Akira on Chasing His Dream and Connecting to ACEs

“Fly high,” they say. For Akira, it meant two things: being a PPop artist and becoming a pilot. Surprisingly, becoming an artist is not really his primary destination. Akira talked about wanting to become a pilot before dreaming to become a successful PPop artist. Bringing up his rigid approach to his dreams, surely Akira could be a pilot while being an artist. As a college student, he juggles both his studies and work but that does not stop him from excelling in both. He takes pride not only in his own achievements but as well as his fans’, getting me kilig over his admiration and the gestures he does to show it. He finds joy in his fans' appreciation for him and the band which makes him eager to meet them after all this is through.

Below, Akira shares his plans, dreams, and how he’s getting there certainly locking in a bright future for him.

How's your studies?

Ako po first year college po ako. Bale magtatapos na po yung second sem namin this month (June), and yun mag-second year na po ako.

How's your experience of doing virtual learning?

Virtual learning, sobrang hirap. Yung online schooling po sobrang hirap niya kasi minsan po mabagal yung internet or minsan maraming ganap. So madalas di ako nakaka-attend ng synchronous meeting namin. Pero, buti mababait yung mga prof ko and naiintindihan nila yung sitwasyon ko so nakakahabol po ako kahit late yung submissions ng assignments ko, naiintindihan naman po nila.

How do you balance your work and your studies?

Nakakaya naman po, kasi po diba yung nangyari sa amin ngayon tapos meron po akong schooling, sobrang hirap niya po as in merong times na mahirap matulog kasi ang dami mong kailangang gawin; mga modules, reading materials, mga research, mga projects. Pero napagsasabay ko naman po siya and gusto ko rin po mag-thank you sa management kasi binibigyan nila ako ng time para gawin yung mga modules ko tsaka yung mga kailangan kong gawin sa school. Nagkakaroon ako ng sariling time for school and work.

Did you ever picture yourself being where you are right now as a kid?

Before, di ko talaga nakita kasi dati po more on acting po ako. So nagteteleserye, commercials, indie film po ako dati. Hindi ko po na-imagine na mapupunta ako sa P-Pop [music industry] and nakakagulat kasi hindi mo talaga alam kung saan ka dadalhin ng destiny. Siguro, in-open ni God ‘tong opportunity na ‘to sa akin. So hindi ko na pinalampas, grinab ko na.

What's the biggest dream you ever had as a kid?

When I was young po, my biggest dream was to be a pilot someday. Any kind of pilot, pwedeng Air Force, Commercial Pilot, or Cargo Pilot, basta pilot. That was my biggest dream nung bata po ako.

Would you like to study to be a pilot someday?

If given the chance na makapag-aral ng pag-pipiloto, I will take the opportunity po kasi sayang.

Now, what is it that you dream about most?

Actually, hindi pa rin nawawala sa isip ko yung pag-pipiloto. Pero mas na-open ako sa reality na P-Pop na ako and kaya ko rin libutin yung mundo habang nagtatrabaho, habang nag-eenjoy ako, habang nagpapasaya ng mga tao. Kaya kumbaga, plan B ko yung pagpipilot. Plan A ko ‘tong career ko. (Smiles)

Tell us about your approach to making your dreams a reality in life.

Yung style ko po kasi, mas ma-plan po ako in terms of dreams and sa mga gusto kong ma-achieve. Lagi po akong nagbabackup plan. For example, dito po, dapat mag-eenroll na ako before mag-audition. Pero hindi muna ako nag-enroll, triny ko muna mag-audition. Pagka nakuha ko yung sa audition, ididiretso ko ‘tong career tapos plan B yung pag-aaral, pag-pipiloto. Yung pag-approach ko sa dreams ko is laging merong backup plan para kung sakaling hindi ako mapunta doon sa gusto ko meron akong babagsakan na isa pa. Slowly but surely and go with the flow lang. Mas nakikinig ako sa paligid ko and nag-oobserve po ako.

Are there any artists you’d like to collaborate with in the future?

Marami po. Locally, Ben&Ben, Kuya Inigo (Pascual), Ate KZ (Tandingan), and Sir Gary V. Yung makagawa po kami ng own music po with them, like original songs na ka-collab namin sila. Internationally po, Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, tsaka Shawn Mendes. Pinaka gusto kong maka-collab in the future is si Shawn Mendes po talaga dahil sobrang fan ako ni Shawn Mendes.

If you could promise your fans one thing, what would it be?

If I could promise ACEs one thing, it would be: I promise na gagawin namin lagi yung best namin for them. Kung napapapangiti namin sila ngayon, mas papangitiin pa namin sila sa mga susunod na mga ganap or future events and hopefully, after this pandemic makapag-world tour kami para ma-meet na namin yung mga international fans rin namin. And we promise din na gagawa kami ng music na makaka-relate sila, and yung kayang mapa-heal yung damdamin nila, kayang mapangiti sila, kayang ma-inspire sila, kayang ma-motivate sila sa dreams nila.

How do you interact with your fans on social media?

Halos pare-pareho po kami, kapag nag-iinteract po kami sa fans, talagang makikipagkulitan po kami sa comments. I-qquote retweet namin mga quote retweets nila. And sa instagram naman, nire-restory namin yung mga stories nila and most of my restories are from our fans po, yung mga naka-line of 9 sa grades nila, kadalasan pag may nakikita akong ganon nirerestory ko po agad.

How do you feel about people saying, "You inspire me."?

Ako po nung unang beses na may nabasa kaming ganon, sobrang natuwa po ako. Di ako makapaniwala kasi baguhan palang kami sa industriya ng music pero meron na po kaming na-totouch na tao, na-iinspire namin. Kaya po thank you po sa mga na-inspire samin. Lalo pa po kaming ginaganahan, and na-iinspire niyo rin kaming lahat.

What message would you want to share with your fans?

Mag-ingat kayo palagi. Mahal na mahal namin kayo and sana kung gaano kalaki yung pagmamahal at kung gaano kalaki na suporta yung binibigay niyo samin, sana ganoon din binibigay niyo sa sarili niyo. Kasi sobrang importante ng self-love.

On Akira: Suit by Ryan Chris Baylen, Custom Pin by KUROBARA

Can you share something about your upcoming music?

Hindi pa po kase namin pwedeng ireveal pero, ang masasabi ko lang siguro is: opposite siya ng ‘The Light’. Totally different from that (EDM-ish).

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Words by Anna Fregillana (@annafregillana)

Interviewed by Anna Fregillana & Joe Andy

Produced by Philip Vargas (@plipfilms)

Photography by Rxandy Capinpin (@rxandy)

Art Direction, Final Art & Video Editing by Joe Andy (@heyjoeandy)

Fashion Videography by Pogs Francisco (@snaps_ph)

Styling by #TeamRyujiShiomitsu (@teamryujishiomitsu)

Hair & Grooming by Jaime Sy (@jaime_sy)

Special Thanks to Direk Lauren Dyogi, Mq Mallari, Jovy Aberion & Star Hunt.