Filipino Artists You Didn’t Know Were Gamers — SB19, BINI, Nadine Lustre, Lea Salonga, And More
From Valorant to Cyberpunk, these artists are certified gamers.
Josh Cullen: Courtesy of @josh_cullen_s. BINI: Courtesy of ABS-CBN Entertainment. Lea Salonga: Photographed by Billy Bustamante.
Lea Salonga: Photographed by Billy Bustamante.
Video games are one of the best ways to sit back, relax, and unwind from a stressful day. That’s why it doesn’t come as a surprise that many artists and musicians turn to video games as one of their hobbies — and they’re good at it.
Whether it’s Josh Cullen getting an ace in Valorant, Lea Salonga playing Horizon Zero Dawn, or BINI Stacey going at it in GTA, these artists prove that you can be a gamer and still kill it on the stage.
Check out our list of artists that you may or may not know are gamers below.
SB19
Courtesy of @officialsb19
It’s no secret that the boys of SB19 are hardcore gamers, and what’s pleasantly surprising is that they’re really good at it. Josh in particular regularly competes in show matches and streams his gameplay for the first-person shooter game Valorant. There’s even a clip of him knifing fellow SB19 member Justin de Dios during a Valorant show match for the APAC Predator League held in January of this year. Josh also plays games like The Last of Us, Call of Duty, Counterstrike 2, and more.
Nadine Lustre
Remember Nadine’s iconic Josie Rizal cosplay? It wasn’t just for show — the actress-singer really is a long-time gamer. She grew up with her brothers playing video games, so aside from Tekken, she’s also played Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, and the like.
Lea Salonga
Veteran and award-winning theatre actress and singer Lea Salonga is not your ordinary superstar. She also loves playing video games and isn’t afraid to show it. Some of the video games she’s raved about in recent years are Horizon Zero Dawn, Assassin’s Creed, Death’s Door, and God of War: Ragnarok.
James Reid
James Reid photographed by Gucci Philippines at the Gucci Philippines After Party.
James Reid has been outspoken before about his support for the Filipino e-sports community. In the past, he’s been seen playing Tekken and even opened up about how he really considers himself as a gamer. His love for gaming started when he got his first console, the Nintendo 64. And, as they say, the rest is history.
Saab Magalona
When she’s not busy running a business, hosting her podcast, or singing in her band Cheats, Saab Magalona is a tried and true gamer. In fact, her band is named Cheats because all of the members like to play video games. She’s even streamed some of her gameplay in the past, playing games like Cyberpunk.
BINI
BINI photographed by Mayks Go for Billboard Philippines Women in Music.
Billboard Philippines Women in Music Rising Star awardees BINI aren’t your average girl group. BINI Stacey has been seen streaming GTA, and the girls even poked fun and recreated the classic “GTA walk.” Mikha likes to play Call of Duty Mobile while fans have joked that Maloi is the “Miya ng Pinas (of the Philippines),” referencing the character from Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.