There's something in Alexa Ilacad that gives the impression she's beyond her artista looks and likewise not merely benefiting from a surname deeply associated with star makers. To somehow explain what it is, she possesses an aura that exudes charm and cheerfulness. She looks unpretentious and sounds delightfully raw, simply real.
That was the impression I made out of her during a recent virtual press conference to promote her latest single "Stay Right Here." While I have listened to a couple of her songs before and heard her name in showbiz circles a number of times, I had yet to interact with her or even see her face before that hour.
She was very accommodating and straight to the point in answering questions. "Yes, I always find myself wanting to talk to someone, especially in this pandemic," she said when asked if it ever got to a point when she felt like she's needing a shrink to help her address anxiety.
When another reporter asked her about how she could juggle acting and singing duties under a lockdown situation, she implied it's actually her hectic schedule that helps her deal with this strange scenario that has been going for over a year now.
Her new single dropped in digital stores last April 30 is correctly described as "an urban dance pop track heady with atmosphere and dripping with charismatic vocals."
It is also a “stark departure from the upbeat, near-naivete” of her preceding single “Love At First Sight” put out late last year. That track’s acoustic version turned out to be a pleasant version significantly different from the master recording. It shouldn’t be a bad idea if there’ll also be a stripped-down take of “Stay Right Here,” which sonically relied on its party mood arrangement and pointed to the fact that the singer, in her own words, had chosen Dua Lipa as her life’s peg. It's easy to understand the connection when you listen to the song. But worth-noting is Alexa's own strength to convince you to hold on to her song until you realize you’re already in a place you'd want to be, more so if you're having a kind of cabin fever caused by prolonged indoor stay. The title takes hold once you're assured you need not go out because it’s safer right at home.
The song’s basic beauty of melody and Alexa’s engaging singing are a good mix with unplugged guitar, perhaps even with the one in her room, as accompaniment.
Alexa was first seen in Goin’ Bulilit (2008-2013) before she took on a couple of primetime series, The Good Son (2017-2018), and The Killer Bride (2019). She bagged her first lead role as Hasmin in Santigwar (2019) before portraying Bobbie Salazar in the movie Four Sisters Before the Wedding (2020).
After releasing her debut album To The Moon And Back in 2016, the new label Off The Record backed her continuing rise on the music scene.