MANILA -- Kyla, the country's Queen of R&B, is officially back with a brand-new album after seven years.
Titled "Next Episode," the record was released at midnight, signaling a new chapter in the singer’s celebrated career.
“I feel so relieved... finally maririnig niyo na 'yung ilang years namin in the making na ginawa na album,” Kyla said at her listening party Thursday, ahead of the album's official release. “I hope na when you listen to the songs, ma-inspire kayo, mabigyan ng hope 'yung hearts niyo, ma-encourage kayo, and ma-in love kayo, and ma-happy kayo.”
Reflecting on her 25 years in the industry, Kyla admitted that the journey was never easy, but her heart for R&B never wavered.
“Since 25 years ago, I held on to that R&B heart. I fought for it, hanggang 25 years until… finally, I can say na they have embraced R&B dito sa Pilipinas,” she said.
OPM singer Kyla
With the rise of a new generation of R&B artists, Kyla’s advice to Gen Z musicians is simple but powerful: “Stay true to yourself. Don’t change the way you sing or interpret just because someone else is telling you to. Express yourself through music.”
Alongside her new album, Kyla is set to headline her 25th anniversary concert, “The Kyla Soundscape,” happening on October 18 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater. The concert promises a carefully curated repertoire that highlights Kyla’s evolution as an artist.
She revealed how hands-on she was in shaping the show’s musical direction: “We carefully handpicked every song sa repertoire. I talked to my musical director a lot about the flow of the songs and how we would want to rearrange them.”
Fans can expect a mix of her greatest hits and tracks from "Next Episode." One standout is the vocally demanding "Back to Bliss," which Kyla described as “a really, really hard song to sing.”
“The whole concert will be the Kyla soundscape everything people know and love about me and my music,” she added.
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