OUR COVER
Young entertainer signs up for a career
in the Philippines
PHILIPPINE entertainment agency signs up
promising young Filipino-Australian singer from
Mount Druitt to a music contract
Following an audition at Star Image
Management studios in the Philippines,
18-year-old Elysa Villareal was signed up to
a three-year contract
This meant Elysa would interrupt her
university studies, leave her family, and
move to Manila to pursue a singing career
seriously.
The Filipino-Australian has a
background of performing at Sydney
concerts and reality television shows.
Elysa flew to far away England to take
part in the X-Factor UK last year, reaching
the ‘Six Chair Challenge’ stage.
Indeed, she has been testing her singing
talent as often as she had a chance to.
But to Elysa, her music contract in the
Philippines was brightest moment.
"This was my dream,” she says.
“That’s why I have joined reality TV
shows, to be recognised in the Philippines.
“So I feel very blessed to have been
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By VIOLI CALVERT
given an opportunity to have a music
career.
“I will have to cancel my enrolment in
university in Sydney for now; I will have to
move to the Philippines.
Elysa had been invited by freelance
public relations consultant Bianca Lapus
to perform at the Ayala Malls, but her flight
was cancelled and she didn’t go.
“Then I was also invited to perform for
Wish 107.5 in the Philippines and my mum
decided to just risk it,” she said.
“So we went to the Philippines not
knowing what would happen.
“We just prayed ,and God gave us all the
signs again.
“I was invited to audition for Star Image
Artist Management and from there I was
given a music contract."
Wish 107.5 is a Philippine all-hits FM
radio station whose YouTube channel
boasts one of the highest number of
subscribers which recently reached two
million.
Elysa became part of the celebration
over this milestone.
She sang three songs: Saludo by Quest,
Dahil Sayo by Inigo Pascual and Mahal Ko o
Mahal Ako by KZ Tandingan.
This event involved artists from around
the world including Australia's X-Factor
2014 winner Marlisa Punzalan.
Would she consider acting in the future?
"Yes, I do consider acting po," Elysa
said. n
AK NewsMagazine, Vol 8 No 5 | FEBRUARY 2018
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