Sister act: Krissy and Ericka
MANILA, Philippines - From a simple video sharing website, Youtube has become a deep pool of talent just waiting to be discovered. Some singer hopefuls unfortunately never receive recognition beyond the confines of their channel, but the lucky few get a chance to make it big and cross over to a bigger platform with a wider audience reach. Abroad, artists like Marié Digby, singer duo Karmin and Filipino-American AJ Rafael are all making a living out of their dreams. In the Philippines, sister act and YouTube sensations Krissy and Ericka have proved that they have what it takes to run with the big boys in the tough music biz — all before even graduating high school.
This sister act may be related to Cris Villonco (she’s their dad’s cousin), but their talent is enough to let them stand on their own.
12:51
It’s been a while since their first album, and older sister Ericka is now 18 and a current freshmen at the University of the Philippines Diliman while Krissy, 17, is a 4th year high school student. Their new album, “Twelve: Fifty One,” with their original banner track of the same name, mark the duo’s newer and fresher sound. Krissy comments on how different their sophomore album is compared to the first one. “I think that definitely this album is more mature that the first one. In this one, our songs are more heartfelt — from personal experiences talaga.”
Their song 12:51 is an example of the heartfelt vibe that the girls are expressing, completely different than their first original song Up, Up, Down, Down. Krissy said that the song is about a boy, and 12:51 was the exact time on the clock when she wrote it.
Sister Act
It comes as no surprise that every once in a while, the two girls get into conflict, but they assure everyone that it’s just the normal sibling rivalry.
So they certainly take care of any internal conflict, but the critics can sometimes get harsh. People not only critique them as a group, they also begin comparing the two with each other. “I don’t like it when people say, ‘How come you won’t let Ericka sing?’ That’s what gets me the most.” Ericka supported Krissy and said, “Between me and Krissy, she’s more of the singer. I like it when she sings! It’s okay to be compared, but we’re different in so many ways.”
A Bright Future
Setting aside the negativity, the girls are looking forward to the future. Krissy said she wants to stay with music as long as she lives. Ericka, on the other hand, enthuses about her love for fashion, but echoes her sister’s desire to touch on different parts of the music industry. “In the 12:51 music video, I got a taste of behind the scenes work. I was very hands-on for this album.”
The girls truly have a bright future ahead of them, which brings up the idea of eventually establishing themselves as individuals rather than the pair that every one has become familiar with.
“Eventually, I think we’ll go solo. But now, we’re just enjoying what we have. Maybe in the future,” said Ericka.
Krissy agrees and ponders a little more.
“I think I would want to be seen like Taylor Swift if I went solo or maybe a rocker. We’ll see how that turns out.”
