When we last checked in with Cheesa Laureta four months ago, the 22-year-old singer had just hit a roadblock. After several impressive performances as a member of Team Cee Lo on NBC’s "The Voice," she was reluctantly dismissed by team leader Cee Lo Green after an instant elimination competition against another team member.
The Hawaii-born Laureta said in May that she planned to make the most of the experience gained on "The Voice" in forwarding her career, and so she has. She makes her debut as a pop recording artist Thursday when her debut single, "I’m Not Perfect," will be released as a digital download.
"It’s the next big step. I’m very excited. We’ve all been working hard and it is starting to pay off," Laureta said in a telephone call from Los Angeles, where she now lives.
The "pay off" includes having international pop star Charice appear as Laureta’s guest on the recording.
"My brother (Troy Laureta) is her musical director," Laureta said. "She saw me on (‘The Voice’) and we met up and decided to do a collaboration … My brother and I introduced her to a song we’d written awhile ago, ‘I’m Not Perfect.’ To have her collaborating with me on it is great."
"I’m Not Perfect" is a moody, inspirational pop anthem Laureta hopes will inspire others to believe in themselves and follow their dreams despite any hardships. The lyrics come straight from her heart.
"It’s about how I grew up. I was very insecure about myself and I’ve been bullied, so this is a song that’s really deep for me … and it’s great to show people that side of me."
Laureta said bullying isn’t characterized only by obvious physical or verbal attacks or abuse via social media sites, and can sting in more subtle forms.
"Some people don’t realize they’re hurting people with some of the things they say. The words will stick with you for a long time, for life. I want to inspire other kids and other people who are going through that, that there’s light at the end of the tunnel and you can rise above it if you push forward and concentrate on your life," she said.
She reminds others that "sometimes you don’t know that you hurt someone with something that you said. Other people may not take it the way you envisioned it or you think that they would."
Laureta added that Charice — a multifaceted entertainer who became a national star in the Philippines at age 15 — has shared some advice with her as well:
"Don’t let anybody try to tell you who you should be as an artist and try to define you. You have to define yourself and find yourself as a person. That way you can inspire others to do the same … be what you believe that you can be."
"I’m Not Perfect" will be available as a digital download on Thursday, and a limited number of hard-copy singles will also be available. For more information visit www.cheesaofficial.com.
