Maymay Entrata reveals she almost quit showbiz amid industry challenges

Pinoy Big Brother alumna Maymay Entrata recently shared her personal journey of navigating her career in the entertainment industry through a two-minute video titled "Maymay's Beginning," uploaded on her YouTube channel on Sunday.

In the video, Entrata reflected on how she invested in honing her skills in various aspects of the industry, including acting, dancing, and singing.

"Nauna ang acting. I even went to Canada po to study acting. Tinry ko siyang idiri-direcho po. I find it kinda hard po to embrace, sabi ko 'bakit kaya' alam ko naman kung paano umiyak, alam ko naman kung paano mag focus doon sa character na hindi nadadamage ang personal mong buhay. Sabi sige, mag try pa ako ng mga dancing sessions tapos nag dance (lesson) na po ako, pero hindi pa rin ako masaya," she recalled in the video.

("Acting came first. I even went to Canada to study acting. I tried to push through with it, but I found it hard to embrace. I asked myself, ‘Why?’ I know how to cry, I know how to focus on a character without letting it affect my personal life. So, I said, okay, I’ll try dancing instead. I took dance lessons, but I still wasn’t happy.")

Despite her efforts, Entrata admitted that her biggest fear was singing.

"Nalibot ko na lahat except iyung singing. Palagi kong iniiwasan ang singing talaga kasi, baka hindi ko kaya, Ms. Regine, Ms. Morrisette sabi ko, 'Excuse me po,'" she said in jest.

("I tried everything except singing. I always avoided it because I thought, ‘Maybe I can’t do it.’ I’d even joke, ‘Excuse me, Ms. Regine Velasquez and Ms. Morissette!")

In 2021, Entrata reached a low point, considering leaving the industry after feeling unfulfilled.

"Noong 2021, I almost gave up, I almost ba-bye po sa industry po kasi I dont know po talaga what i want po talaga," she confessed. "I'm not happy doing anything po, dito sa industry pero sabi ko, 'I should be grateful nga e,' so I keep trying, learning, investing talaga," she revealed.

("I almost said goodbye to the industry because I didn’t know what I really wanted. I wasn’t happy doing anything. But I told myself, ‘I should be grateful.’ So, I kept trying, learning, and investing in myself.")

Eventually, Entrata realized that persistence was key.

"Dumating ang 2021, medyo mapapagod ka talaga kakahanap pero, all you have to do is to keep trying talaga until you found what's for you and what do you think is your passion po talaga and what do you think you're are happy," she explained.

("When 2021 came, I got tired of searching, but I learned that you just have to keep trying until you find what’s truly for you. It’s about finding what makes you happy and what you’re passionate about.")

This turning point led her to focus on singing, the craft that brought her the most joy despite the challenges.

"You can learn everything pala as long as you're committed 100 percent that you wanted to learn," she said. "Ang way ko sa pag pili, is kung saan ako masaya kahit na nagkakamali ako, kahit na hindi pulido ang paggawa ko, pero masaya ako, namo-motivate ako to learn more, to improve doon sa field na 'iyun which is yung singing."

("You can learn anything as long as you’re 100% committed to it. For me, the way I chose was by asking myself what makes me happy. Even if I make mistakes or my work isn’t polished, if it makes me happy, I’m motivated to learn more and improve—and for me, that’s singing.")

In 2021, Entrata found her breakthrough in music with her chart-topping hit Amakabogera, cementing her place as one of the generation’s standout performers.

Beyond music, Entrata has also made waves in the international fashion scene. In 2024, she debuted at Paris Fashion Week, walking for renowned Filipino designer Leo Almodal and Vietnamese designer Phan Huy. Her runway journey began earlier in Dubai, where she became a muse for Filipino designer Furne One of Amato Couture.

As she approaches her 10th year in the entertainment industry, Entrata is gearing up to release her newest single, Paradise, which is set to drop on 20 February.