“Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who’s the fairest of them all?”

Disney has found the captivating princess to sing the Filipino version of the Snow White theme song “Waiting on a Wish,” and it’s none other than ABS-CBN actress-singer-TV host and Pinoy Big Brother: Lucky 7 Big Winner Marydale “Maymay” Entrata.

This strong-willed and brave lady from Mindanao added another feather in her cap, as Disney Southeast Asia handpicked her to localize the theme song of the live-action adaptation. The Filipino rendition of the song is titled “Nasaan Ang Hiling?”

The 2025 remake of the iconic Disney film stars Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. Directed by Marc Webb, it is the live-action reimagining of the 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It follows the story of a princess—deemed by the Magic Mirror as the fairest of them all—who joins forces with the seven dwarfs to liberate the kingdom from the clutches of her stepmother, the Evil Queen.

This latest project with The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia forms part of Maymay’s impressive list of achievements which includes being the PBB: Lucky 7 Big Winner, a chart-topping singer with the woman empowerment anthem “Amakabogera,” the first Filipina to walk at the Arab Fashion Week, a nominee at the MTV Europe Music Award for Best Asia Act, and recognized by esteemed award-giving bodies throughout her eight-year career.

Hot on the heels of her recently released single “Paradise” from her upcoming album, Maymay is back with new music through this collaboration with Disney, which blends music, fashion, beauty, and magic. 

Maymay, wearing a Snow White-inspired ensemble by Ehrran Montoya | Photography by Louis Duran 

A fairy tale come to life

Maymay animatedly shared her experience when asked about her reaction upon receiving the news that she was tapped to sing the localized version of the Snow White theme song. 

“Nasa kotse po ako tapos sinabi po sa akin [ng handler ko] na ako po ’yung kakanta ng Tagalog version. Sabi ko, ‘Wait lang. Wait lang! Ha?! Baka nagkamali sila. Totoo ba talaga? Ako ba talaga?‘ [I was in the car at the time then my handler told me I was going to sing the Tagalog version. I said, ‘Wait! Hold on! Ha?! Maybe they made a mistake. Is it really true? Is it really me?],” Maymay narrated her disbelief.

The recording process of “Nasaan Ang Hiling?” was an exciting experience for Maymay, but she admitted she was also nervous, still wondering how she could pull it all off.

“’Yung totoo po, masasabi ko na nu’ng una na sinabi nila na ako ’yung kakanta, sobrang excited ako but at the same time, I asked myself, ‘Ano ba ’yung magiging approach ko sa kanta na ’yun?’ Since sobrang malayo ’yung genre ko at never akong kumanta ng classical songs and parang theatrical way of singing [To be honest, when they first told me I was going to sing it, I was so excited but at the same time I asked myself, ‘What would be my approach to that song?’ Since it’s far from the genres I’m used to and I’ve never tried classical songs and the theatrical way of singing],” she began.

“Pero dahil ako mismo, gusto ko i-challenge ’yung sarili ko, I also wanted to discover kung ano pa iyong kaya ng boses ko [But because I wanted to challenge myself, I also wanted to discover what else my voice is capable of]. Thankfully, I’m so blessed because God sent me people who helped me prepare before the recording. Because I love learning, it was really fun for me, especially during the recording. Ang dami kong natutunan when it came to singing in theatrical style. Sobrang nagulat ako na, ‘Ay! Kaya pala ’yung part na ito’ [I learned a lot when it came to singing in theatrical style. I was really surprised—’Oh! I realized I could pull off this part’],” Maymay added.

She attributes the good result of the recording to her vocal coaches Annie Quintos, Jade Riccio, and Greg Shilling. Maymay credits them as the experts she leaned on throughout the process, saying, “Meron silang ibinigay na technique on how to sing it in a theatrical way but at the same time, sobrang nagustuhan ko po na kahit ganu’n ’yung pagkanta mo, you can also keep your unique style [They taught me a technique on how to sing it in a theatrical way but athe same time, I really liked that even if you sing that way, you can also keep your unique style],” the singer-actress noted, visibly grateful.

Maymay is also especially thankful to the Disney staff for thoughtfully explaining the song so she could better interpret and perform it in her own way. “They helped me understand kung ano ’yung meaning ng song para mas maintindihan ko kung ano ’yung kinakanta ko at kung saan ako nanggagaling [They helped me understand the meaning of the song so I could better understand what I'm singing and where I'm coming from],” she explained.

For a singer, talent is one thing, but effectively conveying a message through a song and making listeners feel the emotions is another thing. Maymay has the ideal combination of both, and this was why Disney felt she was the right artist to lend the heartwarming voice to the inspiring lyrics. “Snow White is Disney’s very first princess, and with this live-action remake, we’re excited to share her timeless values of kindness and bravery with a new generation of fans. We hope that Filipinos will be excited by Maymay’s local rendition of ’Waiting on a Wish’ from Disney’s Snow White. We wanted to find a Filipino personality who could truly bring the song’s lyrics and spirit to life, and Maymay Entrata’s incredible talent, humility, and optimism make her the perfect choice. Through her voice, we hope to inspire a new generation of Filipino fans to be more like Snow White,” said Allie Benedicto, Head of Integrated Marketing, The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia.

Music and Maymay

Truly, Maymay has come a long way from her high school days in the province—from a teen fond of tuning into FM radio and listening to songs in different genres to an artist people watch and listen to on various platforms. 

She fell in love with music early on in life. She cited Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song” and Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb” as her favorite songs to listen to when she was dreaming of big things to come.

Though she said she wasn’t much of a singer as a teenager, she started writing songs when she was 14. “But I only shared it with two people, my classmate and one family member, kasi inspired sa crush ko tapos hindi ko alam na magiging career ko [ang songwriting]. Nagustuhan ko lang magsulat; parang diary ko siya [But I only shared it with two people, my classmate and one family member, because it was inspired by my crush then I didn’t know I’d make a career out of songwriting. I just really liked writing; it was like my diary],” Maymay shared.

Her flair for songwriting made her appreciate the lines from “Nasaan Ang Hiling?“ on a deeper level. She consider these lines her favorites:

Sana ay masimulan

Sabihin ang nararamdaman

Tapang mailalabas

Maymay pondered, “’Yun ’yung pinaka-sobrang naging emotional ako. Kasi ’di ba, kahit nandu’n tayo sa point na nangangarap tayo, kapag back to reality na, medyo masakit. Kasi hindi mo alam kung paano magsisimula para gawin at simulan ’yung tatahakin mong pangarap. Du’n ako mas natamaan. Umabot ako sa point na nangangarap na ako—ang laki ng pangarap ko—pero saan ako magsisimula? [That part really made me emotional. Because when we’ve reached that point when we’re already dreaming, when it’s time to go back to reality, it’s a bit painful. Because you don’t know how to start doing or start heading towards the road to your dreams. That’s what hit me the most. I reached a point when I was already dreaming—I had a big dream—but where do I begin?]”

As a young dreamer, she looked up to artists Gary Valenciano and Yeng Constantino not only for their musical prowess but also their character.

“Hindi lang sila magaling sa craft nila kundi as themselves din po talaga. Sobrang nakaka-inspire kasi they remain humble despite the many years they’ve been in the industry. ’Yung puso nila to help others, sa mga listeners, through their music—talagang mas lalong nai-inspire ako to talk with them [They’re not only good at their craft but they’re also good people. It’s really inspiring because they remain humble despite being in the industry for many years. Their heart for helping others, the listeners, through their music—that just inspires me even more to talk with them],” Maymay beamed. “Sobrang gustong-gusto ko sila kasi dreamer po ako. Their songs are very empowering dahil sa messages nila. Nai-inspire ako to dream bigger and to be fearless [I really like them because I’m a dreamer. Their songs are very empowering because of their messages. I am inspired to dream bigger and to be fearless].”

Stepping into Snow White‘s shoes

Getting this Snow White project is a big deal for Maymay, especially as someone who also grew up watching movies and listening to songs from Disney. She recalls her first brushes with Disney and how it impacted her life: “Ang una kong napanood na movie from Disney was High School Musical. Tapos sobrang kilig na kilig na ako du’n. Sobrang ganda ng ‘Breaking Free‘ pero ‘yung song na nag-stuck talaga sa akin is ‘yung unang kinanta nina Zac Efron (as Troy Bolton) at Vanessa Hudgens (as Gabriella Montez), ‘Start of Something New.‘ Ah, nakakabaliw! Ang ganda talaga [The first Disney movie I watched was High School Musical. That really made my heart flutter. ‘Breaking Free‘ is so beautiful but the song that really stuck with me is the first song Zac Efron (as Troy Bolton) and Vanessa Hudgens (as Gabriella Montez) sang, ‘Start of Something New.‘ Ah, it drives me crazy! It‘s really good],” Maymay excitedly recounted.

Aside from Snow White, Maymay loves the tale of another Disney princess: Cinderella.

“Sobrang naka-relate ako sa kanya kahit wala akong prinsipe [I can really relate to her even though I don't have a prince],“ she said, laughing. “Feeling ko magkaka-prinsipe ako dahil kay Cinderella. Isa rin sa mga pinakagusto ko sa kanya is ‘yung ability niya to hold on to hope no matter what talaga. Despite what she‘s been dealing with na difficulties, she keeps on dreaming talaga and holding on to it [I feel like I‘d have a prince because of Cinderella. One thing I really like about her is her ability to hold on to hope no matter what. Despite the difficulties she‘s been dealing with, she really keeps on dreaming and holding on to it],” she said, adding that what she loves about the Disney princesses is that they’re brave, fearless dreamers.

But Snow White, in particular, has a special place in Maymay’s heart, especially now.

“‘Yung pinakagusto ko talaga kay Snow White is ‘yung purity ng puso niya. She‘s not only brave but also a dreamer, gaya ni Cinderella who never gives up on her dreams. Very gentle siya sa mga tao at ‘yung animals around her. Basically, ‘yung kindness niya po talaga. Nag-stand out talaga ‘yun sa‘kin kasi feeling ko ‘yun ‘yung beauty niya—because of her kindness and how she treats everyone fairly kahit ‘yung witch na binigyan siya ng poisoned apple. Sobrang bait niya [What I really like about Snow White is the purity of her heart. She‘s not only brave but also a dreamer, like Cinderella who never gives up on her dreams. She‘s very gentle towards the people and the animals around her. Basically, it‘s really her kindness. That really stood out to me because I feel that's where her real beauty lies—because of her kindness and how she treats everyone fairly, including the witch who gave her a poisoned apple. She‘s so nice],” the actress expressed.

Apart from singing the song, Maymay was also surprised that she would take part in the visual aspect of promoting Snow White’s “Nasaan Ang Hiling?“ with a music video and a photo shoot. 

“Sobrang nag-enjoy po ako. Kasi una sa lahat, hindi ko in-expect na magsusuot po ako ng dress like Snow White’s kaya sobrang nagustuhan ko. Fun fact! Nasa bucket list ko talaga puntahan ’yung mga Disneyland [theme parks]. Nakapunta na ako sa Disneyland California, Florida, Japan, Hong Kong, and muntik na sa Paris kaso ’yung weather, hindi okay. Mahilig ako du‘n at dahil d’yan nai-imagine ko ’yung self ko every time nakakakita ako ng mga prinsesa; sabi ko, gusto kong ma-try ’yung ganyang costume. Tapos na-try ko na nga dahil sa shoot namin at sobrang nag-enjoy ako. Feeling ko prinsesa ako [I really enjoyed. Because, first of all, I didn’t expect I’d wear a dress like Snow White’s that’s why I really liked it. Fun fact! It’s really on my bucket list to go to the Disneyland theme parks. I've been to Disneyland California, Florida, Japan, Hong Kong, and I almost made it to Paris but the weather then was not okay. I’m fond of that and because of that, I could imagine myself every time I’d see a princess; I said I wanted to try that kind of costume. And I got to try one because of our shoot, and I really enjoyed. I felt like a princess],” she smiled.

The glam team—composed of makeup artist Owen Sarmiento, hairstylist Jay Wee, stylists Rain Dagala and Em Millan, and designer Ehrran Montoya—made sure they would be able to capture the iconic and signature Snow White look but at the same time making sure it would also suit Maymay’s beauty. 

Maymay told us, “Binagay din naman po sa akin 'yung mismong character ni Snow White—’yung medyo curly ’yung buhok, red lipstick, and simple lang na makeup. Princess! [They also made the character of Snow White fit me—slightly curly hair, red lipstick, and simple makeup. Princess!]”

Becoming Snow White for a day was a memorable experience for this sought-after artist. With the live-action remake touching on the theme of becoming the “fairest of them all,“ we asked Maymay about what being beautiful truly means to her today.

“Dati po, lalo na nu'ng bata po ako, akala ko po ang definition ng beauty ay physical appearance—the way we look, clothing and, basically, the standards set by society. Akala ko talaga 'yun ang beauty, pero nu'ng lumaki na ako, mas naiintindihan ko na kung ano talaga 'yung meaning ng beauty [Before, especially when I was a kid, I thought the definition of beauty is about physical appearance—the way we look, clothing and, basically, the standards set by society. I really thought that’s what beauty is, but when I grew up, I understood better what beauty truly means]. It’s about kindness—how we treat others, how we carry ourselves with confidence, and our sincerity on treating people with kindness. It also includes being fearless and vulnerable. In the end, beauty is something you can’t just see outside, but it’s more like something you feel with your heart,” Maymay concludes meaningfully.

Catch Disney's Snow White in cinemas starting March 19! 

Photography by Louis Duran

Styling by Rain Dagala and Em Millan

Makeup by Owen Sarmiento

Hairstyling by Jay Wee