Unfiltered is back with a brand new episode featuring Filipino Canadian R&B artist, songwriter, and producer, Cheska Cruz! 🎶✨ With this video series, we connect with some of the incredible Symphonic artists among us to dig deeper into their creative process, personal journeys, and everything in between. From her humble home studio setup to the release of her bold and soulful debut EP Temper and Pleasure, Cheska opens up about finding her sound, collaborating with family, and staying true to herself every step of the way. Check out the full interview below…
Unfiltered: Full Interview with Cheska Cruz
Laura Catana (L):
“This is our interview series where we link up with your favorite indie artists to dig deeper into their creative process, their personal journeys, and everything in between… Today we’re chatting with Cheska Cruz. She’s a Filipino Canadian R&B artist, songwriter, and producer blending 2000s nostalgia with a modern edge, and she’s got a voice as smooth as butter.”
“She’s been at this since 2018 and just dropped her debut EP, Temper and Pleasure. It’s gorgeous, y’all! Bold, honest, and a real showcase of her growth as an artist. I’m psyched to be chatting with her today. So let’s get into it.”
“Hey, Cheska, how are you doing today? Where are you calling in from?”
Cheska Cruz (C):
“Hey! I’m excited to be here. I’m calling from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, a really small city just across the border from Detroit.”
L:
“Nice! It’s summertime there, right?”
C:
“It’s getting there. It’s still a little cold, which surprises me because it’s already June.”
L:
“I’m in New York, and it just got warm here, so I get it! Now, let’s talk creative process. You just dropped your first EP. Congratulations! How are you feeling?”
C:
“Thank you! I’m feeling good. Honestly, I’m surprised by all the positive feedback I’ve been getting, not just from my listeners but also from new people discovering my music. It’s a really good feeling, and I’m hoping we just keep moving up from here.”
L:
“I know some artists release a project, and then they’re like, ‘Now what?'”
C:
“Yeah, I just let my phone buzz and bling, it’s nice to see the reactions.”
L:
“So, what’s something about your creative process that your fans never get to see?”
C:
“The jankiness of my setup. I work out of a closet studio with a laptop that’s almost 10 years old, running software just as old. It’s slow, it lags, it crashes, it makes noise, definitely slows my process down. But I’ve gotten used to it. This space has no pressure, and I feel like my best work comes from here. Nobody else could work in this room, I’m even sitting on a broken chair.”
L:
“Well, you fooled us! That’s actually super typical for indie artists. The “bedroom producer” setup is part of the beauty of it.”
C:
“Yeah, it shows you don’t need much to get yourself out there.”
L:
“Is your studio the same as your bedroom?”
C:
“Yep, my bed is right here.”
L:
“You put out your first single in 2018… was that when you really started making music?”
C:
“I grew up in a Filipino church, so I was always surrounded by music and instruments. But it wasn’t until high school, around 2016, that I started playing with GarageBand on my phone. In 2018, I released my first single. It was kind of like, ‘Okay, I guess I can share this,’ and it’s been up from there.”
L:
“How did it feel putting that out?”
C:
“I don’t remember being nervous. I was always posting on Instagram, so it just felt like another post… except this time it was a song.”
L:
“Has anything happened recently that reminded you why you make music?”
C:
“Yeah, my family and I just took a cruise through Greece and Turkey. In Turkey, I posted a picture from a flea market on my story, and a fan from Istanbul reached out. She said she couldn’t believe I was in her country and showed so much love. It reminded me that music isn’t just about me, it’s about the people I’m impacting, even around the world.”
L:
“That’s beautiful. So, what do you hope your fans feel when they hear your music?”
C:
“I want them to feel the fun I have making it. I want my personality, simple and non-complex, to come through in my songs.”
L:
“Do you have a favorite track from Temper and Pleasure?”
C:
“What You Like. My little brother, who also produces, made the beat years ago. I wrote the song in about 30 minutes; it was the most fun I’ve had writing.”
L:
“Shout-out to your brother! What’s his name?”
C:
“Esio (Matthew Cruz). He makes music too.”
L:
“Is your whole family musical?”
C:
“Yes. My older brother does his own thing, too. We all grew up in that Filipino church, so music was everywhere.”
L:
“Each project teaches us something. Is there anything that once terrified you that now feels natural?”
C:
“Talking about myself and listening to my songs in front of people. It used to make me uncomfortable. Now, I’m confident enough to ask, ‘Can I play you my song?'”
L:
“I get that. Even hearing my own recorded voice is cringe. But from an outsider’s perspective, your voice is incredible.”
C:
“Thank you!”
L:
“Is there something your fans rarely see about your life?”
C:
“My friends and family. They support me but also call me out when needed. Who I am is shaped by who I surround myself with.”
L:
“What can fans expect from you for the rest of the year?”
C:
“This EP is my best work so far. It took 13 singles to get here. By the end of the year, I might have even bigger plans… maybe an album. Every new piece will be better than the last.”
L:
“What music are you listening to right now?”
C:
“‘Your Mother, Son’ by Sailor. The whole EP, actually. You can tell she’s having fun making it, and I aspire to that.”
L:
“Love it. Big shout out to Cheska Cruz for giving us a look into her world.”
C:
“Of course! It was a pleasure!”
//
Want more?
Listen to Cheska Cruz on Spotify…
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