Her raw, raspy yet sweet voice captured the hearts and ears of many through "Palayo Sa Mundo," her breakout collaboration with Arthur Nery. But beyond the viral hit and growing list of achievements is a young woman whose story is still unfolding. In an interview with Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, the 21-year-old Cebuano singer-songwriter, Jolianne Salvado or simply Jolianne for her fans, shared things her fans are eager to learn about her.

Long before she became one of OPM's most promising young artists, Jolianne's connection to music may have started before she was even born.

"My mom is very superstitious," she recalled. "She believed that if you listened to the harp while you were pregnant, your baby would grow up musically inclined. So while she was carrying me, she had a harpist play at our house every week. Somehow, that little superstition ended up coming true."

Music continued to be a constant presence throughout her childhood. Growing up in Cebu, she was encouraged by her parents to perform whenever family gathered together. Surprisingly, music was not always the dream. As a child, Jolianne imagined a future filled with numbers instead of melodies.

"I wanted to become a mathematician or an engineer," she said. "I was a 'mathlete' as a kid, and I wanted to pursue math not because I loved it necessarily, but because I knew I was good at it."

Over time, however, another passion began pulling her in a different direction.What began as an experiment at age 12 slowly grew into something much bigger. Then came the moment that changed everything.

"I was offered a record deal when I was 17," she shared. "Up until that point, I had only ever seen music as a hobby. Getting that offer made me realize that maybe I wasn't as bad at music as I thought I was."

That journey of growth and self-discovery would later inspire her debut EP, “Plain Girl.” The project follows the story of a young woman stepping outside the comfort of her carefully protected world and confronting the complexities of life, love, and adulthood. Jolianne admits that she is the "plain girl" at the center of the narrative.

Raised in a strict Asian household, much of her early life revolved around studying and meeting expectations. But between the ages of 16 and 20, everything began to change. She graduated from high school, moved to a new city, learned to live independently, and slowly built a career in music. The songs on the EP became snapshots of those transformative years, capturing both the uncertainty and excitement that come with growing up.

Today, that honesty is exactly what connects her music to listeners. When "Palayo Sa Mundo" became a viral sensation on TikTok, Jolianne found herself watching strangers attach their own stories to the song.

"I think what makes it so special is knowing that people find pieces of themselves in the song," she said. "When they use it to tell their own stories or put words to feelings they couldn't quite express before, it brings me back to my why."

Her growing success has also given her opportunities to collaborate with respected artists, including Arthur Nery and members of Ben&Ben. While her songs often explore emotional themes, Jolianne says fans are often surprised by who she is away from the microphone.

"Most of my music is very emotional and intense, so people sometimes expect me to be sad all the time or super mysterious," she laughed. "But I am very much a happy girl. I love to have fun. I don't like taking everything too seriously."

Her version of a day off is equally unexpected. "On a day off, I do not listen to music at all," she revealed. "I like to take time away from the things I love, because distance makes the heart grow fonder."

And perhaps her most surprising confession? "My guilty pleasure is I love eating powdered milk straight out of the container, just the powder itself,” she shared.

Despite the attention and growing fanbase, Jolianne remains grounded through faith and the people who knew her before the spotlight. She also relies on family and longtime friends to keep her centered.

"I'm a very spiritual girl," she said. "My faith and spirituality have always helped me stay grounded, especially in an industry where it's easy to get caught up in pressure and validation."

As a Cebuana artist gaining national recognition, Jolianne carries immense pride for her hometown. She describes Cebu as a place overflowing with talent and believes performing for Cebuano audiences helped sharpen her craft. She hopes her success can encourage more people to discover the many artists emerging from the region.

Looking ahead, her ambitions stretch beyond chart success. "My dream is for my listeners to have an artist who grows up with them," she said. "Someone who's figuring things out in real time, loving, hurting, healing, becoming."

At 21, Jolianne may already be one of OPM's fastest-rising names. But as she continues to evolve alongside her audience, she remains what many young fans find most relatable: someone still figuring things out, one song at a time.