Mikee Quintos relives story of young love in new pop single

MANILA, Philippines — Having romantic feelings for someone, with the hope that the latter will notice it, speaks of the main theme of Senyales, the latest single from Mikee Quintos for GMA Playlist. It’s her follow-up to Just Enough, also released under the same recording label.

The Sparkle GMA artist gets to relive that typical romantic admiration that eventually blooms into young love.

“Paul was the very reason I resonated with the song,” said Mikee, who was referring to her boyfriend of three years, Paul Salas, in a virtual one-on-one with The STAR.

“We worked together in ‘The Lost Recipe,’ and eventually we became friends, and then, we became more than friends after a few months,” added she.

Mikee recalled that she was single for two years, and then she met Paul. She considered getting into a relationship at that time “unexpected.”

“Wala sa plano. Siguro totoo nga yung sinasabi ng ng mga tao na ‘pag di mo hinahanap, mas dadating (It wasn’t planned. Perhaps there’s truth to what people say, ‘Love comes when you don’t look for it’),” shared she.

Yes, it’s a variation of the saying, “Love comes when you least expect it.”

When they became a couple, she was doing “Apoy Sa Langit,” while he was starring in “Lolong.”

Their secret to keeping their relationship strong also boils down to enthusiasm, which means not to lose that genuine interest in being together and to remain excited.

“I’m sure everyone out there, all of us have (experienced) having a crush on someone and falling in love,” said Mikee. “You get attached to people (or someone) you see. Nakikita mo yung pagkatao, nakikilala mo, kaya mo nga nagiging crush (You see his or her personality, you get to know the person. That’s why you’ve had a crush on the person).”

“Sometimes, no matter how you make the effort to show your feelings or send signs that you like the person, he or she doesn’t get or read them. ‘Why can’t you get the hint that I like you?’ The whole inspiration for the song is that feeling,” continued she.

If one listens intently to how the song is sung, one could sense the chill and cool vibe to it, as Mikee described it.

“Hindi ka yung nangugulit about it, relaxed ka lang, tinatanggap mo yung situation mo, pero may frustration… pero tinatanggap mo din (You’re not annoying. You’re just relaxed and accepting the situation, but you feel frustrated. And you still accept everything),” said Mikee of the voice or persona in the song narrative.

“So, I wanted to catch that in-between feeling and capture it in the song,” added she. “Nandito lang ako, naghihintay ako… hindi kita minamadali (I’m just here and waiting for. I’m not rushing you at all).”

According to the publicity team of Mikee, Senyales “explores the uncertainties of a blossoming relationship,” and the cover art for the tune “is based on a real photo of them (Mikee and Paul) before they officially became a couple.”

Asked how the opportunity to lend her voice to Senyales landed in her lap, Mikee answered, “If you’re signed with a label, (the latter) has in-house composers or writers, who are part of a team. All year round, they keep making songs and continue creating until one of the artists, like, connects with one of the songs.”

Connecting with the tune, Mikee said, happens when the artist may feel something about it, remember a story being evoked by the song, or resonate with it. It may lead to the recording and launching of the song.

As a singer, who also takes pleasure in writing lyrics, Mikee is into a pop genre, and her voice also suits jazz.

“If you give me a good beat, bigyan mo ‘ko ng magandang tono at meron na siyang feel o emosyon… kaya ko siyang lagyan ng lyrics (I can write lyrics based on it),” said she.

As a music enthusiast, Mikee includes BTS and Billie Eilish on her playlist.

“It’s no secret that I’m a BTS army. So, I’m surely listening to BTS. Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of Billie Eilish. I like her artistry lately,” said she. “I’m appreciating more her process as an artist lately, like the range of how she creates her songs and how she sings them, kung paano niya binubulong mismo and sometimes her intent on why she’s singing like that, it’s the whole (artistry). It’s amazing. I’m a fan of her work.”

As a singer, like the artists she follows, as one may put it, Mikee wants to tell stories that listeners can relate to and resonate with feelings being evoked, such as the ones of admiration and young love, in songs such as Senyales.

(Give Mikee’s single Senyales a listen on all digital platforms. For details on Kapuso stars, visit www.gmanetwork.com.)