Gigi de Lana returns to the music scene: ‘It’s hard to start over’

Posted by ReyFort Media

Known for her excellent covers of such songs as “Bakit nga ba Mahal Kita”, “Better Days,” and “Heart of Mine.” Gigi de Lana steps out of her comfort zone with her brand new original single, “Ulap.”

During its media launch, held at Cineplex 18 in Cubao on August 29, Gigi admitted that she now feels more free when it comes to her creativity.

“I am honestly happy because this is the beginning of my career, and aaminin ko hindi talaga ako naging hands-on from my previous projects, and now I feel more free, and I think it’s because of the guidance na binibigay sa akin ng mga katrabaho ko,” Gigi said.

(I’m honestly happy because this feels like the true beginning of my career. I’ll admit I wasn’t very hands-on with my previous projects, but now I feel much more involved and free—and I think that’s thanks to the guidance and support I’ve been getting from my coworkers.)

Gigi also mentioned that she had a hard time starting over again when she decided to part ways with her previous record label and become an independent artist.

“It’s hard to start over again, kasi na-form na yung habits mo before and yung phase minsan kasi ma-stuck ka diyan sa chapter na yan, but I think new beginnings can be wonderful kasi it let us discover who we really are,” she added.

(It’s hard to start over again, because you have formed habits from before, and sometimes you get stuck in that chapter, but I think new beginnings can be wonderful because they let us discover who we really are)

Exploring the new chapter of her life as an artist, Gigi collaborated with Paolo and Miguel of Ben&Ben for “Ulap”, with its signature folk-pop soul.

Gigi’s unique interpretation transforms the song into something deeply personal and raw.

“When I first heard ‘Ulap’, it felt like my own story. That connection inspired me to bring it to life with my own interpretation, adding subtle touches to make it sound uniquely me, tunog Gigi,” she said.

Compared to her previous releases, “Ulap” leans into gentler tones but strikes with emotional precision. Gigi’s dramatic vocal style adds depth to Ben&Ben’s composition, making the ballad both piercing and tender.

According to Gigi, one of the challenges she encountered while doing this song was how she would compose songs based on her emotions.

“One of the challenges for me is how I hold back my emotions habang kinakanta yung song, kasi you’ve known me singing na very emotional ako kapag live, so medyo nahirapan ako kasi I’m just naturally a very emotional human being,” Gigi shared.

(One of the challenges for me was holding back my emotions while singing the song. As you know, I tend to be very emotional when performing live, so it was a bit difficult—I’m just naturally a very emotional person.)

While “Ulap” is just the beginning, Gigi hints at bigger projects on the horizon, possibly an EP, album, or even a major concert. She also dreams of future collaborations, from OPM storytellers like Moira and SB19 to international icons like Adele and Bruno Mars. Through it all, Gigi remains grounded, crediting her fans for being an integral part of her journey. (C. Alcantara/mb.com.ph)