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01/06/2021
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ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jun 01 2021 04:48 PM
MANILA -- After conquering the pageant scene, Catriona Gray hopes to prove herself once more, this time in the music industry.
The former beauty queen recently released her own version of "Raise Your Flag," a song inspired by a statement she made during the Miss Universe 2018 pageant.
Titled "RYF," the song features a slightly different arrangement from the original track performed by KZ Tandingan and Kritiko.
Speaking with members of the media from her hometown of Australia during a virtual press conference on Tuesday, Gray said music has always been "a common thread through my younger life."
"I've loved singing ever since I was little. I just never thought I had what it takes to be a singer up until I was about 18 years old," she said.
"I would just sing a lot at the house, I would always love listening to music. And all throughout my academic life, I would always be in choir in school, and be part of musicals and recitals, and I was lead of my jazz band in high school," she shared.
And while she has been singing for most of her life, Gray admitted that she still feels "a lot of nervousness" as a recording artist, and considers herself "such a newbie."
She hopes that through her efforts, she will also be able to make her mark in the music industry.
"I feel like there is such a need for me to prove myself in this space," the Miss Universe 2018 titleholder said.
"I am very grateful to have the opportunity to have this platform mainly because I brought pride to our country through Miss Universe. But I feel ever more the pressure to really mark my space in the music industry," she went on. "And it just felt very fitting to start with this song ('RYF'), which is actually my second release in music, comparing this to 'We're In This Together' which was very much a part of my [Miss Universe] journey also."
"I guess this is almost in a way a closure of that journey, before I really go off into finding who I am as an artist... But it just felt very important for me, personally, to put my spin or my interpretation on this song that was inspired by my journey."
While "Raise Your Flag" started out as a patriotic song inspired by her Miss Universe stint, Gray said she wants "RYF" to be seen as a song about "standing up for something."
"I mean June is Pride Month, so 'RYF' could also apply to promoting inclusivity and equality. It could also lend its voice to standing up for education, standing up for equal rights," she said.
"I hope that through my interpretation of the song, it can evolve to how I see the song, which is what it means to stand up for something. It's not about being just proud of your country, it's about raising your voice for something," she added.
When asked about the artists she wants to collaborate with in the future, Gray mentioned Tandingan, Jaya, and Moira.
"I just really admire their artistry and how they really carved out their own sound," she said of her fellow Cornerstone talents. "You can just see that their heart is in what they're doing."
Before "RYF," Gray also released a cover of the 1998 song "Angel of Mine" with R&B singer Jay R.
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