Through the listeners’ voices ringing loud and clear, Belle Mariano has been bestowed with the Listeners’ Choice Award at the inaugural Billboard Philippines Women In Music for her ballad “Bumgambilya” (Bougainvillea) at the Samsung Hall in SM Aura on March 22..
The award was presented to the beloved actress-singer by veteran actor and singer Franco Laurel.
“As a fellow actor and singer, I understand that sometimes the road to fame can be filled with roadblocks. Belle has shown true grit in facing the small challenges like detractors – which every rising star has – to big ones like the closing of her home channel,” said Laurel as he presented the award. “Through all of this Belle has proven to be a survivor and has come out bigger than ever, from conquering the small screens to dominating the music scenes.”
Belle Mariano photographed by Mayks Go for Billboard Philippines Women in Music.
Last February 29, Mariano was unveiled as one of the nominees for the Billboard Philippines Women In Music Listeners’ Choice Award, a special category meant to highlight fan-favorite chart-topping hits and their respective artists, with the winner being decided by the listeners themselves. The voting period happened from February 29 to March 20 with Mariano’s “Bugambilya”, from her 2023 EP Somber ultimately garnering the most votes.
Belle Mariano photographed by Mayks Go for Billboard Philippines Women in Music.
The other honorees at the first ever edition of Billboard Philippines Women in Music are Moira Dela Torre for the Hitmaker award, BINI for Rising Star award, Pilita Corrales for the Icon award, Ena Mori for Rule Breaker award, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid for the Powerhouse award, and Billboard Women In Music Global Force honoree Sarah Geronimo for the Woman of the Year award.
Listen to Belle Mariano’s Billboard Philippines Women In Music Listeners’ Choice Award-winning track “Bugambilya” below: