Today we’d like to introduce you to Sheng Belmonte.
Hi Sheng, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I am originally from the Philippines, I have a vibrant journey in the realm of entertainment as a recording artist, performer, actor, and fitness advocate. My origins are humble, rooted in a family of street vendors who sold fruits and trendy items on the bustling streets. I initially aspired to be an actress. However, a few decades ago, being a dark-skinned person like myself in the Philippines often relegated one to the background. This setback steered me towards singing, where I discovered a profound love for captivating audiences on stage. The exhilaration of witnessing their initial reactions and entertaining them through my performances was an incomparable feeling.
I embarked on my musical journey as the lead singer of a cover band, igniting live venues across the Philippines and various parts of Asia. It was an extraordinary experience to earn a living doing what I cherished. Through singing, I even managed to finance my brother’s nursing education. Driven by an unwavering passion for music and performing, I seized every opportunity to showcase my talents. Regardless of the number of auditions where I faced rejection, I persevered. Eventually, my determination led to a collaboration with the biggest rap artist of that era, and our song soared to the top of the charts, reigning supreme on radio stations and music channels nationwide.
This achievement opened doors in the recording industry, and I was offered a solo record deal by Sony Music Philippines – initially slated to be part of a group with two rappers, I was relieved when that plan fell through. As a solo artist, I released my debut album, suddenly finding myself on TV, appearing in my music videos, and gracing guest spots while my voice echoed across major radio stations throughout the country. Sadly, during this time, digital streaming was emerging, and labels struggled to adapt. Less than a year after signing my contract and building incredible momentum from my debut album, Sony Music PH unexpectedly closed down.
Inevitably, I believed this marked the end of a promising beginning. However, a few months later, another major label in the Philippines extended a record deal and a management contract to me. They produced an EP, and alongside my music, I was fortunate to secure a few acting and modeling projects. I am truly grateful for everything they contributed to my career. However, as time passed, I began to feel constrained and lacked the creative freedom I believed would propel my career forward. I decided to step back from it all and ultimately requested to be released from my contract, a challenging task as they were reluctant to let me go. Yet, eventually, they relented. During my hiatus, I focused on fitness and participated in the Gold’s Gym Philippines-organized competition, where I became Miss Fitspiration 2018. Additionally, I performed as a resident singer, entertaining audiences in casino gigs alongside dancers and acrobats.
As fate would have it, shortly after my foray into fitness and casino gigs, the pandemic descended upon us. While planning to release songs independently, I found myself facing an unexpectedly prolonged situation with no live performances due to the ensuing lockdowns. Necessity led me to explore online streaming as a means of survival. Before the pandemic, amidst all the changes and transitions in my life—from having a label and management supporting me to becoming an independent artist, along with the conclusion of a nine-year relationship—I found myself feeling somewhat adrift.
However, this tumultuous period, despite its challenges, proved to be one of the most transformative experiences I had encountered. It propelled me on a spiritual journey, allowing me to rediscover myself and gain clarity about my preferences, including the things and people that truly resonated with me. During this remarkable voyage, I nurtured self-love, and as if in response, the universe graced me with love in return. It was during this time that I crossed paths with my now-husband, residing in Minnesota. Our connection flowed effortlessly, and he had planned to propose after just two months of being together.
However, his plan was thwarted by a power shortage in his building on Valentine’s Day 2020, which prevented the surprise proposal. Nonetheless, fate intervened, and amidst the pandemic lockdown, he proposed to me while I was filming a free workout video for my Facebook followers. With no open restaurants or venues and no possibility of gathering people, it became an intimate moment shared between the two of us. It was an incredibly unique experience, reaffirming that no pandemic could impede our love and the commitment we wished to make to each other. Subsequently, he had to return to Minnesota in May 2020, and we decided to begin the process of obtaining a fiancé visa in June. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the usual three to six-month visa process stretched into nearly two years.
While the visa process unfolded, despite the pandemic’s grip, I decided to release my first self-produced song, “LET ME KNOW,” which poignantly delved into the challenges of a long-distance relationship, a situation I was personally navigating at the time. After being apart for eleven long months, my fiancé and I finally reunited in Dubai for a brief vacation. Fortunately, Dubai was one of the few countries that had opened its doors to tourists. As I returned to the Philippines, the arduous visa process continued amidst the on-and-off lockdowns in the Philippines due to fluctuating Covid-19 cases. As entertainers like myself remained jobless, I went back to Dubai to seize an opportunity unrelated to music but managed to shoot the music video for my recently released song. It was a significant milestone as it marked my first self-produced video, shot outdoors in the desert with a non-Filipino crew.
After spending several months in Dubai, where we also had to go through the process of transferring my visa, I finally made it to the US with my fiancé after being in a long-distance relationship for 18 months. We tied the knot shortly after. I cherished the time spent with my family as I adjusted to a new life in a foreign country, where I barely knew anyone on a personal or professional level. Many things were different from what I was accustomed to, including the weather, food, and customs. Now, it’s time for me to gradually reestablish myself as an independent artist, a journey that was barely underway before my marriage. I’ve come to realize how much has changed, not only in my circumstances but also in the ever-evolving world of being a music artist.
As an independent artist, I must embrace the role of an entrepreneur and gain a comprehensive understanding of the business aspects, as nobody will handle it for me as my labels did in the past. With increased responsibilities and numerous hats to wear, you become the artist, the marketer, and the booker. I must also find ways to connect with the right people in my new home. On top of it all, maintaining a strong and consistent online presence, particularly on social media, is crucial, considering how much we rely on each platform’s algorithms. While social media is an amazing platform for showcasing creations and brands to a wide audience, it has undergone significant transformations.
As an artist or brand, I believe it’s insufficient to merely accumulate followers who are constantly asked to like, subscribe, and share content to boost algorithmic visibility. Instead, we must build a connected community of dedicated and engaged fans, with whom we share mutual value. This is why I feel incredibly fortunate that the advent of Web3 technology has made this possible. My husband has been developing a platform, StarStake, which aims to assist artists like myself in recognizing and reciprocating the support of our most loyal fans. Through its unique blockchain-based features, StarStake enables us to measure the personal support received from fans. Now, not only can I offer this rewarding experience to my fans, but I can also extend my assistance to other artists and pave the way for this innovation. It is an opportunity for those who wish to embrace it, to reward their fans, and to grow their brand as artists.
While independent artists still wear many hats, we now have a better and more effective approach, one that will eventually lead to increased income and the ability to assemble our small teams, thereby lightening the load. I am incredibly excited to continue my career as a music artist and performer here in the US and to assist artists like myself through the fully integrated Web3 platform, StarStake. This journey is made even more special as I embark on it alongside my husband, Chris.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a very smooth road.
As I’ve shared in my backstory story, there have been a lot of great times but there were a lot of challenges and ups and downs along the way, inevitable changes that led to many lessons, transitions, and transformations. It wasn’t fun to go through rock bottom but eventually realized it was necessary. The amazing things and people and opportunities I had wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t go through those challenges and tough times.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am excited to share my music here in the US as an independent artist, and connect to people here that I can entertain and hopefully also inspire doing what I love to do. I am grateful that one of my songs, Let Me Know, is nominated for the Hollywood Independent Music Awards under the dance category. I am always looking for musicians to connect with. I am also making myself available now for public and private events as a singer and performer doing both cover and original songs in Pop and Top 40’s genre. You will also see me as one of the launch artists for StarStake platform where I will have the ability to connect deeper with my existing and future supporters, and recognize and reward my most active fans while I also help other music artists and creators build their economy and grow their brand on the Web3.
What matters most to you?
Personal growth. They say if you’re not growing, you’re dying.
In today’s world, building meaningful relationships is more challenging than ever. That’s why I prioritize forming genuine connections with others. When you have authentic bonds with people who share your values and truly support you, it can be a game-changer. Their honesty and generosity contribute to your personal growth.
But I firmly believe that to effectively build meaningful relationships and connections with others, it has to start with having a good relationship with myself. I know that if I am true to who I am, that allows me to attract the right people into my life. Knowing and respecting myself means I can let go of anything that doesn’t serve me well. It’s all about surrounding yourself with positive influences that help you become the best version of yourself.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.
shengbelmonte.com - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/shengbelmonte/ - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/ thefitsingershengb/ - Youtube: https://www.youtube.
com/channel/ UCCzfKaXZAd5Usgp3pNRWkvg - Other: https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=sbJKoVSDjaQ
Image Credits
Hub Pacheco, Ken Go Trae – IC Photos, Sandro Roman, and Lakshik Perera
