'Why You Are Who You Are'—'Reyna' Singer Michelle Dee on What Keeps Her 'Unapologetically Authentic'

Photo from @theluxxewhiteultima

In 2023, beauty queen, model, and actress Michelle Dee was crowned Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH) and represented the country at the 72nd Miss Universe pageant in El Salvador; she ended her pageant journey in the competition's Top 10. Her experiences during her MUPH reign were enough to say that that year was life-changing for Michelle. But in that same year, she also came out as bisexual. 

"2023 was my most authentic year," Michelle told Metro.Style. "And every year after that has been my most authentic version. Ultimately, it had to start from that. It's another layer of myself that I had been somehow hiding from the public, but a really big part of who I am. When you're able to break that wall and really say, 'I am not scared of what anyone is going to say at this point,' it's very freeing."

Today, Michelle basks in the freedom to express herself in creative ways reflective of her journey. Last March, she became a full-fledged recording artist with the release of her single, "Reyna," the first collaboration between GMA and ABS-CBN Music.

Of the story of "Reyna," an anthem about breaking free from judgments and embracing confidence, Michelle said, "It's finding everything that people call ugly in you, but it's up to you to find the beauty in that."

Pondering on her song's meaning and what influence it could have on people, Michelle shared the lyrics that sparked the most emotion from her: "I'd like to say 'Lakas loob ang aking korona.' I'd like to say the first verse, where it's about being bashed and being doubted. But I think what people should really dial into, or one of them, is the second verse, where it's you telling yourself that 'I am beautiful, I am kind. With strength and wisdom, I clear my mind. Like the sun, I'll shine and rise again.' Because that's the journey of life. And that's what it's supposed to mean. That a lot of bad things will happen. But what matters is how you rise above all of those problems."

Throughout her life, Michelle has had to rise above many challenges and even misconceptions about her. For one, she said, "It wasn't easy breaking out of the mold of being the daughter of my mom [Miss International 1979 Melanie Marquez]." 

"Going for Miss Universe and being the complete opposite of the prototype, competing with short hair when everybody wanted long. I was really the most doubted," Michelle opened up. "But it takes a certain type of person to be willing to go against the grain, and to be accepting of everything that they can say against you. And then to prove them all wrong at the end of that. Sarap sa pakiramdam! And to know that you acted with the purest of intentions, with your best foot forward. You didn't step on anyone's toes, and you received that type of success. It really just means that whatever I did in 2023, I should keep doing it and keep doing it better."

This queen has just reached a new milestone, as "Reyna" now has over a million streams on Spotify. And today, her debut single's new music video will be launched, capturing its essence anew. The new MV's concept perfectly aligns with the celebration of Pride this month. 

When asked what she takes most pride in this Pride Month, Michelle said, "The fact that we just keep getting bigger and louder every year. Even if we're not fully accepted, we still move up every single year. That's an amazing thing. It's not an immediate type of result or outcome, but it's there. And you see everybody just screaming louder and prouder every year... I really saw how the community grew, and it's just amazing. Imagine what we can do five years from now."

The support LGBTQIA+ members have for each other is also remarkable. They find strength in each other and draw inspiration from one another, ultimately inspiring even those beyond their community. 

If there's anyone within their community who has inspired her recently, it's singer Klarisse de Guzman, a Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition housemate. In a PBB episode, Klarisse (or Klang) came out as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and revealed that she's been in a relationship for four years. 

"Just getting that validation of your story actually inspires other people to believe in themselves, believe in your worth. And I think when they say everything happens for a reason, I had to bank and anchor onto that when I lost Miss Universe in the manner that I did. And you come home as a loser—without the crown—and you're celebrated for who you are, not because of your sexuality, but because of who you are. That who you're interested in or who you're attracted to shouldn't really be your defining factor. And to find somebody like Ate Klang that really, really saw me as that sign—because she's not the only one, there are so many people who have been telling me that they draw inspiration from my story. It's important to stay humble and say thank you for reminding me why I do what I do. It's moments like that that remind you why you are who you are."

And because people in this community genuinely cheer each other on, it seems like there's this unbreakable chain of inspiration that creates a positive domino effect, resulting in a bigger, louder, and prouder community. 

Sending a message that you need not be a "winner" to have the power to call yourself a "reyna" forms part of her song's goal. "This song, I don't know if it would have the same effect if somebody who is deemed a winner sang it," Michelle mused. "Because I think, in life, we lose more than we win. That's why winning is so much more, I guess, rare and appreciated. But we have to see the value in all the bad also, because they're also good." After all, a queen's crown doesn't only take one form—it can be both tangible and intangible. But regardless of what form it takes at any point in your life, you can find the good in the bad and see reasons to celebrate.  

A queen beyond the pageant scene, Michelle continues to use her platform to champion various advocacies. Like with her latest career milestone, she maximizes her music to honor the community she's part of. 

"I think what's important for people to see is that I don't move backwards," Michelle noted. "We've already done so much with the platform and what we're able to do. And it's really just always striving to voice out what's important, to really walk the talk, and to live by example... I think the more important actions are what we do every day and how we treat everybody else every day. May mahahawa at mahahawa."

What makes Michelle a reyna today? Simple. "I am just unapologetically authentic," she quipped. And that's exactly the contagious mindset we don't mind embracing.

Interview by Angela Nepomuceno

Lead photo from @theluxxewhiteultima