A real artist plays in the realm of imagination and shares different interpretations and expressions of life. And that’s what Nicole Asensio has been doing that makes her not just another performer, but a true artist.
From being the rock vocalist of the band General Luna and Razorback, crooning sultry jazz songs to pursuing a modeling career, Nicole doesn’t just break free from artistic genres. She pursues different fields of art.
Nicole has countless awards and nominations from Aliw Awards for live performers to Awit Awards for the music industry.
Expanding her horizons, the already sought-after singer-songwriter has also plunged headlong into the world of acting.
Starring in her first acting gig back in 2021, Katips, Nicole garnered a FAMAS best actress nomination alongside veteran megastars like Sharon Cuneta and Charo Santos. She never got any formal training in acting before auditioning for the role.
“Your portrayal of the character is what makes it special”, Nicole shares. “You can have two people who look the same and sound the same, but the permutation of the life experiences that they had made [allows the actor to] attack the character differently.”
Indeed, Nicole has a way to connect with the craft that is beyond mere acting styles and methodologies. She taps from within and brings life to it.
This attitude of play also shines through in her songwriting.
“My process changes depending on what I’m writing,” according to the singer. “There are instances where I write collaboratively (with other artists and we create something together).”
Her song Poblacion with Chito Miranda of Parokya ni Edgar is an example of this where the two artists jammed together. Poblacion is a jazzy vaudeville-inspired duet of two lovers looking for each other in Poblacion during the prohibition era.
Nicole also has solo works that are very playful like Love Me or Don’t, with a 1950s-based Stepford Housewives theme that is very story-based.
“But there are instances where there is a character in my head,” the songwriter expounds. “There’s imagination that goes behind it that’s thematic and paints a picture.” Some of these are inspired by personal experiences while some are an exploration of her imagination.
She never formally trained for singing, acting, or modeling when she started. She would do a deep dive into whatever opportunity landed her way and make sure to deliver.
Despite being in the industry for over a decade, what gives Nicole her edge is her experience outside of being a performer. “I had four-part time jobs before becoming a musician,” according to Nicole.
From being an English diction teacher to refashioning ukay-ukay hauls to be sold, Nicole had her fair share of side hustles not only giving her a wide range of networks to launch her career but also a chance to hone her craft as she performed in bars during those hay days.
The experience of taking every opportunity presented to her to make ends meet during those years also trained her to constantly challenge herself and show up where she is needed. “I don’t consider myself a Jazz singer. My audience considers me more of a Jazz singer than myself,” the humble artist said despite winning an Awit Best Jazz recording award last 2022. She narrated how someone just approached her saying they need a Jazz singer asking if she can do it. Despite having never tried it before takes on the challenge and makes it her own.
This attitude also landed one of her songs to be used in a Nepalese web drama series “Just Another Love Story. “During one work trip, Nicole randomly met a Singaporean artist who needed a jazzy love song for the show. Nicole happened to be working on one of her original songs “I Might Love You” and showed it to the artist after a few tweaks ended up being used in the show.
It is exciting to know what Nicole will be creating and sharing for the years to come. It seems like there is no boundary to the creativity she explores and shares.
She will be back this June in the GSIS theater for the play Ibarra playing Sisa, a deranged mother of two sacristan boys. Sisa is a dream role for me. “My grandmother Fides (Cuyugan-Asensio) played Sisa as well and my father’s name was Noli because during that time she was playing Sisa, she was pregnant (with my father) so our family has a lot of roots with the role.”
Getting a chance to see how Nicole makes Sisa her own is an experience worth looking forward to.
Image credits: Daniel Tan