Nineteen-year-old singer-songwriter Elisha Pontanares, Isha Ponti for short, was under the weather a few days before the launch of her debut album, "Likas."
Yet, she admirably faced the media on the actual day and even performed a few cuts from the ten-track album under Ponti Entertainment Productions.
What is impressive is that Ponti penned all the songs in "Likas," which is actually an acronym for "Longing, Illusion, Kindness, Acceptance, and Self-Love."
Ponti, who started composing songs when she was only seven, is surprisingly not a product of singing or songwriting competitions. By the time she was 13, she penned songs for her to record. "Proud To Say" was the first song she released.
"Umulan, Bumagyo" came out in 2023. "That was when I realized I do have a gift in songwriting, that's why I decided to use it," Ponti said. To date, she has written 29 songs for herself and even for other artists.
"I previously tried auditioning, but with my schedule in school and my gigs in concerts, I couldn’t accommodate TV shows and joining competitions," said Ponti. "That's why I didn't push through. I just focused on writing songs. My music is a part of me."
She added, "I pursued music, not because I want to compete, but I want to share something that could inspire people, heal them, or use my songs in any occasion. When it's Father's Day, on Mother's Day, on Christmas, Valentine's Day. So it's all about me sharing my music, not competing."
"It works for other artists joining competitions. But in my case, my problem is time and my priorities in life. My priorities are great songs and studies."
Ponti expressed her desire to eventually collaborate with artists as Sarah Geronimo, Yeng Constantino, Janine Teñoso, Maki, and other Gen Z talents.
Ponti, who is a freshman Multi-Media Arts major at Enderun College, has been tagged "Asia’s Pop Sweetheart," close to the "Pop Star Royalty" title given to Geronimo.
While Geronimo is her idol, the young artist stressed that she is a "different person."
"In my own perspective, I value my own identity as an artist. So if there are comparisons, I understand Sarah and I will have similarities and differences which will fit my qualities as an artist and a person. But I know myself and I know what's true and what's not."
'It's my story'
Ponti's album, "Likas," is about her personal experiences when it comes to love, her dreams, her heartaches, her family, and everything in between.
"It's my story," she said. "Not about the seasons in life, but about my personal experiences that can resonate with you. This album paints different scenarios."
Ponti's favorite song in her album is "Bakas," a track that puts her to sleep, a personal track for her.
"This is a phase for my moving on," she maintained. "I moved on already, although there are still remnants of him in my life. But I've accepted everything, the memories. It's easy to forgive, but not to forget."
She realized that in love, logic may be absent sometimes. "I am wiser now," Ponti said. "Despite everything that happened, there are many lessons that I learned in life. When I did my first single, I thought I couldn't finish it. But once I tried it, I could do it. I realized I could really make an album. I'm a songwriter."
"I just need to focus on my dreams, my career, my school, my studies. So it's all about longing for the dream. I realized I could turn my stories into songs. I could share my music with the people that I love and who support my career."
"Warmth" is an English track Ponti penned for her parents, Alvin and Emeelette Pontanares. "They always tell me to save some for myself and be wiser when it comes to letting people into your life," she said. "That can drain a lot of your time, your energy, and your effort. Instead of helping you flourish in life, it can lead to destruction or temptation."
"My parents are always worried about me whenever I am not okay. It's my way of telling them, 'It's okay, don't worry, I got this. This is part of life, my growth, my experiences in life. Thank you for being around.'"
"Kabanata," which stands as the carrier single, is Ponti's favorite in the album.
"After 'Kabanata,' there was still something that happened that was not nice. Despite the pain, the hurt, the destruction, I still chose to be kind. You already have a wedding song, but there's still no groom yet. It's wonderful to love someone, but you should give your love to the right person," she explained.
Classic OPM feel
When they were deciding on the overall sound of the album, Ponti simply wants to be consistent and stay true to what suits her.
"So, yes, as you can hear, the songs have that classic tone of OPM (Original Pilipino Music)," she said. "The songs of Nina, Juris in the 2000s era. 'Tell Me Where It Hurts' or 'Someday, Someone's Gonna Love Me.' I hope to bring that back as well. Since I'm a 2006 baby, those are the songs that I really love singing and love listening to."
The tracks in the album, which she completed in four months, all have one-word titles.
Ponti said "Likas" taught her to be "resilient" amid the challenges she faced in her life.
"I still need to be kind to others even if they trampled on me," she said. "Be true to yourself. Even if you're hurting, be honest."
Ponti's music undoubtedly inspires as she is nominated in two categories in the 17th Star Awards for Music of the Philippine Movie Press Club. She earned citations for Christmas Song of the Year for "Christmas With You" and New Female Recording Artist of the Year.
The young artist will launch "Likas" in a concert on June 20 at the Viva Café. She will be joined by a special guest. The album's musical director, Adonis Tabanda, who will also work with Ponti in the concert.