Why Troy Laureta is feeling anything but ‘Dalamhati’ these days
The Hawaii-born international musical director’s third OPM album features artists, such as Regine Velasquez, Martin Nievera, Jona, Jed Madela, Ogie Alcasid, Kyle Echarri and ‘American Idol’ alums Jordin Sparks and Katharine McPhee.
Photograph COURTESY OF ABS_CBN Troy Laureta
"Dalamhati" is the title of the latest album of the Los Angeles-based Filipino-American music artist Troy Laureta. It's the Tagalog word for "grief" or "grieving" — though that's not how Laureta, 33, feels these days.
On the contrary, the Hawaii-born full-blooded Pinoy has been rejoicing over his triumph as the best-known Fil-Am musical director of pop superstars in the US today, the success of the albums of OPM (Original Pilipino Music) he has co-produced with ABS-CBN Star Music — and over a very personal event in his life.
That very personal event is his coming out as gay.
As Laureta confided to TFC Hollywood in a recent interview: "A lot of the reasons why I was so afraid to pursue certain parts of my life, including parts of music, is because I was closeted.
"I was afraid that what I did or what I said would embarrass my family or people would judge me."
But "The whole catalyst for that was just the pandemic and there was us being surrounded by so much sadness and so much death. I told myself that I am not leaving this earth, honey, not telling people who I am."
It was in November 2022 that Laureta first admitted to the world through his Instagram his sexual orientation.
