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.

1. 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).

2. 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

3. What is your favorite Filipino food?

Sinigang.

4. 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.

5. What are the most awesome things about being Filipino?

There’s always food because the people are hospitable <3

6. 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!

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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!

10. What are the top 5 places to visit on your bucket list?

Maldives, Galapagos, Bahamas, Peru (Machu Picchu), Africa (African safari)