Since Moira dela Torre captivated the hearts of music fans with her soul-heart-wrenching rendition of “Malaya,” the theme song from the hit 2016 movie Camp Sawi, she went on establishing a career as a singer-songwriter with the trademark kalmado style that’s the antithesis of birit singing. Some non-believers, though, make fun of her sounding sleepy or inebriated.
“Akala po nila parati akong naka-inom, pero gusto kong sabihin sa inyo na ganito lang po talaga ako magsalita (They thought I was always drinking, but I want to tell you that this is just how I talk),” she said, her soft, soothing voice contradicting her dry, self-deprecating humor. “Paglabas ko po sa nanay ko, ganito na po talaga ako. Pati pag-iyak ko po yata, ganito rin. Baka ang nanay ko uminom ng Maria Clara, kaya ganito (When I was born, I was like this. Even when I cry, it’s like this, too. Maybe it’s my mom who drank Maria Clara, that’s why).”
Maria Clara is the brand of sangria that Dela Torre endorses. She was recently launched as the first-ever brand ambassador for both the regular sangria and the new non-alcoholic variant, also called the virgin.
“If I can be totally honest about it,” the singer-songwriter confessed at the media launch on being offered the endorsement, “I have to think about it very well… I wanted to make sure this is a brand that I can actually endorse.”
Dela Torre then did her homework and actually tried both the sangria variants, eventually liking the regular over the virgin. She also realized reaching her alcoholic limit after three glasses. “Hindi ako wild malasing. Inaantok po ako. Mas mabagal po akong magsalita (I’m not wild when drunk. I’m sleepy. I speak more slowly),” she said, grinning. She went on sharing her friends’ observation. “Nagi-speech daw po ako. Iniisa-isa ko sila, kung gaano ko sila kamahal. Nasi-senti po ako (They said I was giving a speech. I tell people, one by one, how much I love them. I can feel it).”
She also revealed another reason why she accepted the offer: “When they told me about this campaign, they were looking for somebody who could represent not just a brand that’s been there for many years but a brand that’s been a friend.” That insight also helped her in her other assignment of penning the campaign’s jingle, which resulted into a mid-tempo tune that captures laidback times with friends.
The people behind Maria Clara Sangria, which is manufactured by Destileria Limtuaco, have nothing but praises for their brand ambassador. “She’s a very talented singer-songwriter,” said the company’s president and chief executive officer, Olivia Limpe-aw. “She can send the message through songs. She overcomes hardships and challenges. She understands what message to send across… We’re so happy to have Moira.”
Aside from the hardships and challenges that Dela Torre overcame in finding her own niche in the music industry, she also triumphed over mental health and weight issues. “I just decided to take it easy,” she said, and went on talking about how she achieved her slimmer figure. “The weight just came off naturally with the help of my hormone doctor. Everything happened effortlessly, but I wasn’t really focusing on my weight. It was more of my well-being. I wasn’t depriving myself of any food.”
Turning reflective, she pointed out, “I think in this season of my life, I find [comfort] in my first circle. I think it takes a while for people to know who their first circle is. I’m really thankful that in the last few years, God helped me define who my friends are. For me, these people really show me what friends really look like. They’ve been with me for eight years. They never left my side. They are my safe space.”