Denise Julia is officially stepping onto the global stage.
The Filipina R&B singer-songwriter and producer has signed with one of the most powerful talent agencies in the entertainment industry.
United Talent Agency, also known as UTA, is one of the leading talent and entertainment companies in the world, representing artists, athletes, authors, and creatives across industries.
The move comes on the heels of her partnership with EMPIRE, a San Francisco-based independent record label and distributor with a strong lineup of R&B and hip-hop acts, and her recent relocation from the Philippines to New York.
EMPIRE is an independent record label and music distributor founded in San Francisco in 2010.
Her latest single, "Changes," released via 2nd Floor Entertainment and EMPIRE, is already out on streaming platforms.
For Filipino music fans who have been following her rise, the UTA signing feels like a natural next step. But to understand just how significant this moment is, it helps to go back to where it all began.
In May, Denise announced her EMPIRE deal on Instagram. She was candid about what the milestone meant to her – and where she came from.
"All those years of writing songs in my bedroom, recording until sunrise, believing in what I heard in my heart long before the world fully listened… it all led me here!! I've officially signed to a US label. Thank you, @empire," she wrote.
READ: Denise Julia officially signs under US record label EMPIRE: 'Filipino artistry deserves space on the global stage'
She then reflected on her roots, tracing her journey back to Tondo, Manila.
"Coming from Tondo, Philippines, I never imagined the little girl making music out of instinct and pure love would one day find herself here. No shortcuts, no easy path… no nepotism (lol) 😂 just years of choosing to create through every high and low," she said.
Denise also addressed the doubts and challenges she faced along the way.
"There were moments where being misunderstood could've made me less sure of myself. But when you dedicate your life to the work, eventually the music speaks louder than the noise around it."
And for Denise, the achievement carries a meaning that goes beyond her own career.
"Being one of the first and few homegrown Filipino artists signed to a major US label is proof that Filipino artistry deserves space on the global stage exactly as we are," she said.
The numbers back up that conviction. Her breakout single "NVMD" surpassed 200 million streams on Spotify and reached the Top 20 of the platform's Global Viral chart.
Her music draws from the warmth of late-'90s and early-2000s R&B while staying firmly planted in contemporary production, a sound that has found listeners well beyond Philippine shores.
She joins a growing wave of Filipino acts, including SB19 and BINI, who are carving out space for OPM on the world stage.
—By Paolo Lim