Yeng dreams of international musical career

THE ROCKER is a music ambassador of Singapore’s Academy of Rock. photo: yengmusic.blogspot.com

“There’s no harm in dreaming, so I might as well dream big!” singer-songwriter Yeng Constantino declared as she revealed her wish to release an album and pursue a musical career outside the Philippines.

For the 24-year-old pop-rock artist, there is no other way to prepare for it but to continue to write original compositions.

“I’ve been writing songs regularly, because I want to come up with something worthy of an Asian launch. I’m also trying to save money, so that when I’m ready to take the plunge, I’ll have enough in my pocket,” Constantino told the Inquirer in a recent interview. “I’m taking small steps.”

Since Asia is a melting pot of cultures and different backgrounds and tastes in music, will Constantino modify her music, make it safer and more pop to attract a wider audience?

Not necessarily, she said, adding that music was not about genres or what kind of sound was produced. “More than anything, music is about communication. It’s about speaking from your heart, your core,” she said.

Constantino is determined to bring her own brand of music abroad. “I’ll stick to what I do here in the country. I want to be loved by foreign music fans for what I am,” she said. “If ever something changes about my sound, that’s because of my ever-changing influences.”

Music ambassador

The red-haired rocker was just named by Academy of Rock (AOR), a music school in Singapore, as one of its ambassadors. The people behind AOR took notice of Constantino’s talent when she performed during the launch of the school’s Manila branch earlier this year.

The AOR faculty was so impressed with her original song “Salamat” that they included it in the school syllabus. In March, Constantino flew to Singapore to receive an honorary licentiate diploma from the AOR management.

As an ambassador of the school, Constantino said she wanted to give talks and share her experiences with budding musicians. “I want to be able to inspire young kids to learn music and encourage them to strive harder,” she said.

She continued, “I’m sure I’m going to learn a lot, too. Artists are like empty baskets that need to be constantly refilled. I want to keep on learning. I’ve been raring to learn how to play the drums. Being a female drummer is kind of cool!”

Asked if AOR would help her achieve her dream of becoming an international musician, Constantino said she had been hearing about plans, but nothing concrete at the moment.

“I’m thankful for all the support they give me—it makes me confident and hopeful about my prospects,” she said.

Constantino is slated to drop the music video of her second single “Chinito” from her latest album “Metamorphosis” (Star Records) very soon. Asked why she chose Enchong Dee as her leading man in the music video, Constantino said, “Why not? Well, he’s handsome, macho, and, overall, a cool guy.”

She also announced that she would be sharing the stage with rock star Bamboo in a concert in August at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. “I don’t know about Bamboo, but I’m excited and really, really nervous! I was a guest in Daniel Padilla’s show recently and I saw how enormous the Big Dome was,” she said.

In the meantime, Constantino said she would be enjoying every moment and focusing on any project that came her way. “But when (there is) an opportunity to go international, I’ll grab it with both hands,” she added.