Maki Breaks Silence on Harassment During Teenage Audition
MAKI – At just 15 years old, singer-songwriter Maki faced a moment that nearly shattered his dream of joining the entertainment industry.
Singer-songwriter Maki recently revealed a harrowing experience from his teenage years, sharing that he was harassed during an audition when he was just 15 years old. Speaking on Fast Talk with Boy Abunda on Thursday, August 7, the “Dilaw” hitmaker opened up about one of the toughest moments in his journey toward becoming an artist.
When asked if he had ever been told he couldn’t be a singer, Maki admitted it happened to him often, but he learned to embrace rejection.“Kasi para po sa akin, when you do something, or if you take a risk, always learn or always know, na as much as you want to be accepted, dapat ready ka ma-reject,” he explained.
Hoping to surprise his parents, Maki auditioned in front of a single individual. He recalled, “I did everything, nag-acting, singing, dancing in front of one person kasi ni-lock niya ‘yung pinto, tapos ayoko na po mag-dive into details, pero nag-audition po kasi ako to become an artist.”
Afterward, the person began asking questions that, according to Maki, were “medyo hindi po pambata.” The young artist said it was the first time he had encountered such inappropriate remarks, leaving him unsure how to respond.
During the interview, Boy Abunda directly asked if he felt violated. Maki confirmed, “Ay, opo. Yes po.” When pressed on whether the remarks implied that fame would follow if he complied, he replied, “Malapit na po [doon].”
Sensing the situation was wrong, Maki excused himself to use the bathroom and left without returning. On his way home, he cried in the jeepney—not because of the inappropriate behavior itself, but because he feared it meant he would never achieve his dream.
“Akala ko hindi po para sa akin ‘tong industry kasi maybe it’s too harsh for me, maybe I’m not ready yet for this dream, so if my dream is too big, baka hindi ako bigyan ng ways to achieve it,” he reflected.
Although he clarified that he was never physically touched, the incident left a deep emotional impact. “Metaphorically, parang ganu’n po ‘yung naisip ko kahit hindi physically po, pero parang I felt na I was really, really exposed,” he said.
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