Teen star Andrea Brillantes is coming out of her shell!

After winning the hearts of many with her charm as a child actress — most notably with her primetime role as Annaliza in 2013 — she is now venturing into music and writing to convey an important message to her fellow youth.

Andrea: I’m “Happy to be Me”

“Happy to Be Me,” Andrea’s debut single, is a cheery tune that carries an equally hopeful theme: to be happy with who you are. Particularly embodied in the line, “Happiness is a choice, I’ll never lose my voice,” the upbeat pop tune released by Star Music is a gentle reminder that being joyful and contented is a decision for every person to make.

During her guesting on the Roadshow, the young OPM talent shared that it was her childhood dream to become a singer. “Before, when I was left at home, I used to sing in front of the electric fan, imagining that I am singing in front of a large crowd.”

She further named pop diva Beyoncé as her ultimate inspiration in music.

#GOALS: Your Epic Journey to be the Best You

Apart from singing, Andrea has also tried her hand at writing to reach out to more youngsters.

As what her debut single speaks of, her first ever book also shares a similar message. With the anecdotes and pieces of advice she wrote, Andrea hopes to be instrumental in helping other teens gain confidence and bring out the best in them.

“Yung libro na ito ginawa ko para mas maging confident yung mga kabataan ngayon at mas maging confident ka sa sarili mo,” she enthused in a previous interview with push.com.ph.

Summing up what she wants to tell to her fellow youth, Andrea wrote in her book: “Let’s set #goals and meet them one by one. Sabi nga nila, slowly but surely. Success is sweeter ’pag pinaghirapan. Kaya ’wag tayong magmadali. Let’s enjoy the ride. Let’s enjoy the journey. Let’s enjoy our youth. Maaabot din natin ang #goals natin.”

“#GOALS: Your Epic Journey to be the Best You” is a collaboration between Star Magic and ABS-CBN Publishing.