Kapamilya Snaps: The exceptional journey of KDLex as promising artists, well-loved tandem

There’s definitely no doubt that Alexa Ilacad and KD Estrada are among the best-loved and fast-rising artists of this generation. And together, as KDLex, they are proving to be the perfect pair in singing and acting, which makes them the favorite loveteam of many.

As we look forward to seeing more of them this 2024 and in the coming years, let’s reminisce about their journeys as individual showbiz figures and as a beloved tandem in this episode of Kapamilya Snaps.

Born on February 26, 2000, Alexa started working in front of the cameras as a commercial model at the tender age of 2. You might have seen her cuteness in the television advertisements for certain brands of shampoo, cologne, milk, fast food, cheese spread, and medicine.

It was in 2008 when her career in the local entertainment scene took off as she got cast in the long-running kiddie gag show Goin’ Bulilit, through which she was able to further hone and develop her chops in acting, singing, and dancing. This opened the door to more opportunities for her, such as roles in May Bukas Pa (2009) and Nasaan Ka Elisa? (2011).

While she slowly gained popularity as a child star, it was during her teens that Alexa truly began to establish her name. Some of her contemporaries might have opted to take a break during the so-called “awkward stage” among celebrities, yet she didn’t. She went on to appear in several highly-rated and remarkable teleseryes of ABS-CBN, which allowed her to shine more and show her versatility as a promising actress.

From mostly portraying the young versions of Kapamilya actresses, she went on to headline the second season of the youth-oriented sitcom Luv U, which ran from 2013 to 2016, as Alexis “Lexie” Domingo. At the same, she also did Bagito in 2014, playing the role of the titular character’s love interest Camille Lorenzo.

She then took on the supporting role of Patricia Hernandez in Doble Kara (2016) and of Justine Asuncion in The Good Son (2017). Her acting prowess was further highlighted in The Killer Bride (2019) and Init Sa Magdamag (2021) as she portrayed Luna Dela Cuesta and Hannah Salcedo, respectively. She was also seen in some episodes of Maalaala Mo Kaya, Ipaglaban Mo, and Wansapantaym.

While Alexa has already gone a long way in her career, KD is relatively new in the industry. Unbeknownst to many, he was discovered on Facebook by someone from Star Magic. Despite feeling insecure about his height at the time, he still proceeded to film a VTR and attended a go-see.

He made his TV debut in 2021 when he performed on the ASAP Natin ‘To stage. Later that year, he earned his big break by joining Pinoy Big Brother Kumunity Season 10, wherein he was tagged as the “Musical Wonderboy of Parañaque City.” This stint allowed him to be known by people better by unraveling his true self, as well as to cross paths with Alexa, who also signed up to be a housemate and was given the moniker, “Smartista Unica Hija ng Pasig.”

During their stay inside the famous yellow house, the two were able to form a lovely connection with one another through their similar interests, particularly in music, and their conversations that enabled them to get to know each other on a deeper level and become the best of friends. Little did they know that their special bond already garnered a throng of shippers, thus the KDLex loveteam was born.

Both of them might have fallen short in their bid to become the Big Winner, yet they were blessed with a massive following and a string of projects. The first of which was their online fan concert in February 2022 entitled “Closer: The KDLex Fan Con,” which was held exactly on her 22nd birthday. Later that year, the new tandem had their first acting gig together through the iWantTFC Originals miniseries Run To Me, in which they got us kilig as Jewel and Wilson.

In 2023, they were able to further show off their skills and chemistry in the afternoon soap opera Pira-Pirasong Paraiso as they portrayed Beth Paraiso and Elon Lamadrid. At the same time, they were selected to become the lead actors in the musical play “Walang Aray,” the modern take on Severino Reyes’ 1898 classic zarzuela “Walang Sugat” by the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA).

One of the things that connected KD and Alexa is their shared passion for music, not to mention that both of them are talented when it comes to singing, songwriting, and playing musical instruments. And they’re to exhibit it through their song collaborations, namely, “Misteryo,” “Hiwaga,” “Palagi,” and “When I See You Again.” They also lent their voices to one of the official soundtracks of the Star Magical Prom 2024 entitled, “Walang Hanggan.”

The two were among the personalities that stood out in the star-studded, fairytale-themed event not only because they’re one of the most popular tandems today, but also due to their enchanting “The Little Mermaid”-inspired looks. Thus, there’s no wonder that they were crowned the Prom King and Queen at the end of the night, aside from the special award for “Best Promposal.” It was indeed a great feat for them, considering that it was the first prom that both of them ever attended.

Alexa and KD may have started their journeys separately and in different ways, but finding each other meant having a partner in fulfilling their dreams