Denise Julia Breaks Her Silence After Facing Backlash Over Tondo Music Video
DENISE JULIA – What was meant to be a heartfelt tribute to her hometown quickly turned controversial as Denise Julia found herself defending her roots against skeptical social media users.
Singer-songwriter Denise Julia has firmly responded to critics who questioned her connection to Tondo after she filmed a performance video for her latest song, insisting that the community has always been a part of her identity.
The artist recently released her “From the Block” performance of “Speechless,” which featured her singing and performing on the streets of Tondo alongside residents who enthusiastically joined in the music and dancing. While many praised the concept and energy of the performance, others on social media accused her of allegedly using the community as “poverty porn” and even doubted whether she had actually lived there.
Denise wasted no time addressing the criticism through a series of posts on X, where she defended both her background and the inspiration behind the project.
“You can go to Barangay 16 Sto. Niño Street and ask about me. I was born and raised in Tondo and ran away at 20 because of abuse. What makes you say I never lived this life?” she wrote.
The singer also criticized those who made assumptions about her personal history without knowing the facts.
“People seem to know me so well to be able to speak this freely on my name when really, this is a prime example of you all projecting what u want my story and history to be without facts.”
Denise further pointed out that judging a person’s background based on appearance, speech, or achievements reflects a classist mindset.
“What exactly are people from Tondo only supposed to look and sound like for them to be believable? The idea that someone cannot carry themself a certain way, or go to certain schools or dream beyond where she grew up I believe is quite classist,” she explained.
Despite the backlash, Denise emphasized that she has never been ashamed of where she came from and remains proud of her roots.
“At the end of the day, I will always represent where I come from because I know what it took for a girl from Tondo to accomplish the things she once thought were impossible,” she said.
In another post, the singer explained that “From the Block” is an American platform that highlights artists by showcasing the neighborhoods where they were raised. She said the decision to film in Tondo was a natural one because it reflects the place that shaped her life and career.
“’From the Block’ is an American platform built around artists showing the block they’re from. I’m from Tondo. So I simply filmed in Tondo, brought my people out, and worked with a Filipino director, crew, and designer, to show the place and culture that made me,” she shared.
Denise also proudly revealed that she became the first Filipino artist to bring the “From the Block” concept to the Philippines, adding that the local creative team behind the production had the opportunity to see their work featured on a Times Square billboard in New York City.
“And the Filipino team behind it got to see their work on a Times Square billboard in NYC. As my audience grows globally, I’m making sure people know where I come from and what I represent… and I’m only be louder about that the bigger I get!” she added.
Before this latest controversy, Denise also made headlines over her previous public issues involving celebrity fashion photographer B.J. Pascual and content creator Killa Kush.
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