Arzen Rose Dulzura

Yeng Constantino recalls the first time she sang “Hawak Kamay” on “ASAP”

Article (news)

Liezel Dela Cruz

There was a time when Yeng Constantino was just watching “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/asap" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ASAP</a>” from home with her family, eyes glued to the TV and fangirling over her favorite performers. Fast forward to today, and she’s been part of the iconic Sunday variety show for 19 years. It&#x27;s almost unthinkable for someone who once only dreamed of setting foot on that stage.As “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/asap" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ASAP</a>” marks its 30th year on air, Yeng still finds herself in awe. It’s a surreal feeling, she says, to be standing beside the very artists she once idolized but now shares the same spotlight with. Sometimes, she even catches herself zoning out, still amazed that she’s part of something this big, this legendary.Never in her wildest dreams did Yeng imagine she’d get to sing on the ASAP stage, let alone make it in showbiz. Growing up, she wasn’t the type to dress up or act like a star. She was more of the kid who loved playing outside, happiest when she was barefoot and covered in dirt. Although deep down, she wanted to make it in showbiz, she just didn’t think it would actually come true.Yeng clearly remembers her very first ASAP prod where she sang &quot;Hawak Kamay,&quot; the monster hit she wrote at just 14 years old, and which became her signature after joining the reality show &quot;Pinoy Dream Academy,&quot; where she emerged as the Grand Star Dreamer. It’s been nearly two decades since, but that moment is still fresh in her mind.“Para akong nananaginip. Sobrang overwhelmed ako, sa ilaw, sa dami ng tao, sa palakpakan, sa mga artista. Parang lahat nangyari in a snap,” she recalled her first-ever “ASAP” appearance. And it wasn’t just once that she got to perform &quot;Hawak Kamay&quot; on the show. One of the most unforgettable times was when she sang it with Sarah Geronimo in a special production where they swapped hits—Sarah sang &quot;Hawak Kamay,&quot; and Yeng belted out &quot;Forever’s Not Enough.&quot; She remembers how warm and kind Sarah was, making her feel safe and comforted when the Popstar Royalty noticed her nerves.Another duet that she won&#x27;t forget was with Erik Santos, who amazed her with his humility. She says Erik never made her feel intimidated despite being her &#x27;senior&#x27; in the industry. And of course, her collaboration with no less than Regine Velasquez made her feel like she was floating in music heaven. She’s also had the chance to share the stage with her other idols like Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera, and more OPM royalties. But beyond the big musical numbers, Yeng’s favorite part of the “ASAP” experience is really the off-cam bonding among the artists. The laughs, the random chats, and the sense of family—these are the memories she treasures the most.&quot;Hawak Kamay.&quot; That was one of the songs that led to her win in “Pinoy Dream Academy” in 2006 and catapulted her to fame. Almost two decades later, Pinoys are still singing it, and to Yeng, that’s just mind-blowing. She calls it nothing short of God’s grace. Because honestly, when she writes songs, especially back when she was younger, she never really thinks about whether it would be a hit or not. She’d just write for the art and as a way to express herself.Some fans might be wondering why she releases fewer tracks now compared to before. Yeng openly admits that it was a lot easier for her to compose songs when she was younger. Back then, she wrote with just pure emotion and would pour whatever she felt directly into the lyrics. She didn’t think much about technicalities like rhyme or structure. But as she gained more experience and received mentorship (from the likes of OPM rock icon Raymund Marasigan), she realized that being a good songwriter isn’t about speed. Every piece has its own process, she said. These days, most of her songs take longer to complete. She usually writes them in installments. Yeng likens it to watering a plant—just because nothing’s sprouting today doesn’t mean it’s not growing. You keep coming back to it, nurturing it little by little, until one day, it blossoms.Or, another way she puts it, songwriting is like raising a child. &quot;Now, iba&#x27;t iba yung identity ng mga songs ko. Para ko silang mga anak. May mga anak ako na mas matagal mag-grow, merong mabilis. May mga songs naman na para sa akin lang at hindi na kailangang marinig ng ibang tao. Kailangan kong i-identify lang kung ano&#x27;ng klaseng mga kanta yun,&quot; she explained. &quot;That&#x27;s where I am pagdating sa growth ko as a writer.&quot; Because at the end of the day, in music and in life, it’s never about the rush but the heart you pour into it.Recently, Yeng got her fans excited when she dropped her latest single, “Babala,&quot; which came from a very unpleasant experience that brought her a lot of negative emotions. Instead of keeping it all in, she poured those feelings into lyrics. Yeng didn’t even plan on releasing it at first, since it leans more on the punk-rock side, which sounds a little too different from her usual style. But her manager thought it would be a refreshing shift to release the song. Yeng, being the introspective artist she is, hesitated at first, unsure if her fans would be ready for this kind of sound from her. But to her surprise and relief, listeners showed overwhelming support.  Yeng admits that she can be a little stubborn sometimes, which is pretty common among artists with a strong creative vision. She even confessed that she released &#x27;Jeepney Love Story&#x27; without asking permission from her management first, just because she was so into the song that she forgot to ask for approval. But at the same time, she’s also very teachable. Thus, she eventually trusted her manager’s instincts with “Babala.” After all, growth happens in those uncomfortable moments when you step out of what’s familiar and allow yourself to be guided.