Isha Ponti, Andrea Gutierrez may patutunayan sa The Next Ones

SHOWBIZ KONEK
ni Maricris Valdez

MALALIM at personal para sa tinaguriang Asia’s Pop Sweetheart na si Isha Ponti ang pagsusulat ng kanta. 

“Songwriting is like storytelling. The lyrics, the sounds—they carry emotions. When you mix it all together, you create a whole story that people can feel,” ani Isha sa media conference and launch event ng newest Christmas anthem na Wala Ka Sa Pasko.

Natutuwa ang batang kompositor kapag sinasabi ng mga tagapakinig sa kanya na naririnig nila ang sarili nilang mga karanasan sa kanyang musika. “That’s the goal—for people to interpret it in their own way and feel something real.”

Kaya naman ganito ang pakiramdam tiyak ng marami sa Pamaskong awiting handog niya, ang Wala Ka Sa Pasko na ukol sa love, longing, at true spirit ng Pasko.

Ang Wala Ka Sa Pasko ay isa lamang sa 24 original songs na likha ni Isha na sa edad 19 ay napakarami nang kantang naisulat.

“It came naturally,” ani Isha. “The emotions were just there. I wanted to tell a story that felt real—‘yung tipong Pasko pero may kulang.”

“‘Wala Ka Sa Pasko’ is a heartfelt Christmas ballad, which is about yearning. My parents always wanted me to write a Christmas song and when I finally did and I let them listen to it, my mom cried,” pagbabahagi pa ni Isha.

Samantala, iparirinig at ipakikita nina Isha at ng tinaguriang Bossa Nova Princess na si Andrea Gutierrez ng magagandang musika ang Music Museum sa kanilang The Next Ones concert sa December 13, 2025.

Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, magsasama ang dalawa sa stage para iparinig ang naggagandahang tinig at musika kasama ang iba pang rising artists gayundin ang OPM icon na si Mr. Rey Valera.

“We started as front acts. Now we get to showcase who we really are as artists,” sabi ni Isha.

“We choose the title because it’s like a declaration that we are here and we want to be heard,” dagdag pa ng dalaga.

Isang napakagandang konsiyerto ani direk Calvin Neria ang handog nila mula sa 17 awiting iparirinig nina Isha at Andrea gayundin ng kanilang mga bisita ayon sa kanilang musical director na si Adonis Tabanda.

“It was a breeze working with these two. Hindi ako nahirapan. ‘Pag gusto, react agad. ‘Pag tentative, hindi gusto, pinapalitan agad,” sambit ni direk Calvin na dumalo rin sa naturang mediacon.

“It’s our chance to pave the way—not just for us, but for other artists like us who keep chasing the dream,” nakangiting wika pa ni isha.

Nang tanungin kung kailan nila unang naramdaman na karapat-dapat sa pamagat na “The Next Ones,” sinabi ni Isha na hindi siya partikular sa label. 

“I wasn’t thinking I’m the next one. It was more of we’re the next ones. It feels like it’s our time to represent OPM in our own way like bossa nova, P-pop, OPM ballads, retro and even Elvis Presley style influences,” ani Isha.

Aminado namang overwhelming ang titulo para kay Andrea . “Nakatatakot po. Hindi ko pa rin po alam kung kailan ko na-feel na the next one ako. Until now hindi pa siya nagsi-sink in.”

Ang dahilan, ani Andrea, wala pa silang hit song kaya hindi pa nila nararamdaman na sila na ang next one. 

Sinang-ayunan naman ito ni Isha. “Normal lang na feeling mo hindi ka pa nandoon if you don’t have that third or breakthrough song. Pero I feel we’re the next ones because we represent the new generation of music. This is a new era and if you look at our journey from childhood, we’ve always looked up to OPM icons. Now we’re trying to follow in their footsteps.”