VP/Xclusives | SHE IS SABRIYA: The Young Commander of Rhythms

To be a great master of music requires immeasurable capacities and countless experiences. It demands skills enough to become an unstoppable force soaring through sounds and melodies. One might think of a person whose name has been forged into books, but make no mistake! She is Sabriya—the young virtuoso who commands music to the rhythms of her heart and dreams.

Although a rising star in this generation of versatile performers and musicians, Sabriya is no stranger to the warmth from the spotlight of the Philippine entertainment industry. She first appeared on national television at the age of 12 after she performed on the ASAP stage for a Mother’s Day special along with other young artists. From there, she started guesting on several shows, releasing the powerful voice that the young heart of a big dreamer kept.

Talent runs in Sabriya’s blood for sure! From her grandmother, Elizabeth Ramsey, the Philippine Queen of Rock and Roll, to her mother, Jaya, the country’s Queen of Soul, their vocal prowess is an innate power that they hold. These iconic figures have already stepped on thousands of stages and wowed millions of hearts. The time has come for Sabriya to step into the limelight, touch souls with her songs, and write her own story as the young commander of Rhythms.

The Commander’s Genesis

Every great commander tells a story of their beginning, and so does Sabriya. Her genesis began as an 11-year-old girl who wrote her music only for fun. But little did she know, the little enjoyment she found in playing with words and melodies would take her to the destined space she has in the limelight of music. Soon enough, her little source of fun opened a highway for Sabriya to take her journey and explore the diverse genres of music.

She went through the different styles and rich sounds of all the songs she listened to, similar to a child learning the shapes and colors for the first time. On the other hand, probably influenced by her Mama Beth, Sabriya first enjoyed the taste of rock. She immediately vibed with its electric, psychedelic, hard-hitting, and raw sounds. The young commander even wanted to form a rock band of her own and be a rock star, taking the audience through the roofs of the arenas.

It took me a while to find my style of music because when I was 12, I really loved rock and wanted to have a band. But during the pandemic, it slowly started to change, and I ended up leaning on more R&B and other genres. I had nothing else to do during lockdown, so I experimented with making music and slowly found my way into what I actually wanted to make and release.
-Sabriya

After finding herself surfing through soulful waves of rhythm and blues, Sabriya then knew herself more—enough to create an identity of her own and unleash her prowess in the realm of music.

From being a surfer on the riffs and runs of R&B, she learned to become a powerful tide herself. Since then, she started writing songs and has finished 25 masterpieces, offering a variety of stories, personas, and emotions to touch the souls of those who listen. Sabriya learned to command the rhythms of her music, shaping them to the thoughts and feelings she gets in every situation that comes her way.

Music became her ultimate language to communicate with the world and take them on a journey down her universe.

Her songs, as written based on the genuine experiences of a young dreamer, became relatable to their listeners who may have similar encounters in life. It’s as if Sabriya is their friend with whom they can share their stories the same way the young commander does to them through her music. On the other hand, she also allows people to understand and see her songs from different perspectives, believing in the beauty of their unique experiences.

A lot of things inspire me to create my music. Mostly, the thought of being able to share how I feel about certain situations and express them, at the same time knowing other people are listening to them and can also relate. I want people to also interpret the song their way and have them view the song however they want to view it.
-Sabriya

Her genesis testifies to the power of finding the most authentic version of oneself and discovering spaces where one could genuinely grow. She found her true self by answering the call of her curious mind and exploring the limitless possibilities that her passionate heart created.

The Great Orders of Sabriya

Being the young commander herself, Sabriya has set the great orders for her heart and dreams to follow—the duty towards her dreams to create music and the oath to share her craft with the world. On the other hand, the loss of words and lack of new melodies may be inevitable along the way. But the countless surprises of life, even in the most mundane moments, will consistently fuel her to pen more songs and breathe them to life through sounds.

A lot of the time, I come up with something when I write and compose my songs. It’s because I always just listen to music—when I’m at school, sleeping, or just hanging out in my room; then, sometimes, I’ll hear a song that I love, and I’ll try not to imitate it but make something similar to that song, or I’ll play random chord progressions on my guitar and record what I like. Sometimes I’ll even be doing something and just think of a random melody and just record and hum it on my voice memos so I don’t forget it later.
-Sabriya

This has been the young commander’s constant yet dynamic way of forming her craft. From life encounters, she writes the words to tell a story while the melodies emerge from inspirations she drew from the artists she looks up and listens to or just the tunes that her mind creates. Through these, Sabriya has produced songs—two of which she already shared with the world: ‘Want Me’ and ‘Round and Round.’

Each masterpiece delivers a unique narrative and a distinct sound but goes to show one thing—that Sabriya is indeed the young commander of rhythms.

Inspired by her own experience, ‘Want Me’ tells a story that hearts with a special room for hopeless romantics would love. It speaks through a persona who endures the complicated reality of a situationship—the presence of wanting to be with someone and the absence of initiative from both ends to take the first step and make something happen. The song’s R&B style intensifies the feeling that it gives to the listeners, either giving a comfortable warmth or taking them on a walk down memory lane.

When I wrote ‘Want Me’, I was going through situationship at the time. I actually had to rewrite a few of the verses because of that talking stage. But the song is about being with someone you love but it feels like the relationship isn’t going anywhere, specifically when in a talking stage. You both know that you want to be together but no one is taking the initiative to do anything about it, so you get all these mixed signals and miscommunications, which is really frustrating.
-Sabriya

Meanwhile, ‘Round and Round’ tells a story of a chill and feel-good encounter with a summer love, delivered with upbeat, youthful, and indie melodies that add to the vibe of the storytelling. It talks about the fun of taking risks, living in the moment, being free, and just living the life of a young heart.

When I wrote ‘Round And Round’, this was a whole other time in my life when the weather was approaching summer and the vibes were just good. Since summer was near, I was in the mood to write a fun and upbeat summer song about just having fun, being young, and having that one “summer love”. This song just expresses how it is being in love in the summer, being outside, and just doing the most with someone you love while having the time of your life.
-Sabriya

The great orders that Sabriya has set for herself continue to drive her passion and keep the fire burning to write songs and serenade the world every time she steps on a stage. Each masterpiece she shares attests to her persistent commitment to the vows that the young commander of rhythms has for herself and the people with whom she shares her music.

The Constant March to Dreams

Although Sabriya has already touched souls with the masterpieces she carefully crafted and generously shared with her listeners, the young commander remains in the constant march toward her dreams. The path ahead is a continuous discovery of thousands of versions she may become as a songwriter and a performer as she marches to the rhythms she creates herself.

Just as every quest needs a compass for guidance, the young commander takes with her the lessons she learned from her mom and grandmother, who have taken a similar path she walks on today—the act of humility. This seemed like a treasure that they passed on generations, believing that through such, they get to appreciate more, even the littlest thing that life has stored for them. And this, she learned through the actions of the great women she looks up to as her role models.

Growing up with Jaya as my mom, she would always advise me with wise words and guide me. But she constantly reminds me of one thing that even my Mama Beth shared with her.. is to ALWAYS stay humble. Ever since I was a little kid, not even knowing that music would be my path and passion, my mom would always tell me never to brag about anything and just stay humble.
-Sabriya

Driven by this character, the young commander continues to envision herself telling more stories through her song and touching more hearts through the melodies she creates. Sabriya would want to win at least one Grammy throughout her career, but with the innate force of talent and humble character that she holds, even better numbers may come her way anytime soon. This vision comes along with her dream to collaborate with some of the iconic OPM artists today, including Moira, Adie, Zack Tabudlo, Zild, and Iñigo Pascual.

Realistically, I feel like a goal of mine right now as an upcoming artist is that, hopefully, the more I have songs out and get my name out there, the more I build up a fan base. Also, to come out soon with an album would be a huge dream come true.
-Sabriya

As she takes on her journey with an inspired heart, Sabriya also aspires to spark inspiration among others, especially those who dream with young hearts and fearless spirits. Although she owns every step that she takes, Sabriya still shares every progress and milestone with the people she loves and those who support her craft—the great battalion behind the young commander’s constant march toward her dreams.

From the moment she began exploring the diverse realm of music to making her own, she has truly braved the uncertainty of how things may end up for her in a highly competitive space. The way she turns every encounter into a story and every sound into a whole new melody proves that she is Sabriya—the young commander of rhythms.

Special Thanks to Cornerstone Entertainment Inc., Caress Caballero and Mikaella Severa