4th Impact pursues Grammy goal amid online hate


At a glance

  • 4th Impact will perform at the upcoming 2024 TOFA (The Outstanding Filipino Awards) set in Hawaii on Oct. 26.The foursome just headlined the “I Love OPM” concert in San Diego, California, with Pop Chanteuse Kuh Ledesma.


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Girl group 4th Impact is so busy touring America these days that they practically don't have time to deal with bashers who have been undermining their efforts via hate posts hurled at them. 

Besides, they've always been the group that wouldn't back down from discouragement or outside pressure. The fact they're taking the necessary steps to earn the nod of the Grammys makes them extra focused - in an intense way that any negativity can't get through their bubble.

In response to the recent incident of online bullying, the four Cercado sisters, Almira, Irene, Mylene, and Celina, came together to address the issue and put an end to it. Despite their efforts, none of them were able to determine the origin of the bullying

"We’ve been experiencing bullying for the past years. We cannot understand where the hate is coming from, and we can’t do anything about it. All we want is to share our music and our talent. And we hope that this hate will stop," they expressed.

To their surprise, the group vies to land a Grammy nomination in the Best Pop Duo or Group Performance category. Their single "Round and Round," off their self-titled EP released last January, is an entry in the first round of voting. It is ongoing and will be decided by Grammy voters, including world-renowned recording artists, record producers, and mixing engineers. 

The said track was written by established musicians Nico Farmakalidis and Rachel West. It is a danceable track with an infectious pop arrangement, composed based on the group's artistic inputs. 

The nominees will be announced on Nov. 8, while the 67th Grammy Awards will be held Feb. 2 next year at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.

"We are praying and very positive that there will be a chance. To be considered by the Grammys for nomination and to be actually nominated is a big dream of every artist," the quartet from Isabela province noted. 

Earlier this year, 4th Impact was heavily criticized for publicly requesting help raising dog shelter funds. At the same time, their presence at a Taylor Swift concert didn't sit well, with Filipino fans aching to see the billion-dollar star on home soil. 

Now they're being linked to singer Beyonce in a negative way, which they describe as "really below the belt because it is baseless and pure fabrication." 

They pointed out, "In the first place we never went to a Beyonce event which is an allegation in the posting."

The group's management, convinced that 4th Impact has what it takes to make it on the international scene, seeks legal counsel to protect them. 

The girl group has recently moved to the US, certainly not because they're being bullied. They said they wanted "to have a career in America and continue to share our talent." Despite the bullying from some compatriots, they noted they sincerely "want to make the Filipinos proud."

4th Impact will perform at the upcoming 2024 TOFA (The Outstanding Filipino Awards) set in Hawaii on Oct. 26. The foursome just headlined the “I Love OPM” concert in San Diego, California, with Pop Chanteuse Kuh Ledesma. 

Being sisters has significantly helped them cope with online bullying. If there’s any consolation, their support system has tightened further as a unit. They related, “We are more than ever united to face this challenge as a family. We are a closely-knit family and we help each other when a problem arises. We pray together.” 

The curious case of 4th Impact can correlate to that of Brazilian pop singer Anitta, who received backlash from her countrymen for various reasons. She is now labeled as “Queen of Brazilian Pop.”  

One foreign 4th Impact supporter commented online: "When I look at any post about them I see how low the natives play the group and run to recommend other acts to any non-Filipino who likes them and praises them.”

All four 4th Impact members have always acknowledged their supporters, whom they fondly called Dreamers. “We are very happy that we are supported by the Dreamers all over the world. In a world beset by hate and prejudice, we always promote love and peace through our music.”

Nevertheless, amid the unhealthy subculture of hate, the Cercado sisters just bagged a game-changing break - the chance to showcase themselves in front of American and Filipino-American audiences. And it’s as if this group has not proven themselves in front of some guy named Simon Cowell, who commented that their British X-Factor audition was “probably one of the best I’ve ever seen.” 

Insiders say that their main current handler, one who has discovered a major act in the past and is a respected figure in international show business, is cooking up big things for the girls, and it should be great news to their fans. If it takes to prove their worth one too many times until there’s no one left to argue about it, 4th Impact is an act indeed up for it.