Paul Christian Ocampo

EXCLUSIVE: KD Estrada feels pressured by fans' expectation of 'Bagets the Musical'

Article (news)

Nikka Avegail Sabio

Push Team

<p>Kapamilya actor and singer KD Estrada continues to build his path as an artist, balancing acting, music, and live performance as he takes on more challenging projects in his career.</p><p>In an exclusive interview with <strong>PUSH ABS-CBN</strong>, KD shared how theater has become a transformative experience for him, helping sharpen his discipline and performance skills.</p><p>“I always wanted to be a triple threat na artista and I think with this project, especially lalo na sa theater,” KD said.</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1767343122855KD.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><br/></div><p>He added, “Theater actors are athletes, I would say kasi grabe they are acting, they’re dancing  but it also has emotions, may bubog din siya so that always intrigued me and it always seems like a compelling narrative experience for me.”</p><p>KD made his stage debut in PETA’s 2023 staging of Rody Vera’s award-winning comedy musical <em>Walang Aray </em>where he played the role of Tenyo. Recently, he was announced as part of the stage adaptation of the 1984 teen coming-of-age film <em>Bagets.</em></p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/10/20/exclusive-kd-estrada-talks-about-playing-a-100-conyo-boy-in-bagets-the-musical-1043" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: KD Estrada talks about playing a “100% conyo boy” in Bagets The Musical</strong></a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/music/2025/11/19/exclusive-kd-estrada-on-returning-to-theater-in-bagets-the-musical-mas-confident-ako-ngayon-0932" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: KD Estrada on returning to theater in &#x27;Bagets the Musical&#x27;: ‘Mas confident ako ngayon!’</strong></a></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-6" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DSj6AFuEkEY/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=607&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A6%2C%22os%22%3A11253696.799999952%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="903" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-6" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><strong> </strong></div><p>The singer-actor shared one of the greatest lessons he has learned from the stage.<strong></strong></p><p>“The greatest lesson is projection, make yourself be heard. (Ito yung greatest lesson ko) kasi when you are on stage, it is a completely different piece than being on camera,” he said.</p><p>KD further explained: “If I&#x27;m on stage, I have to really put my body in positions na it looks grand but when you watch it from a far, from distance, sakto lang siya so I really have to level yourself and balance yourself when you&#x27;re in theater.”</p><p>KD also fondly recalled his theater journey with Alexa Ilacad as one of the most unforgettable experiences he&#x27;s had.</p><p>“Right now, noong<em> Walang Aray</em>, I was with Alexa there. Unforgettable siya kasi first experience namin iyon together sa theater and we are both going through this process and we were bso much stuff together. Right now naman, sa <em>Bagets</em>, I’m with a group of nine boys and sobrang close na kami like parang brothers na kami sa isa&#x27;t isa,” KD said.</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-7" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DR9fu5eklaC/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=607&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A7%2C%22os%22%3A11253705%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="903" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-7" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><strong> </strong></div><p>Taking on <em>Bagets the Musical</em> comes with pressure as well as per KD due to the nostalgia attached to the original film. He acknowledged the expectations of audiences but emphasized that the musical adaptation offers something new.</p><p>“May pressure po talaga siya kasi yung expectation ng people who grew up with that movie, they&#x27;re gonna be like, ‘okay I hope it is as good as how we watch it like before’ but its gonna be slightly different since musical ito.  We are singing our narratives and we are singing our stories din so it’s gonna be a different experience but it will punch in a lot of nostalgia with people who grew up with the film,” KD said.</p><p>Beyond theater, KD is also preparing for the release of his self-titled debut album under Star Pop. He revealed that the album took around six months to complete and reflects his current musical style.</p><p>“I collaborated with other musicians din under Star Music and we worked on the songs and sobrang grabe. It took a long time actually ang album na ito. Parang it took around six months of 2025 to finish this album but I’m super happy it happened,” KD stated.</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-8" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DRhbjObEqcE/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=607&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A8%2C%22os%22%3A11253712.600000024%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="858" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-8" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div> </div><p>He went on: “Yung songs, I really do believe na it&#x27;s very current to my right now, it’s contemporary to me and my style right now.”</p><p>The album blends acoustic sounds with pop and R&amp;B influences. Among the tracks, “Ikaw ang Simula” stands out as his favorite, which he described as the most romantic song on the album.</p><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABuRkrlGmI2aGhtG"></script>