Filipino singer Denise Julia has broken her social media hiatus to clarify the events surrounding the cancellation of a photoshoot with renowned photographer BJ Pascual. In a series of Instagram Stories posted early Christmas morning, Denise shared her side of the story, offering insights into the production process and communication between their respective teams.
The collaboration, initially planned for her upcoming EP, faced hurdles as early as May. “Despite us following up many times and not getting replies for weeks at a time… we were patient and pushed back our deadlines to accommodate BJ’s schedule because we knew that he was booked and busy,” Denise said.
Early challenges and budget concerns
Denise and BJ’s teams engaged in multiple Zoom meetings and calls to conceptualize the shoot, with both parties expressing excitement. However, budget discussions became a sticking point. Denise’s team initially proposed a budget of PHP 650,000, covering both a photoshoot and a music video—something BJ had expressed interest in exploring for the first time.
Despite follow-ups from Denise’s manager, John Vincent Salcedo, BJ’s team did not confirm whether the budget was feasible. Weeks before the shoot, BJ’s team proposed a revised budget of PHP 1.2 million, nearly double the initial offer. Denise’s team attempted to adjust by increasing their budget to PHP 800,000 and scaling back the project scope, but no agreement was reached.
“My manager was giving out options so that none of the efforts go to waste,” Denise explained. Ultimately, BJ’s team decided to cancel the project, citing misalignment in production processes.
A public fallout
The issue gained attention after BJ discussed his frustrations on the podcast Bad Btch Bible*, labeling Denise as one of the most stressful personalities he had worked with. BJ claimed Denise’s team wanted to cancel the shoot on the eve of the scheduled date due to the unavailability of a hairstylist. He also expressed disappointment over a lack of communication from Denise after the cancellation.
“I never heard from her, no thank you, no sorry, no anything,” BJ said during the podcast.
Denise responded to these remarks in her Instagram posts, expressing regret and acknowledging her shortcomings. “I want to sincerely apologize for my shortcomings as an artist and for the unprofessionalism you’ve experienced,” she said, addressing BJ directly.
A learning experience
Denise described the incident as a humbling experience and emphasized her willingness to grow from it. She also requested an honest conversation with BJ to resolve the matter constructively. BJ agreed to a face-to-face meeting after the holidays, acknowledging Denise’s efforts to reach out.
“I hold my team in the highest regard and deeply value their dedication, effort, and respect for their work,” BJ wrote in his reply to Denise. He added that he hoped the experience would lead to improved industry practices.
Denise assured her followers that this would be the last time she speaks about the matter, aiming to move forward positively.
