Jamiela Dacome had taken a break from busking as a senior high school student when she decided to take her music online, where she’d gain traction under the mononym Jamiela. In September 2023, she released “Kahon,” a song about caving under academic pressure, which resonated deeply with a young Filipino audience. Nearly three years later, the musician continues to find comfort in her craft and is learning more about herself and her music as she goes.
When she sits with me for a chat, she almost whispers into the microphone. “Noong busker pa lang ako, I was really shy. Super takot ako sa people,” she tells Rolling Stone Philippines. “And talagang pinush lang talaga ako ng mga friends ko, ng mentor ko, kasi may nakikita silang potential.”
Despite her reserved demeanor, Jamiela knows how to call attention in other ways. On her social media pages and in person, she only wears frilly pink-and-white dresses adorned with ribbons.
Jamiela admits dolls are a fixation, and they’ve inspired her work. “Everything is a source of inspiration. For example, the way I dress is inspired sa mga kino-collect ko [na dolls]. And sa music, visual, lahat ng forms of art na ginagawa ko, magkaka-connect sila,” she says.
Beyond a presentation that is unmistakably her own, she’s also capable of raising her voice. Having garnered almost 300,000 streams on Spotify as of this writing, the single “Bendahe” is Jamiela’s strongest work yet and demonstrates her capabilities as a singer-songwriterSinger-SongwriterA musician who writes and performs their own songs, usually with just a guitar or piano. Singer-songwriters are valued for honest, personal storytelling, and many of the most beloved voicesGo to Singer-Songwriter Glossary. In the rock track, she likens herself to a bandage used to cover up a man’s wounds, crooning one moment and belting the next.
That edgy, bluesy rockRockA guitar-driven genre that grew from rhythm and blues in the 1950s and splintered into countless styles, from punk and metal to alternative. With a long history of rebellion andGo to Rock Glossary sound easily reminds one of Peklat Cream-era Bita and the Botflies, and Jamiela recognizes the similarities but admits that she only discovered the band recently, being young and new to the industry. “People, nakahanap talaga sila ng music artists na parang ka-genre ko and na-recommend din sila,” she says.
Braving the Crowd
In the span of two years, Jamiela has gone from busking in malls to doing shows at Makati’s Sari Sari, but she says live performances remain a challenge for her.
“Noong ginawa ko ‘yong busking, hindi talaga maiiwasan na may masasabi or iba ‘yong perception sa akin. Minsan nakaka-hurt kasi softie ako, parang hinahayahan ko din. And mahirap din na ako lang talaga nagfigure out alone [dati]. And hindi ko alam kung may naniniwala ba sa art na nilalabas ko.”
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But since making her own music, Jamiela has learned to trust her own abilities. “I discovered na kaya ko pala kahit madalas na-lo-lost ako ng direction. Ready akong mag-gamble sa kahit ano. Kahit takot ako, naniniwala ako na may calling ‘yong art ko.”
So far, she has enjoyed her time in the music industry, having signed with PolyEast Records’ Filtered Music in April 2025. “Sa industry, I think, wala pa akong na-encounter na challenge kasi in-enjoy ko lang talaga siya. It’s a big opportunity and a dream sa akin.”
This year, she looks forward to releasing new music and doing more shows. She says, “I hope na makapag-evolve ako as an artist, share more music, at makapag-connect sa people, at maka-visit din ako sa different places at makapag-perform.” This year, the internet’s Pink Dolly Busker has our eyes and ears.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jamiela Dacome is a Filipino singer-songwriter who began busking as a senior high school student before moving her music online. She released her debut single “Kahon” in September 2023, a song about academic pressure that resonated widely with young Filipino listeners.
Jamiela says her fixation with collecting dolls directly inspires her visual presentation, music, and overall artistic identity, describing all forms of art she creates as interconnected expressions of the same inspiration.
“Bendahe” is described as Jamiela’s strongest work to date, with nearly 300,000 Spotify streams. In the bluesy rock track, she likens herself to a bandage covering a man’s wounds, shifting between crooning and belting vocals.
Yes. Jamiela signed with PolyEast Records’ Filtered Music in April 2025, describing the opportunity as a dream and saying she hasn’t encountered major challenges in the industry so far because she’s enjoyed the experience.
Jamiela’s edgy, bluesy rock sound has drawn comparisons to Peklat Cream-era Bita and the Botflies, though she says she only discovered the band recently after fans pointed out the genre similarities.
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