[INTERVIEW] Zack Tabudlo: From The Voice Kids To 16M Views!

HypnoticAsia reached out to Zack Tabudlo to talk about his amazing success with recent releases!

Zack Tabudlo speaks about his experience auditioning for The Voice Kids Philippines when he was a child and how it has influenced his music to now. He also covers his life now, as the acclaimed singer and songwriter reached number 1 with his song, “Binibini” on both YouTube and Spotify. His music video for the track has garnered well over 16 million views and it continues to go up!

Check out what he has to say about his musical influence and who he’d like to collaborate with in the exclusive interview below.

Please introduce yourself to the readers of HypnoticAsia!

I’m Zack Tabudlo, singer-songwriter producer from Manila Philippines.

What or who would you say has been your biggest inspiration or influence in music?

My dad as well as some other artists I look up to like, LANY, Shawn Mendes, Charlie Puth, Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, and a lot more.

When you were 12, you auditioned for The Voice Kids Philippines; tell us about that experience and do you believe it has helped you become the artist you are today?

The experience was such an unforgettable one, meeting good friends I have now, and giving me an opportunity to show my talent to the public. I wouldn’t be the artist I am today if it weren’t for the show.

Do you believe your music style has changed from when you first started to now?

Definitely, especially on the production side and how I write songs today. I was in the growing phase with my music back when I was young, I wasn’t satisfied of what music I was writing before and I knew I could make better ones. As I grew up and matured with my music I finally found the place I need to be in.

Most recently, you released your track “Binibini” and your music video has reached over 7.9 million views within a week! Congratulations! How do you feel about the incredible success the song and music video are having? Did you expect this type of reaction?

Super grateful and blessed to receive such an opportunity. Never expected anything that big for my music. So much love to the fans and people who supported the song, and the growing followers I have now with my music.

Before your release of “Binibini”, your most popular track was “Nangangamba.” How did that song come to life? Any stories behind it?

It kind of started in a class I was in. I was in math class when the idea of the song came in. A melody popped into my head and I couldn’t record the idea on my phone because of a teacher 5 feet away from me. After a couple of minutes, my teacher went for a break which got me the opportunity to record it, fortunately enough there was a ukelele lying around in the classroom. Borrowed it, recorded it. I didn’t start the project as soon as I got home. But after two weeks the same melody pop into my head and that’s the time when I thought I need to start this project already. Finished the song in an hour and the rest is history

If you could choose only one track of your own to introduce to someone who hasn’t heard your music before, which song would it be and why?

It would be Cruel, a song that’s kind of in the middle of everything in terms of my style in music. The pop indie-ish alt-rock style can be heard in that track, with LANY influences and John Mayer solo inspirations, as well as my falsettos. It’s one of my fave tracks ever done.

You signed to the record label, Island Records Philippines; how has it been for you as a musician to be signed to a big entertainment company?

Definitely a game-changer. The doors my Island Records Philippines family opened for me gave me such big opportunities. The love and overall genuine support they give me with my music has been wonderful.

Tell us a little about your process in creating a new track.

New tracks really depend on what I’m going through or where I’m at. Sometimes melodies and ideas pop out of nowhere. Sometimes I would be in a studio and an idea comes in, a coffee shop, at school, and at times I would be going through sad things, I would be in love, so it depends on the situation. It would start off as small ideas until a finished song in just a couple of hours.

Is there an artist you would like to collaborate with?

LANY has always been a dream of mine. Hopefully in the future. Would totally be stoked for it.

If you were not doing music, what do you believe you’d be doing instead?

I would be making short films with friends. Big fan of films and cinematography. One of my dreams is to become a film director besides music.

What can your fans expect from you in the near future?

More music! They haven’t heard crazy stuff!

Check out his music here! Stay tuned for more amazing music by this wonderful and talented artist.