10 Questions with Xela
Xela is a singer, performing on tracks with Moophs. In addition to singing and being an avid theatre-lover, Xela also focuses her efforts on environmental issues and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Read on to learn more about Xela – her passions, her inspiration, and her roots.
- Tell us a bit about yourself.
I started doing musical theatre when I was nine and fell in love with performing. Before that, as a young girl, I always used to entertain my mom and her friends. My mom would make me do skits, sing songs, etc. — like a jester. hahaha. That’s why she had to send me to workshops over the summers, so that my hyperactive energy would go somewhere. I got into singing, acting and dancing at an early age. I also played soccer in HS. I moved to the US for college and studied contemporary music, and studied acting under renowned acting coaches Howard Fine and Anthony Meindl in Hollywood.
Outside of music and acting, I spend most of my time doing yoga and living a healthy sustainable lifestyle. I am actually about to embark on a journey to Bali soon, to get certified to be a Yoga teacher. Yoga is what balances me. I also live a green life. All natural, no chemicals, not in any cleaning sprays, not my shampoo, nothing I eat… all organic lifestyle. Something I adapted from living in California for 7 years. I also don’t use single-use plastics. This way of living helped inspire the nonprofit organization that me and my bff started, called CORA (Communities Organized For Resource Allocation).
- What first inspired you to become involved in music?
My mom is a music buff, she owns a collection of thousands of records- I’m not kidding. My parents are both in the entertainment industry, their siblings were singers, their grandparents too.. I used to watch at least a concert a week because of the nature of my parent’s jobs, and it fueled my dreams watching these artists get up on stage and pour their hearts out.
Xela with boyfriend Moophs
- What is your favorite Filipino food?
Sinigang.
- What are some of your favorite things to do or sights to see in the Philippines?
I love travelling to different islands in the Philippines and scuba diving – exploring the biodiversity underwater.
- What are the most awesome things about being Filipino?
There’s always food because the people are hospitable <3
- What were some of the musicians you listened to growing up?
Beatles, Cyndi Lauper, Hall and Oates, Fiona Apple, Arctic Monkeys, Amy Winehouse, Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks… too many!
- How would you describe your personal style?
It really varies. Just like music, I don’t have one specific genre that I listen to. My style evolves with my current state, my current character. But I would say you’ll catch me most of the time in yoga wear.
- Where do you find inspiration today?
I seek inspiration in other art. Film, theatre, music… I always feel overwhelmed and inspired when I see the capabilities of other artists. It makes you believe it’s possible. It makes you believe it’s reachable. I also seek inspiration from beautiful scenery and animals <3
- What do you like to do for fun that isn’t related to music?
Yoga, act on stage, scuba dive, travel to remote island destinations and hula hoop!
- What are the top 5 places to visit on your bucket list?
Maldives, Galapagos, Bahamas, Peru (Machu Picchu), Africa (African safari)