Dionela believes that art should always come from the heart
Up-and-coming Filipino singer-songwriter Dionela says a quality any artist should possess is genuineness. When you create any form of art, it must come from a place of authenticity and passion.
The Musika singer emphasizes the importance of allowing ideas to come naturally. "Let’s not force the song and music to exist," he says.
He recounts moments when he could create songs in a matter of minutes during bursts of creativity, while some songs remain unfinished from years ago. When releasing music, Dionela aims to provide listeners with a complete experience from start to finish. He ensures that every verse is fully developed and complements a powerful chorus, like in his latest release Sining.
The inspiration for the record struck after a museum date, where he realized simple materials like a canvas and brush could create grand pieces of art. He invited one of his musical inspirations and the king of his genre, Jay R, to hop on the track. Reverting to what he said earlier, “When you do it genuinely, everything will follow.”
Every time someone listens to his songs, Dionela aims for the music to evoke a specific feeling that resonates uniquely with each listener. “I’m not going to release music just to be relevant. I want to release music because mahal ko ang ginagawa ko,” he emphasizes.
Dionela urges aspiring musicians to “forget about the numbers,” while also discussing the importance of pursuing music without expectations. As long as you love what you’re doing and maintain consistency in mindset and practice, you can achieve a lot. The singer has maintained a sense of authenticity and honesty in his work just by being himself. “Just be you. Don’t pretend.”
I’m not going to release music just to be relevant. I want to release music because mahal ko ang ginagawa ko.
As for how he thinks the music industry can be improved for new artists, he believes that artists should be there to support one another. “I want to promote other artists. Iba ‘yung suporta ng artist sa kapwa artist.”
Dionela stands out as a rare gem in an industry where some artists churn out songs and albums merely for the sake of it. His genuine approach to creating and releasing music is refreshing—he allows the music to speak for itself, doing the work for him.
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Dionela’s latest single Sining with Jay R is out now on major streaming platforms via EMI Records Philippines.