag-try doon. We have been trying here in the Philippines, pero walang nangyayari. Parang paulit-ulit na lang. Para kaming nagbe-beg [sa suporta nila],” she continued.

(Last year, so many things happened with our group, we broke down. We really wanted to give up. We’re tired. We don’t want to lie but the reason is that we want to try there. We have been trying here in the Philippines, but nothing happened. The same thing keeps happening. It’s like we’re begging for their support.)

Citing their “X Factor” days in 2015, Irene wondered if they need to be recognized internationally in order to be supported in their home country. They competed in the British talent show’s 12th season where they ended in fifth place.

“Masakit sa amin kasi hindi namin alam kung kailangan ba namin ulit maging malaki sa bang bansa para tanggapin po kami dito sa Pinas (It’s painful for us because we don’t know if we need to be recognized in other countries in order to be accepted in the Philippines),” Irene said.

4th Impact was previously under ShowBT Philippines, which happened to be the former label of P-pop supergroup SB19. Almira, however, clarified during the interview that their case was different compared to the “Gento” hitmakers.

“‘Yung case po naming magkakapatid is different from SB19 kasi sa kanila, the company invested for them eh. Sa’min kasi, naramdaman namin na, diba po sa relationship naman kung hindi ka important, parang hindi kami nabibigyan ng spotlight or whatever,” she said.

(Our case as sisters is different from SB19. In their case, the company invested for them. For us, we felt like we’re somewhat in a relationship where we didn’t feel important. It’s like they didn’t give us the spotlight or whatever.)

The apparent lack of attention urged them to part ways with the label, although Almira clarified that the quartet left on good terms. “Kaya it’s better na lang po saming maging independent [kami]. Nagpaalam po kami sa kanila nang maayos (That’s why it’s better for us to be independent. We parted ways with them on amicable terms).”

4th Impact, who also competed in the show “Superstar K6” in 2014, confirmed they’re a self-managed group in a vlog last October 2023. They released their debut single “Distorted” in the US in the same month.

The quartet also shared during their interview appearance that they dropped their self-titled album with five songs.