Julia Q has the last laugh in latest single ‘Tinaguay’

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebuana R&B artist Julia Q briefly returned to her home turf last week of June as one of the performers at Fête de la Musique Cebu 2025. She saw this as a chance to redeem herself after what she described as a “bad performance” years ago during her high school days.

“I used to perform with an acoustic guitar and long folk songs. There was an open mic at Fête at that time in La Vie Parisienne, so I went on stage and sang,” she told The FREEMAN. “When I look back at it, especially performing at Fête this year, it made me grateful to have come full circle.”

Julia performed at Atúa Midtown on F. Manalo Street, Cebu City, one of Fête’s seven “pocket stages” scattered throughout Metro Cebu, as part of the Atúa Pop Stage lineup alongside GAIL, Kate Lucero, Sauf, IIICCCYYY, and DJ Panghitaboujeee.

“It was such a fun venue to perform in,” she said. “Everyone was warm, and it felt like a party. The vibes were great, especially since we were a lineup full of pop girlies that day.”

During her set, she performed her latest single, “Tinaguay,” a self-empowerment anthem for her girls, where they have the last laugh after their partners betray their trust.

Describing the song’s tone, she said, “It’s a bit like a diss with a tone of, ‘Oh, you think you can cheat on me and get away with it? Think again, because I am way above you.”

“It’s not based on a personal experience,” she clarified. “What inspired me to write ‘Tinaguay’ was more of a situation that I imagined in my head. When I heard the beats, certain feelings flooded my mind. I was trying to channel the beat and what it made me feel. The song spilled out of me after I was able to pinpoint the vibe I was going for.”

She wrote the song on her own, with fellow Cebuano artist and real-life boyfriend Jericho Streegan serving as the track’s producer. They previously collaborated on songs like “Hinay-Hinay” and “UNSPKN,” with Streegan also playing guitar during her live gigs.

“When Jericho was learning the ropes of producing, we thought it would be a good idea for him to produce a track with me,” she said. “‘Tinaguay’ is his debut track as a producer for another artist, and we are proud of this milestone together. We are partners musically, just as much as we are partners in real life.”

Another achievement for Julia Q is that this is her first single released independently, following her departure from her previous record label. She admitted that being a self-released artist comes with its challenges.

“It was a one-woman team. I was my own marketing team, finance team, PR team, etc. From planning the timelines and the deadlines to putting together my team for the visuals that included a photographer, makeup artist, and stylist, to editing my own videos, I was the sole decision-maker,” she said of the rollout process.

“It was a challenge balancing all of these with a full-time job on the side, but I also find this rewarding because I had full creative control,” she added.

She said she is still open to being signed under a label. “I am grateful to experience both sides of the coin, being signed to a label and being an independent artist, but I am always open to working with a good group of people who feel right to work with.”

Based in Manila, Julia said she isn’t necessarily an established artist there compared to Cebu. In a previous interview with The FREEMAN, she compared her time in Manila to work and study, whereas in Cebu, she gets to perform for her supporters and peers in the local music scene.

This year, she hopes to expand her artistry in the capital. “Since I am conveniently in Manila for work and I live there most of the time, it only makes sense for me to find ways to grow my music career as well. I hope my supporters in Cebu will be just as supportive of my endeavors in the Manila scene too!” she said.