How music shaped—and saved—these rock-loving celebs
Acting is their bread and butter. But at one point in their respective careers, Glaiza de Castro, Rhian Ramos, Arci Muñoz, Rayver Cruz, and Matt Lozano dabbled in music, with varying degrees of commitment and success.
De Castro, a pop and folk rock-leaning singer-songwriter, has four studio albums under her belt. Muñoz and Lozano were former band vocalists—the former for the metal group Philia, the latter for the pop-rock quartet Cygnet. Ramos and Cruz, meanwhile, are more than happy to drop a single here and there.
And in their upcoming movie, “Sinagtala,” these celebrities had the rare opportunity of living—and reliving—their rock star fantasies on the big screen. And if we hadn’t known any better, we would have probably thought that they had formed an actual band, after seeing them play together live—instruments and all.
With Cruz on lead vocals, De Castro and Lozano on guitars, Muñoz on bass, and Ramos on drums, the five actors brought the house down at “Sinagtala’s” recent press conference and premiere night, and regaled fans with performances of the movie theme song and well-loved OPM hits.
“We felt like a real band—we did rehearsals, recordings, all those stuff. And I’m happy that we were able to create a good dynamic. It has been really fun. It’s not every day we get to do media events like this, where we can jam together and loosen up when we’re feeling a little nervous,” De Castro told Lifestyle.
While music’s ability to entertain and inspire is undeniable, the actors’ appreciation for the craft goes far deeper. In times of solitude, music kept them company. In times of sadness, music gave solace. And in times of uncertainty, music showed them the right direction.
“When I was young, people at school thought I was weird because I had different interests. I went through a phrase when I felt like people didn’t get me. So, at home, I would just stay in the attic and play music. And it was through writing lyrics that I was able to express my emotions,” said De Castro, whose musical inclinations were shaped early on by her musician parents, who formed a band called The Alcris Duet in the 1980s.
Little did she also know that music would lead her to some of her life’s truest, most lasting friendships—like the one she shares with Angelica Panganiban. The two have known each other since their early teens, as costars in the 2002 youth-oriented program “Berks.” They haven’t looked back since.
“There was a time when she randomly sent me lyrics and I wasn’t quite sure how to respond. So, I just sang over the words, trying to compose a song with my guitar. I sent it to her. She then got back to me, crying and telling me that the song was beautiful,” De Castro related. “We would go on to write more songs, some of which made their way into some of my albums.”
‘Demonic’
Like De Castro, Muñoz once felt like an outcast. She loved listening to heavy metal, a genre some people ignorantly associate with the occult. “They claim it’s demonic!” she said, laughing. But if only those in the peanut gallery bothered giving her lyrics a second look, they would know that her songs—like “Condemned”—actually read like devotionals.
“There’s a lot of misconception about the music I make. But songs like ‘Condemned,’ for instance, talk about God’s grace. We’re all sinners, but we’re forgiven. He inspires us to continue with life,” she told Lifestyle.
There were many instances in Ramos’ life when she felt she was better off keeping her fears and troubles all bottled up. What’s the use of opening up, she thought, when no one would understand her anyway? But time and time again, she said, “music proved me wrong.”
“Have you experienced hearing a song—a song you have heard many times before—in the right place, at the right time? Suddenly, that song you didn’t pay much attention to feels like it was written especially for you,” she told Lifestyle.
“You know exactly what the writer went through. And it’s as if the writer also knew what you were going through,” added Ramos, who pursued commercial modeling—her gateway to showbiz—because she wanted to buy a drum set that her parents couldn’t afford. “And now, I’m here!”
Happy songs
Lozano’s career had a promising start: He landed good roles on television; his band won a talent search and landed not a few gigs. And then he began to put on weight. The offers dried up. Before long, he had fallen into depression, and at one point, thought of ending it all.
“Music is a big part of my life because it became an outlet for my loneliness. I find it easier to write songs when I’m sad. And I find that it makes me feel better when I put my emotions into words,” Lozano told Lifestyle. “Now, I’m learning to write happy songs. I believe there’s something fulfilling about expressing your joy through music.”
Cruz wasn’t quite sure what he had gotten himself into when he first entered the industry as a child performer. All he knew was that he loved to dance. He was a shy kid, he recalled, but with music, he could let go of his inhibitions.
“I knew I was good at dancing. Music compels me to move my body—napapasayaw, napapa-indak ako. My shyness goes away. That’s how I got noticed in the industry. Now I also get to pursue music, as a passion and a job,” Cruz told Lifestyle.
Cruz was born to a family of singers. His late mother, Beth, used to sing for the 747 band, together with the respective fathers of Sunshine Cruz and Geneva Cruz. “I guess music has always been in me, and now it’s everything to me. I am who I am now because of music,” the actor-dancer said.
Directed by the award-winning filmmaker Mike Sandejas (“Tulad ng Dati,” “Dinig Sana Kita”), “Sinagtala”—which opens in cinemas on April 2—follows a once-promising rock band that loses its way after a series of unfortunate events, both professional and personal.
But as they pick up the pieces of their fractured dreams and relationships, Paola (De Castro), Karla (Muñoz), Isko (Lozano), June (Ramos), and Reggie (Cruz) inevitably realize that music isn’t just a distant memory, but the guiding light that helps them navigate life’s darkest times.
The story also touches on the delicate balancing act of turning one’s passion into business—a situation these actors know all too well. “Sometimes it becomes a love-hate relationship. One day, you’re so inspired, and the next day you’re not,” Ramos said.
“In times like that—just as the movie shows—we just have to be reminded why we do what we do in the first place,” she added. “The drive to do what I love is something I have lost and found many times over. And I’m ready to go over that again and again.”
