Kayla Rivera back to recording original music
MANILA, Philippines — Wicked was the first musical that theater actress Kayla Rivera watched on Broadway. Hearing the lead Elphaba who sings the popular Defying Gravity sparked a level of inspiration in her. No wonder, Wicked turns out to be a dream production that Kayla wants to do one day.
“Wicked will always be special to me,” Kayla admitted. “So were Eliza Hamilton in Hamilton and Eurydice in Hadestown. Aside from the music in all three shows being so beautiful and moving, they are all roles that showcase a woman’s strength while having a heart that is filled with and ready to give so much love. If given the chance to, I’d dive and put my heart into any of these roles in a heartbeat.”
Kayla was born and raised in Calgary, Canada. Her dad is Romanian, while her mom is from Guagua, Pampanga. “I was immersed in Filipino culture ever since I was a baby,” she revealed. “I would always hear my maternal grandma, mom and aunt speaking Kapampangan.”
“The first song I learned to sing was the Kapampangan folk song, Atin Cu Pung Singsing. I was also active in our local Filipino community, performing in our yearly cultural shows. I’d also often be the opening act when Filipino artists had concerts in Calgary.”
Kayla got a chance to prove her talent on the local front. She made her theater debut in 2011 when she was cast in Atlantis Productions’ In the Heights. Since then, there was no more stopping her from essaying enviable roles in theater.
Watching the concerts and TV shows like ABS-CBN’s ASAP, sparked another level of interest in Kayla to move to the Philippines to try and pursue a professional performing career, as well.
“I first moved to Manila for five years right after graduating high school and then moved back to Calgary to go to university,” Kayla granted. “After I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in 2019, I moved back to Manila for Atlantis Theatrical’s staging of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.”
In 2012, Kayla came out with her self-titled debut album, K-La, under Star Records. In 2020, Kayla released The Closer That Christmas Gets, an original that she and Miguel Jimenez co-wrote under Underdog Music. Recently, Kayla came out with a new single, Half Love. She will release three more singles, all originals, before the year ends.
If she had to choose a show she has done that is most special to her, Kayla would single out Atlantis Theatricals’ Beautiful, where she played the lead.
“For the first time since beginning my career as a theater actress, both my mom and dad were in the audience, flying to Manila just to watch the show when I did Beautiful,” Kayla shared. “Seeing their reactions and how emotional and proud they were, was the most fulfilling feeling ever. That was the biggest reason the show was special to me.”
The most challenging role to date, was when she unexpectedly played Carrie White, in Carrie, after Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante fell ill following the opening night performance. “I was challenged to learn the role in six days,” she said of Carrie.
“Aside from learning my lines, songs and blocking, the biggest challenge was to stay focused and not give into the fear of failure. The whole experience taught me that on the other side of fear, sits the chance to grow and recognize that you’re capable of much more than you could imagine.”
Just this August, Kayla wrapped up playing Asenath in the Trumpets original musical, Joseph the Dreamer, where she even got to perform with Gary Valenciano. Sam Concepcion played the title role.
Kayla joined the cast in 2020 when Joseph the Dreamer was first re-staged before the pandemic. Apparently, performing onstage gives her a different kind of fulfillment.
“I felt more connected to Asenath in 2022, as I felt a heightened sense of responsibility in being the narrator this time around,” Kayla said proudly. “Ensuring that I was very clear in narrating Joseph’s story of hope, faith, love and forgiveness and even provoking our audiences to question and realize if what Joseph went through was due to mere coincidence or because of God allowing things to happen for a reason.
“The message felt more relevant than ever and I feel our 2022 run even served as a way of healing from all we went through in the last two years. Putting the pre-show nerves aside, being on stage feels like home.
“It’s where I feel the most challenged but fulfilled in a way that I have the space to share, grow and explore as a performer, while working in an environment with like-minded people who share the same passion as I do.”
Kayla is excited to return to recording original songs starting with Half Love. “My plan is to keep creating, collaborating and learning in that field of my artistry,” she attested. “I’m also really grateful to lend my voice to non-profit organizations that I am passionate about, like Pawssion Project, so I’d love to continue doing this, while one day, having the capacity to start a non-profit organization of my own that will focus on children’s education.”
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