This year has proven to be one of the most exciting and challenging chapters in singer-songwriter Isha Ponti’s life. Apart from being a full-time Multimedia Arts sophomore student at Enderun College, she is now also a full-fledged recording artist, having launched her debut album Likha along with her first solo concert just last June. In an exclusive interview with PUSH ABS-CBN, Isha admitted that launching her singing career almost didn’t happen this year because of so many factors.
“It was very unexpected for me because I didn’t expect that I would finish the album that early in the year. So I was planning to cancel the album launch sa birthday ko. But it came to a point na I just had to push myself in order to finish the album. Although, ang dami pang songs na nagawa na drafts, but I think the Likas album story was clearly communicated naman through the 10 songs I’ve mad so far (laughs),” she shared during the Raymond Gorospe: My Story, My Music concert presscon held at the Tikme Dine restaurant in Quezon City.
READ: Isha Ponti comes out with debut album of all-original tracks
Now that she finally has an album out, as well as singing engagements such as being part of the lineup of special guests in her unclde Raymond Gorospe’s first major concert, Isha admitted she has yet to accept that she is an OPM recording artist. “No, it’s still sinking in. I think I’m still not a full-blown artist yet (laughs). Hindi ko pa rin maramdaman yun kasi yung mundo ko kasi ngayon is mostly school. Wala eh, hindi ko pa maramdaman yung nararamdaman ng fellow artists ko katulad nila Maki, Angela Ken, etc. na talagang naka-focus na sila sa career nila,” she said.
Isha admitted she even still gets starstruck when watching other artists perform on stage. “Oh my goodness, definitely I got starstruck with Jaya. I watched her last show niya dito before she went to Texas nung September. Grabe na-starstruck talaga ako. Ever since the show started, hindi na ako umihi kahit naiihi na ako nun (laughs). Like wow, I was in awe of her performance, her stage presence and aura.“
Another artist that tops her list is Sarah Geronimo. “Ever since I was a child, si Sarah Geronimo na talaga is the person I look up to the most. So that will never change. My answer will never change. I’ve never met her but that would be a dream.”
READ: Singer Isha Ponti holds debut concert
October also marks Isha’s debut as a concert producer, as she and her mom are giving their all out support for her uncle Raymond Gorospe’s one-night only concert. “When I first did my solo concert, napag-usapan na namin na what if I did my own production company and when I did start a company, what if I produce concerts and help other artists make music and also share their talents and songs. Dun na namin napag-desisyunan na what if yung first project namin is yung show ni Tito Raymond? Kasi he’s the most influential person in our family when it comes to the entertainment industry. Right now, I oversee everything sa concert niya. From the LEDs, the designs, the posters. Because I’m using my learnings from school to apply it here. I’ll also perform with him. Because me and my mom are the producer of the concert. It’s fun and yung mga kanta na pinili namin ni tito, sakto siya because I love Disney and Broadway music kaya it will bring back the times na kumakanta ako sa mga gatherings namin.”
Growing up, Isha said that her uncle also had an influence on her as a singer, particularly because of how he helped open her eyes to the entertainment industry. “When I was young, I was so intimidated by my uncle. Kasi nga he’s the person that we look up to when it comes to the entertainment industry. Kasi siya lang yung kilala ko sa family namin na talagang hardworking siya when it comes to finding auditions, mga projects. Wala talaga akong masasabi kay Tito, hustle talaga. If you follow his journey, grabe, wala talaga akong masabi. Isa siya sa mga hinahangaan ko sa entertainment industry. It’s really nice to work with my uncle kasi marami akong natututunan and it’s also very insightful kasi ang dami na niyang experiences sa advertising industry so it was really an eye-opener for me as a student also who is in the advertising and multimedia path. Tito is not very techie, which I understand naman. But I think it was easy naman to teach Tito how to send the files or organize the materials to be used naman. Na-ge-gets naman ni Tito pag nag-send na ako ng instructions sa kanya on how to save or download stuff (laughs).”
Watch Raymond Gorospe: My Story, My Music, on Oct. 2, 2026, at the Celebrity Club in Quezon City. Special guests include Isha Ponti, Ima Castro, Jojo Abellana, Madonna Decena, Jong Cuenco, Jonathan Badon, Mike Austria, and many more.