Ylona Garcia revisits decade of music and growth

A decade after she first entered the entertainment scene, Ylona Garcia is looking back at the experiences that shaped her as a performer and artist.

Her new live album, ylona, so far. (live), brings together nine tracks from different stages of her career, reinterpreted through the perspective of who she is today.

Released on 5 October via Sony Music Entertainment, the album features live versions of songs including “my name is ylona garcia,” “lie so well,” “space,” “dahan dahan dahan lang,” “o pag ibig,” “don’t go changing,” “don’t say goodbye,” “win the fight” and “entertain me.”

Rather than simply revisiting past releases, Ylona sees the project as an opportunity to reconnect with the songs that accompanied her journey — from her early years in showbiz to the challenges of growing up under the public eye.

“It feels like a healing experience, and that means the world to me,” Ylona shared, reflecting on the process of returning to music from different chapters of her life.

She admitted that when she was younger, she often focused on meeting expectations and making others happy, leaving little room to fully absorb her own artistic growth.

“Before, I was so grateful for the opportunities I was given that it was hard for me to be fully present in them,” she said.

Years later, Ylona approaches the same songs with a different perspective, allowing her current experiences to influence how she performs and interprets them.

The album’s first preview came through “entertain me (live),” recorded during her 10 Year Manila Exclusive Set at Backyard Live. The performance reflected the central theme of the project: reclaiming ownership of her music and identity.

“It became a reminder that people can take things from you, but they can’t take away your heart or your mind,” she said.

The Manila performance will also be shared through a series of videos on Ylona’s YouTube channel, giving fans a chance to revisit the concert experience and see how she transforms familiar songs with a more mature artistic perspective.

One of the album’s highlights is “o pag ibig (live),” featuring Bailey May. The performance marked a reunion between the two artists, who first worked together during their younger years.

After years apart, Ylona said returning to the song with Bailey felt natural.

“Performing ‘O Pag-Ibig’ together honestly felt like no time had passed at all,” she shared. PLS