Wilbert Tolentino's son Willard King enters music scene

MANILA, Philippines — Talent manager and social media personality Wilbert Tolentino is celebrating a new milestone as his nine-year-old son, Willard King Tolentino, officially enters the music scene.

Already one of the country's fastest-rising young social media personalities, Willard is expanding his career beyond content creation with the upcoming release of his debut single, "Lambing," composed and arranged by former "Tawag ng Tanghalan" member Froilan Canlas.

Ahead of the song's release, Willard showcased his singing talent during Froilan's live performance at Brewing Point, where he captivated the audience with his rendition of Vittorio Grigolo's "Bedshaped (Cosi)." The performance marked the first time the young star performed a foreign-language song live.

He also sang "I Will Be Here" before joining Froilan for a duet of "A Million Dreams." Fellow performers MFK, Czine and Caleb Biol also appeared at the event.

Watching from the audience was Wilbert, who admitted to becoming emotional as he witnessed his son's second live stage performance before a large crowd.

"I am so proud of my son, Willard. At the same time, I became emotional because it was his second time singing live on stage before such a huge crowd, and he truly did it with flying colors," Wilbert said.

The upcoming single, "Lambing," is expected to be released on FM radio stations and major digital streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music.

As he embarks on his music career, Willard paid tribute to his father with a heartfelt message thanking him for his constant love and support.

"Papa, your love is the greatest gift I'll carry forever. Thank you for always believing in me, for your endless sacrifices, and for being my source of strength through every season of my life. Your guidance, kindness, and unconditional love have shaped me into the person I am today. No matter where life takes us, you'll always be my hero and my greatest inspiration. I love you, Papa, and I'm forever grateful to have you in my life," Willard said.

Despite his young age, Willard has already built an impressive digital following with 1.75 million YouTube subscribers, 2.7 million TikTok followers, 1.5 million Facebook followers, 1.2 million Instagram followers, and 164,000 followers on X.

With his debut single on the way, Willard is now taking his first steps into the local music industry while continuing to grow his presence as one of the Philippines' most influential young digital creators.

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