On June 13, Filipino artist Dionela landed in New York for the fourth stop of his U.S. and Canada tour, The Grace. A block away from the 36th Street Station in Queens, both Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike, eagerly waited outside Melrose Ballroom for the night ahead. As the night progressed, the energy between Dionela and the crowd felt like old friends meeting again — filled with connection, laughter, and timeless moments.
EnVi caught up with the Bulacan native backstage after the concert for a quick chat. As someone who doesn’t speak very publicly about his work outside of social media, Dionela gave us insight on how the tour has been so far and shared more about his journey as an artist. This exclusive conversation with EnVi offers fans and music listeners a unique chance to better understand the voice and vision behind his heartfelt songs. For those who can’t resist a good love song, we’ll also be diving into memorable songs from the night.
Standout Performances
The night kicked off with the first opener, Filipino-American artist Garth Garcia. He performed a few of his songs, including his recent release “Lifelines.” Next in the line up was Filipino-American R&B artist Jay R, also known as the “King of R&B” in the Philippines. He performed a few songs including his song “Bakit Pa Pa” and a cover of Bruno Mars’ “Just the Way You Are.” With brief intermissions between sets, the crowd riled up for Dionela as soon as his name flashed bright and wide on the big screen onstage. His opening song “Okisihina” set the stage for a night full of energetic performances, calmer jam sessions, and unforgettable singalongs. These are some of the sets that stole the show.
Langit: Followed by the opening song is “Langit,” which translates to “the sky” or “heaven.” A song all about deep devotion and loyalty, “Langit” encapsulates the feeling of being completely engrossed in love. It blends Filipino mythological references with heartfelt lyrics, creating a listening experience that transcends gravity. During the chorus Dionela sings “biyaya,” which means “blessing,” and follows it up with quiet “you are,” fully admitting this love in his life is a blessing from the heavens. His band compliments Dionela’s vocals with smooth guitar riffs, rich synth textures, and sonic beats that echo the vibe of early 2000s slow jams. Dionela and his band fully lean into the groove on stage, cueing his guitarists for quick solos before the final chorus. Their riveting deliveries amplify the song’s hypnotic pull and the sensation of being swept away by love.
Bahaghari: This track is one of Dionela’s favorites to perform, he mentioned during the interview. “Bahaghari” translates to “rainbow,” referring to the person in the song as “the one at the end of the rainbow.” Dionela sings from the heart and delivers each line with care, with the lyrics touching on committing to that one person no matter what challenges or uncertainties life brings. His girlfriend Meizy makes a special appearance at the end of the song. Sat next to Dionela, he hands her the microphone to sing her part at the end of the song. Quietly, the whole venue listens to her deliver her verse followed by a warm applause.
Musika: As the lights dimmed, a sea of white lights lit up the venue as the audience turned on their phone flashlights. “Musika,” or “music,” is a heartfelt track that uses the metaphor of music to express deep, enduring love. The lyrics convey wanting to relive the moments of falling in love and continue to create new memories together. The crowd slowly swayed, waving their phones in sync with Dionela, who then invited them to sing parts of the chorus. His band enhanced the fluttering sense of hope woven into the melody of Dionela’s vocals.
Marilag: Once the strum of harps play after Dionela’s initial rap, the audience erupted with excitement, recognizing the beloved track “Marilag” and singing along instantly. The term translates to “beautiful” and “exquisite” and the song is exactly that. “Marilag” speaks of a love so bright and divine, it’s more than enough to open up an endless future with that person. “Baby, loving you saved me,” he sang softly as the instrumental faded out to end the song. The fan-favorite left the entire venue swaying, in tune with love and heavenly lyrics.
Sining: For this slow jam hit, Dionela was joined by Jay R to sing their song “Sining,” which means “art.” Their buttery vocals mix smoothly during their live performance, sounding even richer and elevating the emotional tone of the song. “Sining” touches on immortalizing your one true love, being captivated by their beauty, and admiring all parts of them. “Like art in a museum that never ages,” Dionela sings. As the last song before the encore, the audience echoes back the last chorus as Dionela admires from the stage. With the final beats and lights flashing, the moment transformed the show into a shared, enchanting experience.
Closer (Cover): For the last song of the night, Dionela celebrated the final moments of his concert with a cover of “Closer” by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey. The crowd surged with energy, waving their hands in the air and dancing together. Dionela invited his guest singers and a few of the organizers on stage to sing along with him, creating a warm communal atmosphere. It felt less like a concert and more like a classic Filipino celebration — lively, joyful, and full of heart. The final song wrapped up the night with a bang.
The Grace
After a night full of singing, energy, and meeting fans, EnVi went backstage to speak with Dionela who, despite having a late end to his concert, was more than happy to chat. New York marked his fourth U.S. stop this month, after powering through 18 back-to-back shows in the Philippines. “I’m happy and I’m tired as well,” Dionela said with a smile. The last time Dionela toured in the U.S. was for Filipino artist Zack Tabudlo’s tour in 2023. Back then all he had for his solo performance was his acoustic guitar. Now almost two years later, he’s back with his own crew for his own tour. “It’s a different level now,” he said.
When asked about naming his tour The Grace, Dionela expressed immense gratitude. “I prayed for this. It’s not the hustle, it’s all grace,” he humbly shared. “Even if I hustle all day, if God will not provide or approve it, it will not happen. It’s all grace.”
Collaborating with Jay R on “Sining” and bringing him along for his tour was one of the highlights for Dionela. Dionela remembers being four years old when Jay R was “reigning,” he said in admiration. “Since I was a kid, [I’ve been] seeing him on the TV, on the radio. I mean, it’s just… I think everything just happens for a reason,” he said, collecting his thoughts.
Another highlight was performing with Ki Floto also known as EJ Flor, an R&B artist and rapper from New Jersey. He was the inspiration and person who pushed Dionela to create R&B music. “It’s his family’s first time seeing him perform on stage with me. His mom told him that she’s proud of him,” he said. “I think that’s the highlight of this evening.” A Filipina mom’s stamp of approval will always be a memorable moment. The two performed “Stay the Night,” a more chill track that captures the ache of love and hope for another chance
For Dionela, the amount of international fans that come from far to watch him perform is something that surprises him. “I can’t believe that I have fans here like so far from my home and that’s just amazing,” he observed with a sense of wonder. He still gets shocked when he sees non-Filipino people in the crowds. “How did you find me bro? It’s just crazy. Isn’t it amazing how music connects us even if we don’t know each other?” he joked lightly before reaching his sentiment.
Who Is Dionela?
To fans and the outside world, he’s known as Dionela — the soulful artist whose lyrics speak of poetic love and emotion. To close ones, he’s simply Tim — a passionate person grounded in sincerity. His deep connection to his craft is unmistakable and radiates both on and off stage, setting him apart as a true performer. Dionela officially debuted in 2019 with his single “Tears,” but his music journey started long before that. Both of his parents are music teachers and growing up, Dionela would sit in their lessons and not be allowed to answer anything even if he knew the answers, he remarked. He didn’t understand why until his parents told him during his teenage years. “They made me an experiment [to see] if their genes are gonna work on me. And it worked,” he casually revealed.
His talents have been lauded in the Philippines. The artist became a sensational act in the Philippines over the years, with accelerated growth seen after the release of his singles “Sining” and “Marilag” in 2024. Jay R even crowned Dionela as the next “King of R&B” of the Philippines in a 2024 segment of It’s Showtime, a Filipino television program, which further solidified Dionela’s growing position in the limelight. “I prayed for this, but I didn’t expect it to happen like this fast,” Dionela expressed with genuine surprise. He expressed how time was passing by him very fast. “I can remember that I’m just learning how to play guitar like yesterday. Now it’s like I’m in New York and I just finished the show [with] a bunch of people, you know?” Leaving it up to faith, Dionela has continued to move forward, seeing his success as something greater than luck. “I think this is written and I’m just fulfilling it.”
Outside of his musical sound, Dionela’s distinct lyrical skills catch the attention of many fans and prospective listeners. Songwriting is a form of self-expression and something he is very passionate about. “I’m like 90% music and 10% me, so I think it’s in my blood,” he grinned.
For his songwriting process, he likes to “let the song create itself.” Whenever a thought, beat, or hook comes to him, he lets it flow out, but will never force it to happen. “I’m not the kind of artist that I’m going to sit inside the room and just write the whole song,” he explained. “If ever I feel that I’m just forcing this song to be the song, I’m just gonna stop and I’m gonna wait for the day that I’m gonna feel the same feeling that I felt when I discovered the hook.”
Every artist has their muse and for Dionela, it’s crystal clear. His girlfriend Meizy is the heart and soft driving force behind many of his songs. A lot of his content online shows his songwriting and production process, which Meizy can be seen in often. She also plays an active role in Dionela’s career, from creating art for all of his song covers to controlling the flashing LED lights for his show. “She has her own fan club. I mean, crazy. They call it ‘a-meiz-ing addicts,’” he laughed and looked over to his right where Meizy sat and shyly smiled at his response.
Looking Forward
For fans of R&B, especially the old school classics, Dionela’s music will hit you in the feels and unlock early 2000s nostalgia. As an artist skilled in his craft, his lyrics resonate with hopeless romantics and anyone who has experienced love, proving that the power of music transcends language and resonates with listeners beyond the Philippines. And to those who love a challenge of exploring and digging deeper into the meaning of certain things, Dionela’s music breaks through the surface level. Whether you’re Filipino or not, nothing beats words that touch the soul.
Listeners can expect more to come from Dionela. During the concert, he revealed an upcoming collaboration with prominent R&B artist Ne-Yo, after singing a cover of “Miss Independent.” He will also be touring the rest of June in multiple Canadian cities and stopping last in Honolulu, Hawaii.
As Dionela’s global presence begins to expand, he mentioned he is just getting started. “I have a lot to show, to do.” He then joked that he’ll know he’s made it when people pronounce his stage name correctly. “So many people pronounce my name wrong and I think that’s my sign that I need to push it. It’s ‘Die-on-ela.’ Some call me ‘Danella,’ some call me Di-a-nella,” he laughed. “My goal is [for] everyone to pronounce my name correctly. That’s [when I’ll know] I made it.”
Want to read more backstage post-concert thoughts? Read our exclusive interview with 4EVE, where we spoke to the T-pop group after their Head in the Clouds performance here!
