Nica del Rosario was completely fine with writing songs for other artists for the rest of her career.
With multiple Awit Awards and a number of the biggest pop hits of the 2010s and 2020s to her name, she’s established her talent as a celebrated songwriter. Her songwriter career started when she was fresh out of college, and she eventually signed on to be the first female producer at FlipMusic. Alongside celebrated pop producer Bojam de Belen, she’s co-written and co-produced a number of songs such as Sarah Geronimo’s “Minamahal” and “Tala.”
In 2017, she decided to step into the spotlight as a singer-songwriter with her debut EP, ALAS DOS. Armed with her expertise in professional songwriting, she fashions a beautiful collage of electronic drums, synthesizers, and acoustic guitar for her solo project.
She got her first big break as a frontwoman when her song “Tahanan” was featured in the soundtrack of the series Gaya Sa Pelikula. Fast forward to 2022, and she gained widespread attention for “Rosas,” which is currently nominated for the 2023 Awit Awards’ Song of the Year.
Del Rosario describes that her experience last year was a whirlwind of events. “Rosas” started gaining traction as an election campaign song, and she went from venue to venue to perform in front of thousands of crowds. She was also managing this along with her day job at FlipMusic.
The singer-songwriter admits that the experience took a toll on her creatively. This year, she says that she’s taking a step back to look for inspiration to continue writing her own songs. “[I want to] find that spark and start writing for myself again. When I find the energy, hopefully the inspiration will follow.”
As she looks for another breakthrough for herself, she stands firm that this isn’t the last that people have seen of her. “It’s been an intense ride, but I’m very grateful for what I’ve achieved so far.”
Del Rosario takes all her achievements in stride; never one to boast about what she’s accomplished so far. However, it’s clear that she’s not just a one-hit wonder — she’s consistently made her mark on music, whether behind the scenes or in front of the spotlight. As the whole country looks forward to the future of pop, Del Rosario’s voice is only going to get as stronger as ever. Just as she says to close the interview: “I still have a lot to prove and show.”
A version of this story appeared on Billboard Philippines’ pop issue, dated Oct. 15, 2023.