R&B singer Denise Julia has recently surged to social media stardom with her infectious hits "NVMD" and "B.A.D."
However, her journey to success has been far from smooth sailing.
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Like many emerging artists, she has faced her fair share of challenges, and as a female musician, it's twice as tough for her.
At the press conference for TikTok Rising Philippines held at Apotheka Manila in Makati City, on February 28, 2024, Denise Julia spoke candidly about her experience, particularly how the negative comments on social media affect her to some degree.
Speaking to PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), she said, “I think it's harder being a girl.
"There's a lot of things, a lot of words, you know, that'll be thrown at you that you… can't say that to guys.
“For me, the way that I cope with it is I kind of have this like ‘Denise is like my alter ego.’
”But when I'm with my friends, you know, when I'm with people close to me, I'm really sweet like I'm actually really sweet, I'm not a ‘baddy’ like… the way that I portray when I'm Denise Julia…
“So it's important to maintain and like detach yourself from the [social media], cause that's work, you know, that's you as a public figure.”
DENISE JULIA: RISE ON TIKTOK
But she acknowledged the positive impact of social media.
When asked what factors contributed to her TikTok success, Denise Julia emphasized passion and authenticity.
“I just like sharing what I go through with love, and I feel like that's really my way to connect with my fans.
“And it's been such a habit building me as like Denise Julia...It really started like this whole movement of just like, you know, morenas like me just like having someone to look up to.”
Denise Julia also utilized the social media platform to seek feedback from her fans and casual listeners.
She continues to be amazed by the immense affection her music receives on the platform.
She said, “Through the platform, it was… a lot of like 50-50 moments where I wanna do something, but what would they wanna hear from me?
“So, in a way, when I released my first mini album, it was an accumulation of everything, so I made some tracks. I let them hear it like, ‘what do you guys think?’ like ‘do you guys like it?’
“And everything was a hit, so it’s crazy.
“I think, what made it really successful is because the platform, I think, TikTok really makes us become one.”
Stepping into bigger opportunities, the R&B singer enthusiastically talked about her upcoming shows locally and internationally, giving credit to TikTok for her growing followers.
In her words, “I have a lot of shows here and a lot of international shows too, so we are getting out there, thankfully.
“So much thanks to TikTok that I’ve reached Indonesia, Thailand, and hopefully starting a leg on the west.
“So we are definitely traveling a lot this year.”
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