Owning Your Voice

PARADISE RISING’s Ylona Garcia Finally Owns Her Voice

What were we doing in our youth? I ask myself that question in respect of today’s digital landscape. A healthy culture of self-love, accountability and allyship permeates the younger generation, made possible by the power of technology and social media. Truth be told, I do feel a generation gap. While we found ways to listen to Taylor Swift’s Fearless

(not Taylor’s version) pre-Spotify and navigated the genesis of social media while pouring out our feelings on personal blogs, we didn’t really go beyond our own lived experiences. But in self-isolation, I’m learning that’s valid, too.

We’re in the second quarter of 2021, still moving forward to an uncertain future, but with it, a discovery—a clarity—of our being. We’re emerging as different versions of ourselves, versions we’ve learned after a year of the longest lockdown in the world. This may mean confronting ghosts within and going through a whole lot of unlearning, which for many have become crucial steps towards becoming.

Owning Your Voice

Christopher Esber knitted top and skirt, Sol Sana heels, Holly Ryan hoop earrings.

At 19 years old, PARADISE RISING’s newest addition to the family, Ylona Garcia, is a singer, songwriter, producer and actress all rolled into one, but she considers herself, simply put, an artist. She clarifies, “I just classify myself as an artist. An artist produces art, and art can come in many forms—making music, performing, songwriting or acting.”

Quarantine may have thwarted our day to day, but with all the time spent at home, we’re finding that creatives flourish in self-isolation. Ylona first appeared on 88rising’s virtual concert, Asia Rising Forever, in May of 2020. Now, she joins the PARADISE RISING family, the brainchild of 88rising’s Sean Miyashiro and telco giant Globe Telecom, which is embracing a new breed of Filipino talent.

With the help of technology and countless hours on Zoom, her empowering self-love anthem, All That, created alongside Grammy-nominated producer, Michael Fatkin, and Peter Hanna, is finally out. Ylona notes, “I got to spend more time with myself [in quarantine], and I annoyingly learned a lot about who I am as a person.” She adds, “When I got to fly over to Australia to be with my family, I was also given the chance to go to the studio and say everything I wanted to say through music. It’s been a rather cathartic experience.”

Owning Your Voice
Owning Your Voice

BEC + BRIDGE top, Gary Bigeni jacket and trousers, Gucci logo belt, Sol Sana kitten heels

Growing Up with Ylona

Starting in the industry at the impressionable age of 13 in reality TV show, Pinoy Big Brother, growing up was fast-tracked for Ylona. Being in the public eye has contributed to her fair share of unique struggles. Ylona narrates, “Growing up in the industry was definitely a challenge that, at that time, I didn’t see. I didn’t know that you can have an opinion of yourself. I thought the only [opinions] that [are] valid are the opinions of others. I had no identity; I had no true voice; I had no idea what self-love was. I thought self-love was being selfish, to be honest. I don’t think I ever recall anything associated with self-love at school.”

 

“[It’s a journey] learning what it truly is to love yourself and also what it takes to truly take care of yourself. The moment you learn to do so, the easier it becomes to care for and love others the right way,” shares Ylona.

Owning Your Voice
Owning Your Voice

A Diamond Under Pressure

Everything changed for her at the age of 16, when she learned to filter out the voices coming from different directions, including her own. She recounts, “I went through a time where I just felt doubtful upon everything—upon my beliefs, upon myself, upon the people I surrounded myself with and upon my position in life. I was given this great opportunity to become an artist in the Philippines, yet I always found myself asking, ‘Am I supposed to be here’ or ‘Am I taking someone else’s position [who] deserves it more?’ [There were] a lot of unanswered questions…I couldn’t even sleep at night.”

On confronting her inner demons, she adds, “It’s not really something you can talk about with somebody else. I mean, you can of course, but to find out the answers you yearn for, the ticket there is starting within. For me, that took a lot of time, dedication and self-reflection. It takes commitment to heal yourself and to love yourself, so I wish you good luck, my friend.”

Owning Your Voice
Owning Your Voice

Cult Gaia cut-out dress, Seafolly bikini, Sol Sana boots

Every Body

This month at Wonder, we’re exploring our relationship with our bodies, which is a topic Ylona doesn’t shy away from. She’s struggled with her weight her whole life because, no matter how much she ate, she couldn’t gain any.

For the artist, everyone is under a constant pressure to fit these ever-changing body ideals because we’re inherently “people-pleasers.” She points out, “In my opinion, we wanna make people look at us; we wanna make people appreciate us; we wanna make people give us their attention and their time. Whether it’s [from our] parents, siblings, crush, significant other or friends, we wanna at least feel reassured that we matter through other people’s attention… I feel like that’s what it is; we just want to feel validated.”

Owning Your Voice
Owning Your Voice

Now, she has a healthier relationship with her body, as seen on one Instagram video after another of Ylona enjoying the gym with her trainer. She’s grateful for the strength of her body that can withstand anything, even when pushed to the limit. To make peace with her body, she shares some valuable lessons: “Be careful with who you surround yourself with, and be careful with what you feed your mind. You don’t want it to cost you in the long run.”

Owning Your Voice
Owning Your Voice

Onwards

Owning Your Voice
Owning Your Voice
Credits
Owning Your Voice

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Ⓒ 2022 Wonder ™ | All Rights Reserved

Photography Erwin Canlas

Art and Art Direction Alexandra Lara

Interview and Cover Story Elisa Aquino

Fashion Direction Sarah Santiago and Nicole Blanco Ramos

Styling Amy Love

Beauty Direction Cessi Treñas

Makeup and Hair Celeste Gubb

Production Wonder

Co-produced by Ash Lim

Special Thanks 88rising and PARADISE RISING