After landing lead roles in a Netflix movie and 2 TV series, Kelvin Miranda now tries singing

Kelvin Miranda

“Slow Dance,” the waltzy and dreamy debut single of Kelvin Miranda, evokes images of being on a prom dance floor—a fitting offering, the actor said, to his high school fans who missed out on the event because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Some of them weren’t able to experience that, so this ballad, in a way, is for them,” he said at a recent Zoom conference for the said song released under GMA Music.

Kelvin himself didn’t attend prom. He didn’t have money to rent, much less buy a suit. And as an introvert, he got a bit spooked when he learned that teachers were considering making him prom king.

“I didn’t want to burden my parents with what I had to wear … And things like that make me nervous or shy. I wouldn’t know how to react to that, so I would rather not go,” he told the Inquirer. “I just waited for my friends afterwards and hung out with them at home. And then they let me try on their suits!”

The 22-year-old never really felt he missed out on anything. After all, upon entering show biz and attracting a sizable following, he ended up slow dancing with his fans.

‘Not just a love song’

“That’s how I bond with the fans prior to the pandemic. When we have time, we do get-togethers, and some of which were like proms or debut parties, because some of the fans didn’t get the chance to do those. Ako na ang konsorte nila,” he related. “And that’s my way of thanking them for their support and trust. We see each other, do a program and eat together.”

Though he had some challenges recording the song, the genre is right in Kelvin’s wheelhouse: American standards, he said, has always been enjoyable to him.

“Everyone can relate to this song. This is not just a love song for your special someone, but a song you can also dedicate to your family and friends. I want this song to provide hope that, someday, we can all bond again together, when this pandemic is over, and we will all just ‘slow dance,’” he said.

Kelvin has always loved listening to music, but it wasn’t until he reached Grade 11 that he discovered that he can actually carry a tune. One time, during a school performance day, he found himself grudgingly taking over singing duties for a classmate who didn’t show up.

“I used to just play the guitar. But then I was asked to sing, because we still had to push through with the performance. And to my surprise, the teachers and other students liked my voice. That’s when I thought, maybe, I can do this,” recalled Kelvin, who was also into theater back then.

“I auditioned for a small group. I got in and made it to rehearsals. But my father didn’t allow it because the group performed in different schools around the country, and he thought I was too young for that,” he said.

Breakthrough

After a series of supporting roles, Kelvin got a career breakthrough in 2019, after landing a lead role in the Netflix movie “Dead Kids.” This year, he bagged his first two leading man roles for television through the drama series “Loving Miss Bridgette” with Beauty Gonzalez” and the romance-fantasy series “The Lost Recipe” with Mikee Quintos.

“I was just a supporting actor, so being called a leading man was overwhelming. Back then I used to wonder if I would ever book another job after I’m done with one. Now I’m surprised that I get offers,” said Kelvin, who’s also set to star in an upcoming film.

“I’m overwhelmed by all the things happening in my career. I’m adjusting and getting used to the changes … I used to have a hard time meeting new people and making small talk. I couldn’t look at them straight,” he added. “But I’m getting the hang of it, as I get more experienced. I’m excited.”

Singing is something he would also want to pursue more seriously, given the opportunity. “I don’t want to close my doors on things I potentially do. I want to explore. If it ends up not being meant for me, then it’s OK. The important thing is I tried. Because what if it does work out? I would regret not giving it a try,” he said.