Ylona Garcia has been a house-hold name for close to a decade now in The Philippines, and with good reason. The talent she harnesses has been embraced by the nation and is diversified into many lanes of creativity.

Exploring the art of music, dance, and now gaming, we caught up with Ylona to chat about the latest happenings and what she will be up to this coming 2024!

Hey Ylona, How have you been?

Hello hello! Iʼve been alright, just working on wrapping up the EP and finding people whoʼd love to support the project. Other than that, Iʼve been super excited as me and the team have been planning what we aim 2024 to look like! Lots of new yet familiar spaces to tap into, such as - gaming, dance, film and food! 

Nice! It looks like gaming in particular has become a big part of your life, how are you finding it and can you tell us more?

Yes, of course! I actually grew up gaming, not competitively, but it was another form of bonding for me and my siblings, cousins, and friends. Getting back into it has been super fun! Aside from learning how to really play valorant, Iʼve been playing Lego Fortnite and I actually find it a dangerous game. Dangerous meaning Iʼll be on it 24/7. Other than that, Iʼm excited to share that Iʼll be streaming every Tuesday and Sunday from 8-10pm PT! And youʼll either catch me doing things like playing new games with the audience, cooking sessions, horror games with friends or studio sessions! 

Follow Ylona on Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/notylona

Sounds fun and can't wait to tap into that! Also congrats on the release of "Echoes"! We are huge fans of it here at Beat This, how did the song come about and what was it like to work with 100 Thieves?

Thank you very much! And Iʼm so frigginʼ stoked to hear that you guys love it! The song came about through a simple conversation with a friend of mine from 100 Thieves. We were talking about the intersection of music + gaming while he was teaching me how to stream on twitch and the next day, I got an offer to create a song for 100 Thievesʼ new VCT skins with Valkyrae and Fuslie! 

The entire experience was beautiful! Getting the chance to work with Rae and Leslie in the studio was my absolute favorite part of the creative process. I could tell they were nervous as this isnʼt what they usually do. But thatʼs why I love them so much for still deciding to put their trust in me to facilitate this experience for them. It was bold and incredibly brave of them, and I think thatʼs awesome! Going back to the creative process, I wanted to make sure they were part of everything and prepped for everything. I helped write their verse, was with them in the booth while they were recording to give them new ideas to try, helped them choose their outfits for the MV Shoot, and prepped them on how to deliver for their scenes in the MV. It was indeed, beautiful! And youʼll be able to see all of that in my first long-form video back on YouTube!

Awesome! You were in The Philippines earlier this year, and recently in Tokyo for the Anime Award Festival - how was all of that?

Yes! It was amazing! First off, itʼs always good to be back home in Manila. Secondly, being part of the Asia Pacific Predator League Event was actually the first time Iʼd been to not just that event, but also a video game-centered esports event in general! And it was absolute dopeness! 

On another note, for full transparency, I actually pulled something in my neck a couple days prior to my performance and was unable to move. Despite my team telling me that it would be best to prioritize health and discontinue doing the show, Iʼm a big believer in the concept of “everything happens for a reason.ˮ I felt that I was being called to still do it. I was in the headspace of, if I really wasnʼt meant to do this show then flying to the Philippines would not have been possible. But it was and I got here safely, I was able to learn choreography in 16 hours, adjust choreography with the amazing dance crew, Upeepz, to accommodate my neck situation, sing my ass off, really lock in, show up for everyone and perform. 

Anime Awards was beautiful! We didnʼt get to go to the show but Iʼm honestly just grateful to be part of an event that celebrates something Iʼve loved my entire life! Tokyo was also absolutely beautiful! After the show, me and my manager went to an onsen because one of my favourite directors, Hayao Miyazaki, created one of my favourite movies, Spirited Away, which took place in an onsen! It healed my soul! 

We all need some soul healing! Do you have any more travelling set for this year? 

Yes! For now, itʼll just be traveling around the United States for college shows but weʼre currently meeting more labels, distribution companies, and agencies to see who would love to support the project and help set up the tour. 

Personally, Iʼd love to come back home to the Philippines to share the music with everyone in person! 

Yes, please come back to the Philippines! That being said you do need to rest - do you have time to switch off at all haha? If so, what is the ultimate chill day for you?

Of course! I do feel though, to kind of switch off actually switches me on with volts of energy. For example, going to a book store with the intention to take a break actually gives me the chance to find books such as new DC Comics, Mangas, Manhwas. That creatively feeds me and excites me, therefore my switch is on! Another example would be surfing at the beach or making a trip to an onsen, all to ultimately relax and take a break, but those places also give me a chance to recharge and switch on! 

Itʼs great! And Iʼm grateful! 

So good to speak with you again Ylona and here's hoping we see you here again in the Philippines!!

It was great catching up with you as well! And yes, we will definitely see each other again in the Philippines! We will make it happen! 

"Echoes" was released in collaboration with 100 Thieves on February 23rd which you can check the music video for below (it also features stream superstars Valkyrae & Fuslie)!