This feature appears in V137, now available for purchase

From an early age, Ylona Garcia exhibited a special gift. Precisely, a special gift for singing. When she was nine, she performed Adele renditions at her family’s Christmas celebrations, and by her mid-teens, she began writing songs on the set of Pinoy Big Brother. Shortly after, she was signed onto 88rising’s sister label, PARADISE RISING. And since then, the Australian-born singer-songwriter has been on a meteoric rise. She has been infiltrating the charts and making it into our most coveted playlists since the release of her electric single, “Entertain Me.” At the time of writing, the song has over 19 million streams and more than four million views on YouTube. “What I love about ‘Entertain Me’ is the confidence and essence,” she says from her home in Los Angeles, California. “The lyrics, melody, and production altogether scream confidence and the strong resolve of an individual.” And that’s exactly what Ylona is all about.

While the track features heart-racing beats and infectious melodies, at its core lies a message about loving yourself and feeling good. Her latest release, “Vibin” gets at this ethos as well. The “very special song,” as Ylona coins it, gets at not feeling pressured to define relationships, rather engaging in a carefree mentality and enjoying each moment. “I want to be able to take people on a journey when they listen to my songs,” she shares. And while Ylona just arrived on the music scene, releasing her first single in 2016, she’s already making her mark. She radiated at last year’s Head In The Clouds Music and Arts Festival. Clad in a red two-piece, Ylona radiated on the stage serving crowds with her trademark vocals, engaging lyrics and all-around positive energy. When she’s not performing, the young musician can be found in the studio, pouring her lived experiences into heartfelt tracks. “I fall in love with music every time I make something,” she elaborates.

With every song she writes, she crafts a unique story, one that pulls you in and implores you to listen. This is what makes the young singer among the latest burgeoning artists shaping up to define the sound of the next generation. Weaving contemporary pop and ‘80s R&B into one harmonious sound, Ylona creates a lane of her own. She is obsessed with her craft and it’s clear that she is determined to push herself to new heights. At only 20 years old, Ylona is already poised to dominate the global music scene–and it’s clear that there’s nothing that can get in her way.

This feature appears in V137, now available for purchase