Rising Filipino R&B/Soul singer Denise Julia, 22, marked her first ever TV performance by singing her hit single “B.A.D” on noontime show “ASAP Natin ‘To.”
Hosts Robi Domingo and Janine Gutierrez even admitted being fans of Denise Julia’s works.
“It’s crazy, because I grew up watching ASAP. And now that I’m here, it’s a 360 moment for me so I’m so honored,” Denise said when asked about her experience after performing on the show for the first time.
On her official X (formerly known as Twitter) account, she said that she was “still on cloud 9,” after her guesting. She also shared that she grew up watching the noontime show every Sunday and that she hoped for a day where she could see morena representation in the entertainment industry.
She added, “Hoping one day I get to see morena [brown-skinned] representation in an entertainment industry that so often favors light-skinned artists and public figures. hopefully I get to be the influence I once so badly wanted, for the little morena girls to grow up thinking they don’t have to whiten their skin or succumb to beauty standards that wash away their true beauty.”
first ever live television performance. ♡ still on cloud 9.
i grew up watching ASAP every Sunday. literally every. sunday. hoping one day i get to see morena representation in an entertainment industry that so often favors light-skinned artists and public figures. hopefully i… pic.twitter.com/kO2rkCfIA0
— denise julia ♡ (@denisejvlia) June 2, 2024
However, this influence that Denise wanted to have over little morena girls and women is being perceived by some users differently, which led to some mocking her as a “blasian baddie.”
“i get u po but ASAP-wise, there have been TONS of morena singers that have appeared and are still appearing on the show. Some of them are Morissette, KZ, Bituin Escalante, Jona, The Voice, Idol Philippines, and TNT winners and finalists,” a user responded.
“ROCHELLE PANGILINAN?!? IS MY MOTHER A JOKE TO YOU!!?!” another user quote-retweeted.
kauna-unahang morena sa pilipinas!!😲🙌 palakpakan natin sya!!!👏👏 https://t.co/9MbnlAG2Sw
— ii cowboy ii macarter🇵🇸 (@macabey0nce) June 7, 2024
Despite the backlash the R&B/Soul singer received, others came to her defense and talked about colorism in the Philippines.
Related: 7 times Philippine entertainment got away with using brownface
One user commented on Denise’s tweet and said: “omg you guys super oa ng hate [you guys are being so overly dramatic with the hate]. she said she wanted MORE morena representation in the industry. Never said that she is the first morena in the industry 😭 ampapanget nyo kabonding [You’re all really not good to bond with.]”
“She literally said “hoping one day i get to see morena representation” she never said that she’s the first one, y’all r so oa,” another commenter said.
diba colorist pa rin mga pinoy kase bakit galit kayo sa morenang ayaw tumigil magsalita sa pagiging morena nya?????? pic.twitter.com/VziNSAv4gL
— vico blanco (@vicotinamide) June 8, 2024
We need Denise Julia to continue speaking about being morena until these lowkey subtle indenial colorists realize that they need to re-evaluate their societal views. https://t.co/Is5HHjO8zU
— Rion (@MakiUchi__) June 8, 2024
Despite the mixed reactions, it’s important to note that the artist did not claim to be the first representation of ‘morena.’
Ultimately, Denise Julia’s debut TV performance marks a significant milestone in her career, and her hope for increased morena representation resonates with many.
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