Lance Joseph Martinez

Passion, Persistence, and a Promising Era: Clara Benin Reflects on a Decade-Long Career in Music

Article (news)

<p>Like many people, we grow up with a clear vision of what we want our lives to look like. Plans shift as the years go by, and dreams sometimes take different directions. But for some, the path remains the same—like Filipino indie singer <strong>Clara Benin</strong>, who has long known that music was the dream she wanted to pursue.</p><p>Now 32, the singer-songwriter grew up in a home where music was a constant presence. Her mother, <strong>Eva Marie Ledesma-Benin</strong>, sang in church, while her father, <strong>Joey Benin</strong>, is a former member of the band <strong>Side A</strong> and the songwriter behind the beloved, timeless hit <strong>&quot;</strong><strong>Forevermore</strong>.<strong>&quot;</strong></p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1772805845586[image] - 8366384.jpeg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Clara Benin | Photo by Shannen Rowan via @clarabeninmusic</span></span></span></strong></div><div><br/></div><p>And if she were to describe the music that filled her childhood, “a mixture of gospel, Christian music, and also a mixture of the songs that my dad used to listen to, which is a lot of Stevie Wonder,” Clara told <strong>Metro.Style</strong> in an exclusive interview.</p><p>At 15 years old, her passion for music reached a turning point when she began writing songs of her own. “I started to explore writing my own songs. I think at that time, I knew a bunch of chords already. So, I was like, maybe I should try writing my own songs,” she said.</p><p>Years later, the young girl who once spent her time covering songs on her guitar in her bedroom has grown into an established artist. In 2025, Clara marked a major milestone, celebrating a decade in music with a special concert honoring her debut album <strong><em>Human Eyes</em></strong> and her first EP <strong><em>Riverchild.</em></strong></p><p>Held at the historic <strong>Manila Metropolitan Theater</strong> in October 2025, the show featured a <strong>30-piece orchestra </strong>under the musical direction and arrangement of <strong>Ria Villena-Osorio</strong>, a moment Clara considers one of the highlights of her decade-long career.</p><p>“It was a special celebration because I got to play with an orchestra, which has always been a dream of mine. And I think, like, if you ask any artist, I feel like that’s in every artist’s dream or, like, to-do list. Like, to be able to play with an orchestra,” Clara said.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1772805717706[image] - 2801510.jpeg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false">Clara Benin during her 10th anniversary concert at Manila Metropolitan Theater | Photo by Joshua Elefan via @clarabeninmusic</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>“There’s no formula in writing songs”<br/></strong></div><p>For Clara Benin, every track she creates follows its own path. As the artist behind the writing and composition of all her releases, Clara shared that no two songs come together the same way; sometimes a melody arrives first, while at other times the lyrics lead the process.</p><p>The timeline for finishing a song also varies. Some tracks come together in just a day, while others take much longer to complete. But despite the differences in her creative process, one thing remains constant: <strong>her music is deeply personal</strong>.<strong></strong></p><p>“My songs are so personal, and my writing just naturally evolves as I do, as I evolve as a person,” Clara explained.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1772806003209[image] - 8136804.jpeg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo from @clarabeninmusic</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>As she continues to grow, her music evolves with her. For the singer-songwriter, maturity means changing not just the way she writes songs, but also how she sees life and approaches her craft. “In a way, my growth as a person and my growth as an artist are kind of inseparable.”</p><p>A clear example of this shift came during the pandemic, when Clara released the EP <strong><em>Fragments</em></strong>. The project became a creative outlet during a challenging time, allowing her to process the emotions and isolation that many experienced while staying at home.</p><p>“It was such a heavy time that I wanted to make an EP that’s kind of a little bit outside of my comfort zone. My usual music is very acoustic-driven, and the EP that I was able to create at that time was very piano-driven,” she shared.</p><p>Clara added, “It had this very dreamy soundscape to it, and I feel like it was very different from what I usually make. And I think, <em>‘yun ‘yung </em>effect<em> ng </em>pandemic <em>nu&#x27;ng</em> time <em>na &#x27;yun</em> for me.”</p><p>Aside from her personal experiences, Clara also finds inspiration through conversations and interactions with other people.</p><p>“The movies I watch and the books that I read, I’m a very empathetic person. So, feeling <em>ko ako &#x27;yung </em>main character &#x27;<em>pag nanonood ako ng</em> movie, <em>and</em> <em>nai</em>-inspire <em>ako</em> to write,” she shared.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1772806046368[image] - 2871155.jpeg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo from @clarabeninmusic</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>The challenges to her decade-long career<br/></strong></div><p>Like many professions, being a musician isn’t always filled with glamour. For Clara, the early years of her journey were far from easy. For a long time, she worked independently without the backing of a record label—until she eventually signed with <strong>Sony Music</strong> in 2021.</p><p>Together with her manager, Clara faced the challenges of building a career from the ground up. “My manager is actually my best friend; I grew up with her. And she’s been helping me since the start of my career. We don’t know anything, and navigating the business side of music was a really big challenge for both of us,” she said when asked about the most difficult part of her journey.</p><p>When it comes to songwriting, Clara admitted that even the creative process comes with its own hurdles, particularly finishing the songs she starts. “Every time I write a song, or like most of the times when I write a song, and I’m like, ‘Oh no, <em>hindi ko ito matatapos.</em>’ But eventually, you have to trust the universe that <em>matatapos</em> <em>mo rin siya</em> eventually.”</p><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJWDM4GyHpp/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A2444909%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>Amid these hurdles, fortunately, Clara has always had someone she could turn to for guidance—her father, Joey Benin, a respected music producer and arranger. She considers him “the number one person I ask for music advice.”</p><p>“I never learned music theory; I’m kind of self-taught. So, I would come to him for advice when it comes to music theory and stuff like that,” Clara shared, referring to her father, who studied at the <strong>University of the Philippines College of Music</strong>,<strong></strong> majoring in guitar with a minor in piano.</p><p>Through all these challenges across more than a decade in the music industry, Clara said the most important lesson she has learned—however cliché it may sound—is simply <strong>staying true to herself.</strong></p><p>“I think that’s really important as an artist, to stay true to yourself, to stay true to your sound. And I know that <em>sobrang</em> challenging <em>din &#x27;yun,</em> especially, in the music industry, there’s so much pressure to fit in and to fit a certain mold,” she explained.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1772806163649[image] - 1696995.jpeg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo by Nate Bosano via @clarabeninmusic</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>A promising era for Clara Benin&#x27;s career as a musician<br/></strong></div><p>Exciting news awaits fans of Clara Benin: the indie singer-songwriter is gearing up to release a brand-new EP in 2026. The first taste of what’s to come? Her latest single,<strong> “the one to blame</strong>,<strong>”</strong> which will be part of the upcoming project. According to Clara, the EP’s tracks will revolve around the themes introduced in this new release.</p><p>For Clara, the upcoming record will signal a new chapter in her artistry. This time, she is stepping away from her usual themes of heartbreak and melancholy, and leaning into songs that explore love and its beauty.</p><p>“I think this EP feels a lot softer and more intimate than anything I’ve done before, and it’s more stripped back, it’s more vulnerable, and I feel like I’m showing a side of myself that’s always been there, but I haven’t fully shown, or I haven’t fully leaned into until now,” she said.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1772805910646[image] - 1549033.jpeg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Clara Benin&#x27;s &quot;the one to blame&quot; | Photo from @clarabeninmusic</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>The singer also admitted that one of the reasons it took time for her to release a love song was that writing one felt challenging.</p><p>She explained that “everything has already been said and done, and every metaphor has already been used, <em>na parang </em>when I try to write a love song, it feels so redundant or cheesy.”</p><p>What changed this time, however, was her determination to create a love song that feels sincere and meaningful, one that moves beyond familiar clichés and reflects something deeply personal.</p><p>“I’m just really focused on releasing this EP. I’m really excited about releasing this EP, and also, I’m excited to just perform these new songs live and see my listeners’ reactions to them,” she concluded. </p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/artist/5ebPSE9YI5aLeZ1Z2gkqjn?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><p style="text-align:left">Lead photos by <strong>Nate Bosano</strong> via <strong>@clarabeninmusic </strong></p>

<p>Dreams may change, but for Filipino indie singer Clara Benin, music has always been her true calling.</p>

Dreams may change, but for Filipino indie singer Clara Benin, music has always been her true calling.