Singer-songwriter Moira Dela Torre has made a career out of putting heartbreak into words. She first gained recognition in 2013 as a contestant on The Voice Philippines, and has since released some of her biggest hits, including “Paubaya,” “Tagpuan,” and “Tagu-Taguan.” Across the years, she’s also had memorable collaborations with acts such as Ben&Ben, December Avenue, and Adie.
Her debut Malaya in 2018 and her follow-up Patawad in 2020 have become successful albums in their own right, producing a prolific amount of material centered on themes of love and heartbreak. But over the years, Dela Torre was unsure whether she wanted to make music for people who only know her as the “hugot” songwriter. She says she used to lose sight of why she was writing in the first place.
“Writing had always been the most consistent thing to me until it was doubted,” Dela Torre tells Rolling Stone Philippines. “All of a sudden my writing became something I needed to defend. And I think for a season in my life I just started getting quiet because I’m like, ‘Do I want to defend myself to people who have already made up their minds?’ or ‘Do I want to keep writing?’ But then every time I write, what comes out is I want to convince people that, ‘No, I’ve been writing this whole time.’”
Moira Dela Torre on ‘Eme’ and Writing With Responsibility
Dela Torre finds it hard to keep being vulnerable in front of an audience who judge artists like her. Songwriting, according to Dela Torre, should be internal, and it shouldn’t aim to impress. One of her more notable songs, “Eme,” came out in 2023 as a means for her to try something new for once.
“A lot of people liked [“Eme”] but a lot of people were also against it,” she says. “They were like, it’s different now. But I knew in my head also [doing something different] wasn’t forever. I think that was also the season I recognized the responsibility I held with the platform I’d been given. And while I’m very grateful that I did that, I’m also not. I don’t think I’m going to do that again.”
Since then, Dela Torre has grown more mindful of what she puts into her songs. She is aware that her words can be read in ways she never intended. Writing from anger, she realized, comes with a responsibility she has to carry once the song is out of her hands.
“When you’re angry, you really get out of character,” she says. “I just wanted to express myself during that time and now that I’ve done that, I don’t want other people to be villainized because of the songs that I write. That’s something that I want to be more mature about. And just because I’m angry doesn’t mean I get to get other people involved. I can be more careful.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of Dela Torre’s best-known songs include “Paubaya,” “Tagpuan,” “Titibo-tibo,” and “Eme.”
Moira Dela Torre has released two studio albums: Malaya in 2018 and Patawad in 2020.
Moira Dela Torre’s most notable collaborations are with December Avenue, Ben&Ben, and Adie.
Moira Dela Torre’s “Eme” was released back in 2023.
Moira Dela Torre first joined The Voice Philippines as a contestant in 2013.
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