MEET THE VOICE BEHIND MCDO'S "TULOY PA RIN" AD - KRYSTLE YAGUE

MEET THE VOICE BEHIND MCDO'S "TULOY PA RIN" AD - KRYSTLE YAGUE

It was around 2am and I'm about to sleep, lights off, and I'm lying in bed checking my Facebook when I saw this McDonald's video shared on my feed. Pressed play and later did I know I was already getting teary eyed. No, I can't relate (thank God!). No, I'm pretty much happy the whole day. But the storyline, the lyrics, that voice, it was so compelling yet not surprising because it's McDo, the affectionate ads of McDo. Nakakainis ka minsan McDo! Haha!

Change and moving on -- two words that defy comfort zone. The new McDo commercial tells a story of a girl having to face the fear of sitting alone in the same exact corner where her heart was broken by a man he used to share McDo meals with. But as their hashtag #WelcomeChange goes, she conquered her past and enjoyed the new Burger Mcdo with a proud smile on her face.

Aside from the emotional yet inspiring copy, the ad hits the soft spot and definitely rounded the whole tearjerker package with its accompanying jingle - a 60 second cover of the 90s OPM love song "Tuloy Pa Rin". Indeed, it was such a beautiful and moving cover that the classic suddenly became popular again. Others even made their own covers of the song. I really don't think the ad would have that much impact if it wasn't for the music: the lyrics is just on point, and the voice is just the exact tone you wanna hear at that moment.

And then people got curious, who is the voice behind the jingle? Is there a full version? Why don't I get to sing it the same way she does? Nah, the last one's a personal question. Lol! 

Everyone, meet Ms. Krystle Jove Yague, the lady behind the beautiful voice for McDonald's "Tuloy Pa Rin" ad! Familiar with the new Cheezy ad? The one with "If you like cheese, say Cheezy!"? Yes that's her too!!

We met up at Mochi Creme Cafe in Megamall and the rest of the interview was just as casual as meeting up with a churchmate (yup she's a Christian) :) She's very nice and down to earth. She was very easy to talk with yet seems to hold a perspective beyond her years (she's turning 21 this year). After all, she has been living independently for over a year now. 

Read the rest of the interview below:

F: Introduce yourself and a little background of what you do.

"I'm Krystle Yague, 20 yrs. old, and I'm a singer. A lot of my friends ask me if I would brand myself as a professional singer, on my own I wouldn't, but since it has already become my profession, I guess yes I am. I also host a show on TV, River of Worship at Light Network."

F: You used to be a student of Ramon Bautista right?

"Yes I went to UP Diliman, I was taking up BA Creative Writing until I decided to take a break from school."

F: When did you start singing?

"Oooh, that's a tricky question! If you ask my mom, she would say it's 3, which for me is kind of impossible. I mean what can you sing at 3? But she enrolled me in a vocal institute when I was 6 yrs.old and that went on for 2 years. So I'd say since 6 yrs.old."

F: Do you write your own songs?

"I try to, but you could never expect me to call myself as a songwriter. It's the people around me who have been really pushing me to write more songs. I've written a couple of songs and I do write for the church also."

F: How were you discovered?

"I have been doing voice acting for "PROD A" for 2 years now, and then April this year when they first called me in to do a demo for Cheezy. Actually I have a friend who's an arranger for "PROD A" who hooked me up to try out jingles, but when I did my voice filing I was surprised when they also asked me to do voice overs. And for about 2 years that's what I've been doing for them, and then I thought okay maybe singing jingles isn't for me. First I really wanted it, but when I realized, when I started to accept that no opportunities are coming, I started to understand that maybe this isn't for me. I didn't feel bad, it's just one of those things like.. "Kebs!".  

"But yeah, it was April this year that they (called me in for Cheezy), I guess they just like remember all of a sudden. I don't know did they just forget? Hahaha!"

F: And then for McDonalds?

"So at first I was just for "PROD A", then 3 weeks ago my friend who also sings for jingles hooked me up for "PROD B" and that's how it started. I was called in for the first time on a Friday, and then nagtuloy tuloy siya."

F: Do you have to go to auditions?

"Not like audition, the process kase they call you in to perform a song. But before they do that parang per project tinitignan na nila sino bagay. They match who fits which song. It was my first time at "PROD B" and I just thought I'll be doing a voice filing, but when I got there I was already recording for a jingle (which I cannot tell you about). And then nagtuloy tuloy na. I recorded McDonalds only a few days after I started at "PROD B". 

F: Who are your musical influences?

"I'll just tell you the people that I listen to. I love Tori Kelly, A LOT! I love Beyonce. Who else? Well growing up in church, I grew up listening to Gospel music, I listen to Hillsong, Israel; when I was younger I listen to Avril Lavigne, Paramore. Also Ariana Grande, Jason Mraz, Us The Duo."

F: Any local artist?

"Local artist, well I won't say that Sarah G. is my musical influence but I do listen to her a lot! I love watching her perform, like with her live performances, I think she's phenomenal! And I love watching live performances coz it's the real thing, it's not recorded, di mo sya madadaya unless you know it's lip sync. 

Who else? Hmm, Quest! Because I kinda grew up with him, I knew him back when I was still 13 or 12, I remember looking up to him the way he would lead worship."

F: Any dream collaborations?

"Tori Kelly! I want to sing with her, even if I'll just hum in the background, I wouldn't mind! Tori Kelly is just amazing!"

F: How about here in the Philippines?

"KZ Tandingan? I think she'd be an amazing artist to sing with and to just sit down and collaborate with."

F: The McDonald's commercial talks about break ups and moving on, do you have personal experiences regarding such changes?

"Yeah. You know I wrote in one of the post that I put up online that there's so many things that we need to move on from, like losing a job, moving on from a family problem, I've had my own share of a lot of those things. So yeah."

F: How were you able to overcome them?

"Aside from eating Burger McDo? Hahaha!" 

"I don't wanna sound too Christian-y, it's a blessing that we're both the same (on religious beliefs), but it's just letting it go. Acknowledging and accepting the truth. It is what it is, but at the end of the day you know someone is in control. Like for me, from my own experience, I know that no matter what happens, bad things happen, I know that at the end of the day God is good. And I've proven that through my own life so many times and I wouldn't let one bad experience to snatch that joy from my heart, from me, and like my faith in the One who has proven Himself so faithful over the past few years. I've only existed in this world for what, 20 years, and I've already seen so much of His faithfulness and how He has given me all these opportunities." 

"And also of course friends, it's important that you surround yourself with the people who encourage you and won't be afraid to tell you the truth. People who aren't afraid to spend their money with you when you want to eat a lot of good food when you're going through a heartbreak (LOL). And music, you know sometimes when I feel bad? I just don't listen to music even when I'm just at home - I sing, it helps me cope."

F: Are you ready for possible bashers, haters, along the journey of your singing career?

"Yeah you know going to this I have been blessed with people who are exposed to these kinds of haters. And I've been blessed with people who constantly remind me of this inevitable reality, you can't please everyone. Just last night I was going through some messages the people sent me, and there was this one person who sent me this message: 'Ow you're not pretty, but your voice is good.' I mean, what in the world? He didn't have to, but sometimes people just don't have control over their thoughts, they think their freedom of speech gives them the right to bash people. It doesn't benefit anything or anyone."  

"If you ask me if I'm ready, I still get nervous at times. I remember when the McDo jingle was released I was talking to a friend of mine and I said I don't wanna read the comments, I'm scared. Because people have been posting entertaining stuff, they would randomly share their love stories, and I'm enjoying it. Sabe nga ni Taylor Swift just "shake it off!"

F: Any other passion aside from singing? Or let's say you're not a singer, what line of career would you be in?

"I love dancing, but it is not for me! Haha. But maybe... Maybe I will be a very successful entrepreneur who travels the world building, setting up orphanages and shelters for people, especially for children who are victims of terrorism. That's a very Miss Universe answer haha!"

F: Any advice for young aspirants like you?

"For someone who is aspiring to be something, to do something, I guess just be grateful of the talent and skills you've been blessed with, and be a better story of those skills. And how do you do that? You hone them, you put in the hours, if you wan't to be a better singer then go take vocal lessons. Do everything that you can to be better at your craft. No, don't put more effort into making yourself known and neglecting the skill part. I mean, what do you do this for? Ask yourself why do you want to enter the industry for? Is it just for fame, or for art, #AHRT?" 

IG: @Krystleyy

TWITTER: @krystleyague

SNAPCHAT: Krystleyy

She is soon to put up her Facebook Like Page, yay!

And for those who are asking for the full version of her "Tuloy Pa Rin" cover? Hmm, it's for you guys to find out :)