Nadine Lustre Enters A Whole New World In Her “Donuts” Music Video Featuring Apl.de.Ap – Exclusive
In the new music video for her latest track, the Filipina pop star steps into a mythical Filipino-inspired universe — and further into her own evolution as an artist.
Nadine Lustre is entering a whole new world.
Released on September 18, 2026, the music video for her latest track, “Donuts,” featuring the Grammy Award-winning artist Apl.de.Ap, sees the 32-year-old actress-singer in a sprawling, fictional terrain where open grasslands and Filipino-inspired imagery collide with a contemporary edge. The new world she inhabits on screen reflects something happening beyond the music video too, particularly in her continued expansion of the scope of what she can do as an artist.
The visualizer places her in the role of a warrior princess, moving through a lawless and oppressive landscape. On the inspiration behind the visuals, Lustre shares how she wanted to draw from Filipino history, spirituality, and fashion, weaving references into the video’s setting, styling, and production design.
“The video connects to the bigger creative direction of the album, which explores transformation, stepping into your power, and becoming more comfortable with who you are,” Nadine shares with Billboard Philippines. “I wanted that world to feel rooted in being Filipino, with those influences woven into the setting, styling, and imagery in a subtle way.”
It is a world that Lustre helped shape herself, with her role behind the scenes allowing the music video to become an extension of her artistic identity. Still, expanding her craft hasn’t meant doing everything herself, the multi-hyphenate star explains, “Everyone brought their own perspective, from the styling and production design to the movement and how everything would look on camera.”
“Donuts” was officially released on September 4, 2026, following her comeback single, “Personal,” which arrived on July 31, 2026. Initially intended to be a solo track, Lustre and her team eventually decided that another voice could give the track even more flavor. Apl.de.Ap became that welcome addition, blending his unmistakable hip-hop delivery with Lustre’s pop and R&B-leaning sound.
Lustre had to work up the nerve to ask the global music icon to join the song, saying, “I had the opportunity to meet him earlier this year. I was shy about asking him to collaborate at first, but I knew I would regret not even trying. So I went for it, and I’m really glad I did.”
Once the Black Eyed Peas’ founding member came on board, the song gained another personality without requiring Lustre to abandon her own. She says their respective influences already had enough common ground to make the pairing feel natural.
“I think there was already a lot of room for our sounds to meet. Pop, R&B, and hip-hop have always been part of what I listen to, so having Apl on the track felt natural. His voice and delivery brought another personality to the song, which was exactly what we were looking for,” she shares. “Hearing him perform lyrics we had written was exciting because he gave them his own character. It reminded me that a song can keep evolving when you let someone else bring their perspective into it. That’s something I want to stay open to creatively.”
For Apl.de.Ap, the young singer-songwriter’s willingness to experiment is a part of what makes her distinctive. “Nadine is both free spirited and a detailed president! Her music and sound is that Siargao feel, but beautifully perfected and complex. She’s really multi-faceated and it shows in her music,” he explains.
The legendary rapper also sees “Donuts” as an opportunity to move outside the expectations attached to their respective careers.
“We’re all a lot of different things, shaped by different experiences. For me, collaborating with someone like Nadine was cool to see and hear what her fans really like, which is different from where BEP has been these last several years. But like, I’m not just BEP. I make music with rappers and rockstars. I got a lot of different genres I want to explore and I’m sure other artists do too.”
“Donuts” also gives Lustre room to experiment with sound, identity, and creative direction. And while the warrior princess she plays is entering an unfamiliar world, Lustre herself appears increasingly comfortable doing the same — pushing beyond familiar categories and discovering how far her artistry can stretch.
Listen to Nadine Lustre’s latest single “Donuts” featuring Apl.de.Ap below:
Frequently Asked Questions
Nadine Lustre’s “Donuts” video places her as a warrior princess in a Filipino-inspired fictional world, reflecting her album’s theme of transformation and personal power.
Grammy-winning Apl.de.Ap of the Black Eyed Peas features on Nadine Lustre’s “Donuts,” blending her pop-R&B sound with his hip-hop delivery.
“Donuts” was released September 4, 2026, following comeback single “Personal” on July 31, 2026. Its music video premiered September 18, 2026.
Nadine Lustre met Apl.de.Ap earlier in 2026 and later asked him to collaborate on “Donuts,” a track originally planned as a solo release.
The “Donuts” video draws on Filipino history, spirituality, and fashion, woven subtly into its setting, styling, and production design.
