Michelle Dee On Finding Her Rhythm In Music: “It speaks a certain language that only your heart can feel.”

Michelle Dee has slayed the stage and graced the screens on both television and film. Now, she is ready to shake up the music industry and bring her authenticity as a “full-blown, multi-faceted creative.”

Building her reputation as a determined and multifaceted creative — a beauty queen, actress, and advocate, Michelle has always used her place in the public eye to inspire. As a beacon of inspiration, she remains grounded in vulnerability and authenticity, especially through her music.

“Music plays a huge role in my life. You know, I grew up as a loner; I grew up as a very independent child. So, music in itself has helped me through probably some of the most major milestones and decision-makings in my life.”

“It speaks a certain language that only your heart can feel and sometimes everyone will interpret that in a different way.” Michelle sees her music as a way to help people go through and deal with the same emotional process that she experiences. Music, in itself, acts as an extension of not just her life, but also speaks for those who can relate to it.

As an individual, Michelle champions embracing one’s authenticity, which ties back to what catapulted her career to where it is today. Speaking about her journey as a beauty queen, she says, “It wasn’t bringing home that fifth crown.
It was really how people saw that hard work, that authenticity, and how that touched so many people’s lives.
It’s really that reflection.”

As the daughter of Melanie Marquez and the granddaughter of director Artemio Marquez Sr., the world of pageantry and showbiz seemed set in stone for her early on. But despite her family lineage, she doesn’t attach herself to opportunities or projects that don’t genuinely speak to her, “It’s never just about being who people expect me to be.
I always have to find the purpose in everything I do.”

Acting helped her become more relatable and emotionally vulnerable, as she was someone who used to be very stoic and kept her emotions to herself. The same goes for beauty pageants. Believe it or not, she wasn’t ready for the grand stage.

She explained that behind the glitz and glamour of being a beauty queen, it’s also as demanding and intense as competing in the Olympics. “You’re training and you fly alone.
You don’t have your team.
You don’t have your coaches.
It’s a process.
You really have to have the mental fortitude to go through all of that,” she shares.

Meanwhile, the transition to becoming an artist didn’t happen overnight. Some may see her venture into music as a side quest, but it has always been part of Michelle’s plan. She was part of a glee club in grade school and was a theater kid in high school, with her first play being Wicked and playing the role of Fiyero (played by Jonathan Bailey in the film adaptations).

Growing up, Michelle drew inspiration from artists who helped shape her life — ranging from The Beatles and Justin Bieber to Shawn Mendes and BLACKPINK, “My taste in music evolves as I evolve also,” she says.

The music industry is a realm full of possibilities, with opportunities to collaborate with fellow creatives one could ever dream of. She hopes to work with international Filipino artists like Apl.de.ap of the Black Eyed Peas and Jessica Sanchez.

On the local side, performing and collaborating with P-pop leaders SB19 and BINI would be a dream. Both groups have taken full control of their identity, music, and brand, all the while being frontrunners of a global movement. “More than anything, I want to collaborate with creatives that have that same drive to be different, to go global,” she shares.

Today, the industry has evolved into more of a collaboration than a competition, as seen in how local artists support one another in their efforts to go global. “That’s the whole point of the bayanihan (community) spirit. We’re all in this together,” she adds.

“We’re at that precipice of really breaking that global standard, and we’re catching up really, really quickly in all forms of the industry, whether that’s in film, movies, [or] music.” For the longest time, Filipinos were only known to be biriteras (loud, forceful singers that emphasize high notes). “And there’s nothing wrong with that,” she says. “But it’s nice that we’re actually able to break into the pop scene.”

The groundbreaking collaboration between ABS-CBN’s Star Music and GMA Music has been a blessing for Michelle. Being able to work with the best of the best reflects her belief that it takes a village to create something meaningful. She states, “Although I am the person in front of the camera, there’s a whole village behind the scenes.”

“You want to work with people that are experts in their field, so that you can focus on what you’re an expert on, and that just creates a great product.” As an artist, Michelle is hands-on most of what the final product would turn out to be. “Music is your most personal work. It’’s not like acting where you’re giving justice to a world that was written for you to portray […] There’s no other better person to tell that story than the artist itself.”

Michelle’s approach to music stems from the same roots as her process in pageantry and acting, emphasizing that it has always been about the audience. Before she even recognized her own potential as an artist, it was her supporters who believed in her first, “So, everything I do is to give back to them also.”

“Reyna” was a one big thank you to her pageant journey. “The fact that what brought me success is not even winning. It’s actually losing,” she explains.

Additionally, as a fearless advocate for autism awareness and inclusivity, Michelle believes it’s not just about the projects, but about how you walk the talk and inspire others: “The best thing I can do is to make sure that I stay the same, but constantly evolving.”

She recently performed “Reyna” during National Autism Month at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, sharing the stage with the true stars of that night, the talented individuals on the spectrum. “‘Reyna’ is not just for the beauty queen industry; it’s for every queen. It’s about seeing your potential as an individual, and seeing the potential of other people also,” she states.

Looking ahead, more music is on the horizon, not just a single, but a full album. Her next release, which she describes as “anthemic,” builds on the empowering message of “Reyna.”

“If ‘Reyna’ is about finding yourself and saying ‘No!’ to the naysayers, and believing in yourself, this [new single] is about what you want to do and how the world tries to make you do other things. But at the end of the day, you have to choose what matters to you,” she reveals. That message, she hints, will be the central theme of her upcoming album.