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Issa Pressman admits she lost a part of her childhood to work. And now, with the help of her boyfriend, James Reid, she is slowly healing herself by putting herself in a state of play, which has resulted in creative endeavours like her new single "Alaala."

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Transcript
00:00I started working when I was four. My sister started working when she was six.
00:03It became a very competitive environment for me.
00:10It's like the state of play and just being a kid, right?
00:15And that's why that's something that finally now is something that I'm curing for myself.
00:20Really being in the state of play, which is, I need to credit my boyfriend James for that.
00:34Hi, Pepsters. We're back again for another episode of Pep Spotlight.
00:39You know what? I'm very excited to introduce to you guys our guest for this episode.
00:44We have Filipino singer, actress, model, and TV personality.
00:50I'm here to talk about her new single. Let's all welcome Issa Pressman.
00:57Hello.
00:58Hello, Issa.
01:00Hi.
01:01Happy Women's Month.
01:02Happy Women's Month. Thank you so much for having me.
01:06Of course.
01:08Well, we've been talking to strong, empowered women the past few weeks, the past few days,
01:14and it's all just been very empowering hearing messages and advice from them.
01:22Is there any message you want to start this episode off?
01:26Oh, just for women's month?
01:30Sure. I think it would be my favorite mantra, something that I always see, or a favorite quote.
01:36It's grow through what you go through, so it's technically something you learn from everything that you go through, whether
01:45good or bad, and you always see the light and love in every situation.
01:49You learn from that, and you learn from that, and that becomes your greatest teacher.
01:54That's so perfect.
01:55And, well, speaking of going through, congratulations on your new single. It's called Ala Ala.
02:02Yes, I know. Ala Ala is out.
02:05Yeah. I mean, it's also about going through things. Can you introduce to us, to Pepster, what Ala Ala is
02:15all about?
02:16Sure. So, Ala Ala talks about memories, right? It talks about that lingering feeling of that last moment that you
02:26saw your crush,
02:28or someone that you connected with, or, you know, it could be set in, like when you're a kid, it
02:37could be puppy love, or it could be like love right now,
02:39or, you know, that first, when you saw your crush, you know, it's like, okay, the connection that's really big.
02:45So, that's the moment that you imagine the last moment that you saw the last moment, and the next moment
02:53that you'll see again.
02:54But, while you're still in the middle, you're here to my crush, and I'm just gonna like, you know, sing
02:59with you and dance with you.
03:03Oh, well, can you tell us what kind of memories you were trying to revisit when you made the single?
03:12I think it was a general feeling when I was making a song.
03:16I think for my last release, because of Cinnamon Treasure, it was very subjective by, like, really romanticizing Cinnamon, right?
03:25Because Cinnamon was my favorite.
03:27It was part, like, out for the general, because it was about Filipinas and Nina Morena.
03:33But specifically for Alaala, I really wanted to just go, like, very broad.
03:39I think maybe that's why people are resonating with it, because it's like a general message of just, like, memories.
03:46Ano ba yung mga naalala niyo? Ano yung mga hindi nawawala sa Alaala niyo?
03:49And because it's so sweet, you wanna keep, like, thinking about it.
03:54Mm-hmm.
03:55Yeah.
03:57What would you say your favorite lyric from the song is?
04:02Ah, it would be the...
04:04That part, it's like, it just feels so nice na out of everyone in this world,
04:17nagkakilala tayo at nagkasuno.
04:19And that goes for the friends, di ba?
04:22Pwedeng friends, pwedeng lovers, pwedeng office mates, pwedeng, you know, your boss or something.
04:28Basta it's just like, sa dinami-dami ng tao sa mundo, like, nagkasuno kayo, right?
04:35So that's just like, yeah, it's a feeling of being lucky.
04:39And because connections come in all forms, like, soulmates, you have a lot of soulmates in this lifetime.
04:46It doesn't necessarily mean you're the person you're in a relationship with.
04:50Like you said, it could be about friends.
04:52So, yeah.
04:56So that lyric says,
05:00For you, did you ever experience meeting someone, it wasn't good at first, but then eventually it was like, oh,
05:10I vibe with this person as well.
05:12Um, I'm a really good vibe reader.
05:16Oh, okay.
05:18Well, I mean, once naman you become open and sensitive, you, parang, reader mo is also the same, right?
05:26I believe that you attract, um, parang, you attract the same energy and same vibe that you put out.
05:36And, parang, hindi din kasi ako magaling mag-small talk.
05:40So I'm not that kind of, you know, I'm still an introvert in some way.
05:44So if I am gonna be an extrovert, it's because parang, alam kong magkiklik kami ng tao na to.
05:51So, I could parang strengthen that relationship a bit more.
05:56And because I'm quite awkward with small talk, maybe it's because I feel like, ay, baka, we don't really share
06:02much interests.
06:03I can't really think of different topics.
06:05I become awkward and it's just like, okay, that relationship's not gonna end.
06:09But, I mean, there's nothing wrong with that, you know.
06:12It's like, some people you vibe with, some people, some not.
06:16But it doesn't also mean na mag-aaway kayo.
06:18It's just like, hindi kayo magiging best friends, you know.
06:22And I'd say with my group of friends, talaga, that's one thing that really stood out na parang,
06:29our friendship and connection is so special, na ang taas na ng bar, na ang relation ng friendship status ka.
06:38Okay, okay.
06:40I get the part about the small talk and also about being an introvert, yeah.
06:45But, you know, I'm not like you.
06:47I don't read vibes that well.
06:50Really?
06:51Yeah, I mean, don't get me wrong.
06:53Like, we still make mistakes.
06:55We're still human, right?
06:56But then, it doesn't really matter.
06:59It's like, parang, it's not, you don't also want to, like, judge a book by its cover, right?
07:09So, it's not that.
07:10It's really just like, what are the interests?
07:12I think yung yung main thing na with me now.
07:16Ah, that's true.
07:17That's true.
07:18Ah, okay, okay.
07:18Now that I think about it, when someone tells me, like, they're not into dogs or they don't feel strongly
07:25about dogs,
07:26I'm like, I find that me and people like those are kind of, we don't mesh.
07:34Yeah, yeah, yeah.
07:35You don't mesh.
07:35And exactly what you said, hindi pindi perkit ganun, makaaway kayo.
07:39It doesn't mean, like, your vibrations are clashing, it means it's a negative thing.
07:44It just means, like, there's not much to talk about.
07:47Yeah, okay.
07:49Okay, going back to memories and ala-ala.
07:52So, for this single, are the memories in the song something you're trying to preserve or something you're trying to
08:00let go of?
08:02Definitely preserve, you know.
08:04Because the song is about romanticizing that idea.
08:10I love this memory.
08:11I want to keep this memory and see where it goes from here.
08:18Yeah.
08:19How about memories you want to let go of?
08:25Are there memories you want to let go of?
08:27Or do you really, like, put them on the, like, put them as a, I don't know, as a reminder
08:34of if they're bad memories, like, you could use them for, as lessons or.
08:39Yeah.
08:40Or do you want to let go of memories?
08:42Well.
08:43The bad ones.
08:44I think in every good or bad, you're really going to learn from something, you know, even if you look
08:51at, like, let's say, if it's something that creates trauma or, like, is very heavy for you and you need
09:02to let go of it.
09:03Of course, there are ways to let go of it.
09:06Yeah.
09:07Because for you, it no longer serves you anymore.
09:10But then it doesn't mean that it doesn't become your reality anymore.
09:13It is still part of your reality, right?
09:17So you're now in control of, like, does this define me?
09:20Will it affect my decisions moving forward?
09:23Or do I just leave it as a lesson in the past?
09:27So for me, I think I don't want to remove or erase anything because I believe that I learned from
09:33everything that I went through, even the good, the bad, the happy, the young memories.
09:40You know, childhood is a very sensitive time for everyone.
09:45I still don't think that I want to reverse, redo anything.
09:50You know, it's not like I want to look for different parents.
09:54No, you know, these are the parents.
09:56Like, God gave me this sibling, this environment, this scenario, and it brought me to this moment right here, right
10:01now.
10:02Yes.
10:03Yeah, it's all good.
10:05And I think also, instead of, like, deducting, instead of, like, thinking, like, okay, I need to remove, para I'm
10:10all positive.
10:12Yeah.
10:12A mindset that I really tried to apply this year is being expansive, right?
10:17So instead of, like, thinking na parang, okay, ito lang yung capacity ko, so kailangan ko tutanggalan dahil ito lang
10:22yung capacity ko.
10:23There's a possibility, Osna, you could be expansive so that what I'm capable is here, and then the things that
10:31is not serving me anymore could still remain there but can remain as a lesson.
10:36But because I'm being expansive, I could put in more good and good and good in me and in my
10:40life.
10:41Ooh, you know, that's a nice habit, really, to give yourself space to receive more good in your life.
10:50Now, when preserving memories, which one do you remember the most?
10:57Is it the feeling, the place, or the event, or the person?
11:04Because I'm a very visual person, I would say the whole moment.
11:10I can really see the details, the color of the clothes, the smell, the face, the hair.
11:15The music playing?
11:17Yeah, like, all the small little details.
11:19Yeah, that's why it's hard for me to watch horror stories, horror movies.
11:23Because when it flashbacks in my head, it's really, it's so clear.
11:27You take it to sleep.
11:29Yeah.
11:31Really?
11:32Yeah, so yeah, definitely good memories, like, really stay in my head, and then it keeps playing.
11:37All the details.
11:39All the details, yeah, it's fun.
11:42Do you believe in delayed happiness, or is it just in the moment that happiness is valid?
11:55I think happiness is valid whenever it's present, you know.
12:00If it's delayed, it means it's just, it's teaching you, it's still teaching you what it is about to teach
12:07you, you know.
12:07If you don't see where is the light in the situation, it's because the lesson hasn't been sent to you
12:15yet.
12:15It's not yet full.
12:17You're not yet ready to receive it.
12:19Okay, so you said earlier, childhood is a sensitive thing for all of us.
12:26I totally agree.
12:28I mean, these are the formative years, you know, you're just discovering yourself, exploring.
12:33So what about your childhood?
12:36Do you not want your future child or children to go through?
12:41I'd say the freedom and the state of play.
12:46Because when I was younger, my dad was quite old.
12:50He couldn't really work.
12:52Like, he was in his late 70s, 80s.
12:55And then my mom was working as an OFW.
12:59So she was going in and out.
13:01So we started, at least I started working when I was four.
13:05My sister started working when she was six.
13:07And it's either we would go to school or after school, we would go to VTRs, competitions, auditions, voice recordings.
13:16And before, it's not like you could just submit everything online.
13:23You really had to go to each location, line up, and then get limited or pass on to the next
13:31level.
13:32So it became a very competitive environment for me.
13:39It's like the state of play and just being a kid, right?
13:44And that's why that's something that until now, not until now, it's like something that finally now is something that
13:52I'm hearing for myself.
13:54Really being in the state of play, which is, I need to credit my boyfriend James for that by really
13:59introducing what play is.
14:02And play is not just like literally only staying with a board game or only doing sports.
14:08You can literally be in a state of play with yourself, with conversations, with your friends.
14:17It's like a state, you know, where it's just like, I'm so carefree.
14:21I want to release this song because I want to.
14:23I want to write this song because it's fun, you know.
14:26And it's like, no one's watching you because it's just like, you're safe to play right now.
14:30Okay, talking about Alaala, can we revisit or if you could take us back to the moment you realized you
14:39wanted to become a celebrity or enter the industry fully?
14:45Well, because I was, I entered it when I was younger and then I went out, I went to school
14:50and then I stopped.
14:51It was like, it was quite irregular.
14:53I also was watching my sister, like alongside really like, she's a show business and I'm so proud of her.
15:02She's such a hardworking sister.
15:05She's such a hardworking artist, you know, and a hardworking person.
15:08So, um, I think I was able to determine lang or to define na parang baka being a star, it
15:20really takes a lot of like energy and then confidence, you know, and then there's a lot of pressure that
15:27I think I had when I was younger.
15:29And that's why I'm bringing it back to like being in the state of play right now when I'm creating
15:34songs, it's less here about like trying to be a star, but it's more about like being an artist.
15:39I just want to release my art.
15:46So, um, if you were born in this generation, you know, like you said earlier, you recounted earlier how, um,
15:54how you got into the business of like you were lining up for auditions and stuff like that.
15:58But now they're getting like handpicked from TikTok and yeah, on Instagram.
16:06Do you think you'd thrive in, um, in audition types like that?
16:13And what content do you do to attract the scouts?
16:18I don't know if it was then, if it was like this back then, baka hindi.
16:25Kasi I remember there used to be like this, um, like this branding na parang we're the Pressman sisters whenever
16:36we go to like these VPRs.
16:39And then we really want to be like little Bibo kids, not just, not only perform, oh, are you okay?
16:47I'm so sorry, my dog.
16:49Not only like do the actual lines in the audition, but also try to parang be charming and create connections.
16:56Kasi when we were younger, don't get me wrong, it wasn't like we were forced to do it.
17:00We were, because that was the only thing that we knew that was normal.
17:05We thought childhood was about like working na talaga, either going to school and then going to work.
17:09Parang, uh, we were really having fun doing it.
17:13And my dad would always drive us to all of those VPRs, all of those commercials.
17:19So I think the charm of doing that when I was younger came with doing it with my family.
17:26And I think having to do that again now, like in this format where it's like more online, I don't
17:34think I would enjoy it as much.
17:35Or you, I think you're, you can probably do the angle of like Pressman family.
17:41Don't there are family vlogs?
17:44Yeah, like the Kardashians.
17:49So this generation, I think that would work.
17:52Yeah, no, it would be funny.
17:55If my dad was still around, that would be really beautiful.
17:58He's such a character.
18:00But yeah, it would, it would be quite an interesting and inspiring story too, I'd say.
18:06The first time, or just the moment, if you could go back to it, the first time you started earning
18:13your own money and becoming independent.
18:16How was it?
18:18How did it feel?
18:20Well, it's two different phases, right?
18:23So at first, when I was three, I started earning because I was doing like all of the entertainment work
18:30now.
18:31But when I finally became independent, it was when, because when I was still going to high school and college,
18:38my sister was still supporting me.
18:39Like she was very, she was like the mom in the family.
18:44And she would still be working a lot, plus providing for dad.
18:52And then that's when I was like, you know what, I just want to like, I don't want to be,
18:57I don't want to contribute to any weight, right?
18:59I want to help her because she's always helped me.
19:02And so I'd say middle college, that's when I was like, okay, I'm going to try to take some time
19:09off of school so that I could work again.
19:13And I'd say that's when I became fully independent.
19:18How did it feel like getting your first paycheck for yourself and like seeing it?
19:22Because with me, I'm like, I don't know what to do with it.
19:25I was excited, but I really don't know what to do.
19:28I buy first.
19:30I mean, when I was three, I don't remember.
19:33About the first time when you were in college.
19:36Yeah, we were all earning.
19:38I never really had the concept of spending back then because we also didn't come from like a lush life,
19:46you know, like we still came from a very, very simple life.
19:50And so earning money meant like we, we wanted to save it.
19:56We wanted to cherish it because one day we will need it for a more important, bigger reason.
20:02So yeah, it felt more like a yay, more savings.
20:06More savings.
20:08Wow.
20:08You're really big on saving.
20:10You're, you're saving memories and you're saving money.
20:13Yes.
20:14So you're naturally, do you say you're naturally careful with how you handle your finances or do you believe in
20:22spending on experiences like traveling, food, like food trips or, and, and creative risks?
20:30Yeah, for sure.
20:31I think, um, there are rewards when it's due, right?
20:36Para nararamdaman mo naman yung pinagam.
20:39Yeah.
20:39Definitely, like reward yourself, reward your loved ones, reward the people who, who's, who always rewards you.
20:46Yes.
20:47Um, but I'm very, very practical.
20:51I love saving.
20:52I, like, we barely have food delivered maybe like three, four times in a month lang.
21:02Everything else, I cook, cook, because it's much cheaper to go to a grocery and then just keep cooking.
21:08And that way also it is healthier.
21:10I'm sorry, my dog.
21:12Oh, that's so cute.
21:13And that way also, um, it's so cute.
21:16I could keep my dishes healthier also that way.
21:20What's your favorite memory cooking?
21:23Cooking for yourself or cooking for James?
21:26Oh, that's our favorite activity.
21:28James and I love cooking for each other.
21:31Um, it's our favorite pastime.
21:33If he wasn't an artist, he would actually be a chef.
21:37Whoa.
21:38Yes, he's really good.
21:41And I love how...
21:43Even better than you?
21:44What?
21:45Even better than you at cooking?
21:47Oh, we've got four days.
21:49So he's more on, like, the heat and meats.
21:52Okay.
21:52And then I'm more on, like, the fresh greens, mixes, juices, and all that.
21:58So what's nice is, like, whenever we're cooking, he'll do, like, he'll do the steak.
22:02Or he'll do the roasted chicken.
22:05And then I'm doing the side salads.
22:10Yes, it's a good divide.
22:11It's very fun in the kitchen.
22:14Yeah, well, I have seen reels of you guys cooking.
22:17It's in the kitchen.
22:20Yeah.
22:21I mean, great bonding activity.
22:25Now, since you guys are living together, do you guys feel the ongoing price inflation?
22:31And did that change the way you spend, save, or invest money?
22:36I think I carried, like, since I was younger, I carried on, like, being very practical and really, really safe.
22:45We've made adjustments, like, for example, instead of, like, always buying all of these, like, vegetables in the groceries or
22:57herbs.
22:57We finally planted them ourselves, which is, for me, like, one of the bigger adjustments that I've made.
23:05Sorry, she keeps jumping.
23:07It's cool.
23:08It's cool.
23:08Yeah.
23:09So, you just pick out the ingredients from your backyard.
23:13Yes, yeah.
23:14So, our teas, I make my own teas.
23:16And then our vegetables also, we grow.
23:20Yeah, I think that's, like, one of the ways that we really exerted effort into, like, spending, especially for our
23:27food.
23:27And then, you know, the groceries, not doing takeouts, really planning our trips also so that we're not always out.
23:37Like, I don't want to be going, you know, spending for gas every now and then, and then you're going
23:43back and forth.
23:44It's just like, okay, everything in Makati is done.
23:46Everything in BGC, just, like, clump everything up.
23:50Oh, that's true.
23:52Yeah, intentional.
23:53Being intentional with your travels.
23:56Where you go.
23:57Yeah, that's true.
23:58Okay.
23:59Now, if a young creative wants to pursue music today but worries about financial stability, what would you honestly tell
24:07them?
24:10I'd say if you want to, if you want to do it, well, I have this thing, like, a quote
24:17in my head that I made up.
24:18It's, like, if you want to do it right, you do it yourself.
24:23And if you want to do it at all, you have to do it now, right?
24:28I say that because you kind of set the pace on how you want your work to be, right?
24:36And then as an artist, syempre, most of the people from end to end, you really kind of create it
24:43and you take the lead.
24:44And I think it's more fun that way.
24:49And it's really just, like, you know, it's like you build a small little team within yourself first, which shouldn't
24:58really cost much, you know.
25:01It would definitely cost lesser than being with a team.
25:06Yeah, and then, of course, if you want to do it at all, it's really doing it all now.
25:11Like, my advice is really start now.
25:13And don't wait, don't wait for a team.
25:17Or don't wait na parang, oh, wala pa kasi yung opportunity na to.
25:20Or, oh, it's if I finally get to study abroad, then I can do this.
25:26I think being an artist is being who you are and, like, being your authentic self right now that is
25:34you as an artist.
25:35And I think that's very achievable right now.
25:37And even if it's small, even if it's self-produced, even if it's raw and organic, there will be a
25:45crowd who would appreciate that and would see your artistry in that.
25:50And that's really all that matters.
25:53That's true.
25:54You know what?
25:54A lot of artists, they did say, you know, when they started out, they only have five people in the
25:59crowd.
25:59But now they're big artists.
26:02Yeah, that's so nice.
26:03Me too.
26:04I love watching artists.
26:05Like, there's artists like Olivia Dean, who I was, like, following already before she blew up.
26:11And then it's so fun to, like, just watch her do covers.
26:15And I do remember seeing that video.
26:17But only three of her friends went to her show.
26:20And now she's got, like, sold-out concerts everywhere.
26:23Right?
26:24So it's really just doing it now.
26:25And then if you have to do it yourself, go do it.
26:27Because people are going to pick up that vision of yours.
26:31And then you're going to find that dream team who's going to achieve a bigger dream with you and for
26:37you.
26:38But also, some people also, it doesn't have to be a big dream for them.
26:42For them, it's just, like, because I am happy with what I'm releasing, that's already good enough.
26:47Nothing without, no?
26:48Just enough.
26:49Yeah.
26:50How about for you at this point in your artistic life?
26:53Like, does that still matter to you?
26:54Do you think of people, like, the crowd, the amount of crowd who's going to listen to you or?
27:01I think I'm more of a quantity, I'm more of a quality over quantity.
27:09I think, given that, because I shared my childhood background, I think it was very determined,
27:19it was very directed towards money and then fame and then career.
27:25And that was, like, the measurement of success.
27:28Whereas now, that completely shifted for me.
27:32Lows are, it's not that it doesn't matter anymore, but they just don't matter as much.
27:39Because my priority right now is how I feel.
27:42Like, how do I feel when I release this song?
27:45How do I feel when I create this video?
27:48Does it give me joy?
27:50Does it fuel my passion?
27:52Is it an achievement that it just makes me happy?
27:56You know, like,
27:56Yeah.
27:57Kahit wala namang views sometimes, for example,
28:00Alaala, I don't even know how many views it has on YouTube right now.
28:04I haven't really checked.
28:05But I could clearly state that that's probably one of the best projects that I did in my entire life.
28:11It's close to your heart.
28:12Yes, because it was a project where all of my friends were there.
28:17My family was there, right?
28:19Yassi, James,
28:21Keiko, Elena,
28:22Ginger, Jackie, Marissa,
28:23Ika,
28:24like, all of them,
28:25Char.
28:26And, you know,
28:27it's just like,
28:27We also helped us with the video that I made from the production, from the direction, from the design.
28:36It was really like, it was so homemade.
28:40Now, for me, that could be one of the most special projects that I've done.
28:46Aw, I know there, I know you consider it special because there are a lot of highlights in making the
28:52video, making the full project.
28:54What would you say is your favorite memory from working on this project?
28:59If you could pick one.
29:02Just one?
29:04Yeah.
29:05I think it would be what I just said just now.
29:09It would really be the, making it with the family.
29:13Like, I cannot, I'm happy that now it's not, like, this whole video, it's funny because it talks about memories,
29:21right?
29:21But now, I recorded that memory.
29:24And it doesn't, it won't just replay in my head.
29:27You know, it's not just a happy moment with my barcada that I'll replay in my head again and again.
29:32It's an actual video that I could replay of a memory of all of us together.
29:37You know, like, one day we're going to be 80, 90, you know, we could watch that video and we'll
29:43be like, that was us.
29:47That's so cool.
29:48Well, Isa, it has been so nice talking to you.
29:51I have just one more question.
29:53And looking back at this moment, in the far, far future, looking back at this moment, if you could assign
30:00one word to this memory, what would it be and why?
30:05Lucky.
30:07I'm so blessed to be with friends or with a team or in this state where I am free to
30:17create with the people that I love and the way that I'd love to do it.
30:23Aww.
30:24Well, Isa, it can only get better from here.
30:27Thank you, for sure.
30:29Congratulations again on your new single.
30:32Please invite our pepsters.
30:35Yes, pepsters, thank you so much for having me on the show also, I have here.
30:41It was fun.
30:43And Alaala is out now.
30:46We've been like, it's been stuck on my mind.
30:52There you have it.
30:58You guys, please follow Isa.
31:01Her socials will be there down below.
31:04Please follow her.
31:04And please check out Alaala.
31:07Thank you, Isa, for being with us this afternoon.
31:12And congratulations.
31:13Happy Women's Month.
31:14Happy Women's Month.
31:16And to everyone else also out there, happy Women's Month.
31:18Bye-bye.
31:26Bye.
31:26Bye.
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