Reneé Dominique: Over 100 Million Views, and Counting

Reneé Dominique is a Manila-born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has quietly built one of the most remarkable international footprints of any Filipino independent artist.

Her covers on YouTube have amassed over 100 million views and more than 1.5 million subscribers across Asia, America, and Europe. Her voice caught the attention of global brands: Samsung featured her cover of Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know” in their worldwide Galaxy campaign, and Audi used her rendition of The Carpenters’ “Close to You” for their Audi R8 commercial in the United Kingdom.

She is also one of the few Filipino artists to collaborate with a Grammy Award-winning singer, Jason Mraz, recording and performing “Could I Love You Any More” with him live in both Manila and Singapore.

Back home, Reneé hosts shows, and guests on variety shows. She trained before as a Star Magic artist under ABS-CBN, one of the Philippines’ most prestigious talent management homes for seven years. She appears in Philippine television productions, and takes on hosting work as well. She takes an active part in the local creative scene. Her social following reflects her wide reach across platforms: 93K on Instagram (link), 407.8K on TikTok (link), 299K on Spotify (link) and close to 59K on Facebook.

I got introduced to Reneé through a common friend, Abby Aguilar Niesta, who made it possible for me to get an interview with her for dotSpotlight. I’m glad she was able to squeeze me in just before going on a road show to Cebu and Siargao, then a trip to Melbourne. I sat down with her to talk about music, identity, and what it means to build a creative life entirely on your own terms.

Q & A with Reneé

You play multiple instruments, you write your own songs, you sing, and you act. With so much that you do, how would you describe yourself, Reneé Dominique, the artist and the person, in your own words?

Reneé: I’d probably call myself a serial hobbyist. I’m the type who always wants to learn something new, like DJ-ing, which is on my list. I could also say I’m an adventurer, but at the same time, I am also very much an introvert… I need a lot of downtime! 

I’m a family person, I’m close with my family. I’m also active in church, but I don’t impose my beliefs on anyone. But honestly, a lot of my joy comes from simple things, my bulldog (named Lord Gaston Wigglebottom!) included. 

“I wrote my first song at the age of 4. I just always knew I loved singing and performing.”

You’re born and grew up in Manila and come from a musical family. You wrote your first song at age 4 called “Ti Ti La La,” which meant “I love you grandpa.” Was there a specific moment in your childhood where you thought, “This is what I want to do for the rest of my life?”

Reneé: Yes that’s right! I wrote my first song at the age of 4. Hmmm…I don’t think there was one defining moment, I just always knew I loved singing and performing. My parents were voice talents, so I grew up going to the studio with them, watching people perform, sing, and create. So that world just felt natural to me from the very beginning. I just know that I love singing and writing songs.

Your YouTube channel started in 2012, and you’ve since grown to 1.6 million subscribers. What do you remember about posting that very first video? Were you nervous, or did it feel natural?

Reneé: It was a cover of Ed Sheeran’s song, filmed in my room in Antipolo. Yes I was nervous. That time, I had just transitioned to homeschool after being bullied in regular school, so putting myself out there felt very vulnerable. I knew it would open me up to judgment. But I just wanted to do it, so I did it anyway! When I hit my first 5,000 views, I remember I felt so happy. After that, I just kept posting regularly.

You’re known for your ukulele and guitar covers of classics like The Beatles, The Carpenters, and other popular artists, but you’re also a songwriter. How do you balance being a “covers artist” with developing your own original voice?

Reneé: Covers are genuinely my strong suit, and during my most active period online, I leaned into that. The ukulele lends itself so naturally to certain songs, classics especially. But with originals, I get to experiment in ways that covers don’t allow. I remember performing in New York and someone in the audience asked where my originals were. They were curious to hear what I sounded like beyond the covers. That stayed with me. I do write my own originals.

But I won’t deny that covers really opened unexpected doors for me. Samsung reached out about using my version of “Somewhere Only We Know” for a global commercial. I re-recorded it for them, which eventually led to a deal with Universal Music Germany. One of the producers who worked with Jason Mraz saw that commercial, and the rest is history!

Your collaboration with Jason Mraz on “Could I Love You Any More” was a huge moment. How was  working with someone at that level like? How long did you work together?

Reneé: It was really intimidating at first, but I felt at ease later on. Jason is genuinely one of the most down-to-earth persons I’ve ever met. He was the one who reached out to me personally and emailed me directly. You could immediately tell how passionate he is about his craft, and he was so generous with tips and guidance that I got comfortable pretty quickly. 

The whole process took about three to four months. We recorded our parts separately first, then he came to Manila and Singapore, where we filmed the music video and performed live together. It was surreal!

“It was really intimidating at first, but I felt at ease later on. Jason is genuinely one of the most down-to-earth persons I’ve ever met.”

Your more recent releases, “Seoul Searching,” “Can’t Go Another Day,” feel like an artist stepping more fully into her own sound. How would you describe this chapter of your music?

Reneé: This chapter feels like me figuring out how to make music as an adult. When you reach a certain point in life, the writing changes. It becomes less about dwelling in your feelings and more about learning from them. It’s about maintaining vulnerability while still showing growth. I feel more creatively aware now, and I have a wider perspective on a lot of things. I’d call it adulting, musically.

You’ve described songwriting as a form of therapy. Can you walk us through what your creative process looks like, from a feeling or experience to a finished song?

Reneé: What works for me is starting with a title or a melody. I hum it, and then the lyrics fill in from there. When I was younger, I could finish a song in an hour. I kind of believed that if you couldn’t finish it quickly, you were forcing it. Most of my songs I’d try to finish in one sitting. I really believe the ones that come naturally, in the moment, without forcing it, are the truest.

“Most of my songs I’d try to finish in one sitting. I really believe the ones that come naturally, in the moment, without forcing it, are the truest.“

As a songwriter, what is your take on AI and its growing influence in the music and creative industry?

Reneé: On one hand, AI clearly has the ability to produce music. But we have an abundance of creative people in this world, and I feel strongly that it should be used as a tool rather than a replacement. Nothing really beats authentic human emotion and lived experience, and that is ultimately what songs are built from.

Name other unforgettable moments, aside from doing the music video with Jason Mraz.

Reneé: Around 2019 to 2020, I got to sing two of Diane Warren’s songs in her studio in LA. That was such a big deal for me. For a moment, I genuinely felt what it must be like to be a Hollywood pop star. That period was a whirlwind. I was on a press tour with Jason, we performed on Disney Radio and iHeartRadio, and had a TV interview in San Diego. Those moments were unforgettable for me, it gave me a real taste of that world, and it was just incredible.

“Around 2019 to 2020, I got to sing two of Diane Warren’s songs in her studio in LA. That was such a big deal for me. For a moment, I genuinely felt what it must be like to be a Hollywood pop star.”

Being a Filipino artist with a global audience is something not a lot of people get to say. What does representing the Philippines mean to you, especially when many of your listeners are from outside the country?

Reneé: I have so much pride in being Filipino. It makes me genuinely happy to represent my country and show the world that there is so much talent here. Filipinos are world class, and I never want to let that go unrepresented.

Content creation, songwriting, performing, TV hosting. You wear a lot of hats. How do you keep from burning out, and how do you decide where to put your energy? Do you love to travel?

Reneé: I go to the gym, explore coffee shops, read fiction, and travel whenever I can. I’m an introvert at heart, so quiet time is really essential for me. I spend a lot of time with my family and my dog. When it comes to travel, I prefer longer trips because that is the best way to really get to know a city. I love living like a local. Tokyo and Melbourne are two of my favorites, mostly for the coffee shop culture, the laid-back energy, and the creative scenes. I just absorb everything.

What do you hope people feel when they listen to your music or follow your journey?

Reneé: The feedback I get from my listeners is that my music brings them healing, calmness, and peace. I will never truly exactly understand how that happens, but that is why I believe there’s a bigger and deeper purpose to my music given by God.

What’s next for Reneé Dominique?

Reneé: A lot of exciting things are coming. More music, more content, and more originals! But I’m also planning to go back to school to finish my degree in Broadcasting Communications. For context, I was a Theater Arts major in UP Diliman, but wanted to continue my career so I had to set that aside. Now, after years of experience in the entertainment industry, I think that Broadcasting Communications would be a better fit for me to further hone my skills in the industry I’m already in. So I’ll be pursuing that.