VIDEO: Nicole Laurel Asensio Takes Us Inside the Making of SILONG

Manila, Philippines - Recently signed up with Warner Music Group, theater royalty, and multi-talented artist Nicole Laurel Asensio gives us a peek at her latest single "Silong." On the back burner for years, the single, according to the singer-songwriter, is now ripe for the picking - even amid the pandemic.

"Silong," which is part of her upcoming album with Warner Music, streams on Spotify on 28 August.

"There are some songs that take years to write, and some songs take mere minutes. This wasn't one of them," Asensio begins her narration for a promotional video.

"It's a song I gave up many times because it wouldn't lend me an ending. It's also the only original song in my upcoming album that I did not predominantly write the lyrics for, instead I focused on the melody and the instrumentation ideas with my bandmates," she says.

Asensio, whose moniker "Schizoprano" has been attributed to her dynamic vocals, grew up from a musically-gifted family. Her grandmothers are coloratura soprano Fides Cuyugan-Asensio and theater artist Celia Diaz Laurel. Her uncle is Miss Saigon alum Cocoy Laurel; her mother is singer Iwi Laurel, who also lends some backup vocals to "Silong."

Holding a college degree in literature and a published first book, she founded and toured with an all-female rock band General Luna for five years. The band opened for international rock acts such as Mr. Big and Slash.

Asensio turned into a solo performer in 2014, waxing self-produced albums under MCA Universal. She has since performed in London, Barcelona, Dubai, Doha, Shanghai, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Maldives, United States, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

"Silong" credits Asensio, Kim Lopez, and Itchie Montilla as songwriters; Asensio as executive producer; Asensio and Ira Cruz as producers; Michael Alba, Karel Honasan, Ira Cruz, Nikko Rivera, Michael Guevarra, and Lester Sorilla as arrangers; JC Magsalin as strings arranger; Michael Guevarra as horns arranger; Michael Alba (drums), Karel Honasan (bass), Ira Cruz (guitar), Nikko Rivera (keyboards), Michael Guevarra (saxophone), Isla Antinero (trombone), and Lester Sorilla (trumpet) as musicians; Jess Fermino as studio engineer, and Angee Rozul as sound mixer. The single was mastered in Abbey Road UK.

Video/Photos: Nicole Laurel Asensio