Inigo Pascual still dreams of working with his dad Piolo

MANILA, Philippines — Inigo Pascual made a brief “musical” visit to Manila to release the song, Basta’t Alam Kong Tayo. It completed his recording project, The Heartbreak Trilogy, with Kahit Di Mo Ko Nakikita and OK Lang Ako as the other two ditties released earlier.

Such an endeavor speaks of how committed Inigo is as a singer-songwriter, even though he continues to chase his acting dreams in the US.

“Sobrang sarap sa pakiramdam na nakarating ako sa point na pwede kong i-share yung gusto kong gawin din (the feeling is really good that I’ve reached the point where I can share what I want to do),” said Inigo about the creative space and freedom given to young Pinoy singer-songwriters like him in a virtual exclusive interview with The STAR. “We are now able to share our voice, our vision.”

He finds it exciting to be in a process in which he could give his own signature stamp and a unique approach to wrapping up a song, as one may put it.

“I usually don’t finish my songs before recording. So, I would, like, leave the bridge or a bit part of (the song) blank. When I’m in the recording studio, I will finish it there for me to immerse myself more in the emotion of the song,” shared he. “So, whatever comes to mind, whatever emotion I’m able to get from that song, isusulat ko at duon ko siya tatapusin mismo, the day I record it. It becomes more real.”

With Basta’t Alam Kong Tayo, Kahit Di Mo Ko Nakikita and OK Lang Ako now available as a trilogy to his fans and music enthusiasts, Inigo, as a creative, is glad that he and everyone else can sing all the tunes one after another. They can better appreciate the collective theme behind the tunes about the stages of heartbreak.

“Writing heartbreak songs is one thing, performing your heartbreak songs that you went through is something different as well,” said he. “Besides making other people, like, use it as their own songs, pinagdaanan mo rin naman yung mga sinabi mo sa kanila and it’s almost like sharing a big piece of you, a big piece of your life and that’s something that excites me.”

Again, Inigo is very happy that the songs being kept on his phone can now be listened to and sung by other people. He has also met Filipinos in the US who told Inigo that his songs were the first Tagalog tunes their children learned.

Asked how his “heart” is these days, Inigo answered, “OK naman po ako. I’m very busy. I’m OK. I’m happy where I’m at. In the States, I do a lot of auditions, puro auditions po ang ginagawa ko ngayon (that’s what keeps me busy there).”

The artist in Inigo simply enjoys the entire process.

“For me, I always learn something because auditions can be likened to attending acting workshops. You’re going for these roles, you’re going for these projects,” shared he, who still feels like a winner even if he doesn’t get the part. What matters to him is the experience of auditioning for productions responsible for the movies and TV shows of which he is a fan. He also gains insights he can use in the next audition.

“My last project that I did in the States (was) a small character for a movie called ‘Homestead,’” said he. “I was able to check one of the boxes on my checklist of dreams, which was to speak Tagalog in a Hollywood film. I got to do that in it. I think it’s coming out at the end of the year.”

According to Inigo, it’s an action film, and his character will be introduced in the opening scene. He plays a Filipino who is bound for America on a pirate ship. Inigo had the opportunity to film on an actual pirate ship and experience acting in scenes such as the one, where there was a helicopter following him and fellow actors.

Inigo has joined the growing number of actors of Filipino descent, like Dolly de Leon, Liza Soberano and Lovi Poe, who have already established themselves or are making a name for themselves in the US.

“It’s such an exciting time for Filipinos, not even Filipinos, but other nationalities as well, being in Hollywood because they are more open. Ang dami na pong nakaka-cross over (a lot have already crossed over), hindi na siya malayong pangarap (landing a role is no longer a far-fetched dream). One can audition for projects (under production companies that are behind films and shows) we only watch here, and it’s exciting times,” said he, who is interested in doing action and horror as a follow-up to his work in the US TV network series, “Monarch,” and wishes to be part of a Netflix US production.

Inigo is also open to doing acting projects in the Philippines.

“I do wanna come back and I do wanna do some projects here. Pangarap ko pa rin pong maka-trabaho si Papa P (I still dream of working with my dad Piolo Pascual),” shared he.

If asked to pitch a story for their debut starrer, Inigo would like to do either a horror or a romance about, yes, a father and son who are smitten by a woman.

He hopes that project is something different from what he has done before.

(Inigo Pascual’s songs Basta’t Alam Kong Tayo, Kahit Di Mo Ko Nakikita and OK Lang Ako are available on digital music platforms.)