Dia Maté

Deanna Marie "Dia" Remulla Maté (born September 18, 2001) is a Filipino singer, songwriter, record producer, model, and beauty pageant titleholder. Maté was first launched as an alt-pop artist by Island Records in 2021. She released her first single, "Heart Hates Me", in March, and an extended play titled ''Don't Quote Me'' later in the year. In 2024, Maté took on a more pop sound with her single "Ganda Gandahan" ().

In July 2024, Maté competed in Miss World Philippines 2024 and finished in the Top 10 of the pageant. She was chosen as the Philippines' representative for the 2025 edition of Reina Hispanoamericana and won in February 2025, making her the second Filipino contestant to ever win the pageant.

Early life and education

Deanna Marie Remulla Maté was born in Cavite, Philippines, on September 18, 2001. Her parents, Lea and Mike Maté, are business and marketing professionals. Her maternal grandfather is Filipino politician and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla. In high school, Maté underwent the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, choosing music as one of her subjects. She interned at MCA Records and went on a gap year before studying communications technology at the Ateneo de Manila University. Maté received offers from the University of California and King's College London, but declined so that she could focus on her music career in the Philippines.

Career

In early 2021, Island Records launched Maté as an alt-pop artist. She released her first single, "Heart Hates Me", in March. She shared in a press release, "I write and produce my own material. Sometimes I start off by making a beat. When I complete it, I try to create a melody over that. Once I have the melody down, I'll write the lyrics and then record them. Once everything is recorded, I'll add backing vocals, harmonies, and sometimes I'll sample my vocals and use weird effects." Later in the year, she also released the single "One of the Boys" and a four-track extended play titled ''Don't Quote Me'' (stylized in all lowercase).

In January 2022, Maté released the single "Fantasy", produced by her frequent collaborator Fern. On August 26, she released her second single of the year, a pop song called "Kalimutan" (), with lyrics in a mix of Tagalog and English. She wrote "Kalimutan" after Quest challenged her to write a happy song. "It is about accepting who you are, moving on from the past and finally moving forward with positive emotion. The journey to acceptance can be a difficult experience. But when you are finally there, life becomes a little bit brighter," she said of "Kalimutan".

In May 2024, Maté joined her first pageant, Miss Universe Philippines 2024, and did not place in the Top 20. Later in July, she competed in Miss World Philippines 2024, where she was given the title of Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas 2024. In December, she released a single called "Ganda Gandahan" (). She described it as an empowering song that "outrageously champions beauty" and dedicated it to women and the LGBTQ+ community. She co-wrote it with openly queer Cebuano artist Dom Guyot. ''Mega'' magazine introduced Maté as an empowered ''morena'' pop star.

On January 19, 2025, Maté released a doo-wop-influenced love song, "Ikaw Ang Pinili Ko" (). It was reportedly inspired by her relationship with Juan Karlos Labajo, a fellow musician. On January 20, she flew to Bolivia in preparation for the Reina Hispanoamericana 2025 pageant. On February 10, Maté was crowned Miss Reina Hispanoamericana, making her the second Filipino contestant to ever win the pageant, after Winwyn Marquez in 2017. Maté is set to release a music video for "Ikaw Ang Pinili Ko" starring herself and Labajo on February 14.

Personal life

Maté is dating Juan Karlos Labajo, a German-Filipino actor and singer from Cebu. In an interview with Moira del Rosario of ''Mega'' magazine, Maté admitted that it was "weird" to date someone in the same industry, but ultimately found it relieving. She said, "There's never a dull moment, especially being a musician, and we understand each other’s jobs. ..It's so nice to be able to ask him for advice because he's a different ear that helps make my songs better, and vice versa. It's just a beautiful thing to experience having someone who loves the same thing as you and does the same thing as you on a professional level because you can just relate like no other."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maté, Dia
2001 births
Tagalog people
Living people
Reina Hispanoamericana
Filipino female models
Filipino women singer-songwriters
Filipino record producers
Miss World Philippines winners
Ateneo de Manila University alumni
People from Kawit, Cavite