Eylsia Nicolas explores contemporary pop on her latest single, “If You Were Here,” following an unusual path into music that has included professional tennis, technology and a period away from singing.

Before pursuing music, Eylsia competed in tennis, winning the Irish Open and appearing at Wimbledon and the US Open after entering the Orange Bowl at 10.

An injury eventually ended her tennis career, after which she moved into music and technology. She later worked in Hollywood on a patented CD format and held executive and academic positions.

Music remained part of her life, but a subsequent health setback made singing impossible. Eylsia says she lost part of her lung capacity and sustained damage to her vocal cords, leading to a long recovery.

She eventually returned to creating music through work involving 3D spatial audio and restoration technology developed by her R&D team, which she says helped her rebuild enough of her voice to sing again.

“If You Were Here” marks a return to music after that period. While Eylsia has explored different languages and orchestral approaches in her work, she describes the new song as contemporary pop at its core.

The release follows a period in which her music has found an audience in parts of Asia.

“If You Were Here” is out now on streaming platforms.

Singer and songwriter Eylsia Nicolas, the stage name of Lisa Pamintuan, returns to music with “Ashes On the Wind,” a folk-inspired ballad that reflects on the contrast between personal good fortune and the difficulties faced by people around the world.

The song combines philosophical songwriting with a light Eurobeat pulse, creating a sound that places reflective lyrics against a subtle rhythmic foundation. Rather than presenting an uncomplicated view of success, “Ashes On the Wind” considers the circumstances that shape people’s lives and the distance between having much and recognising what others may be going through.

Nicolas plans to release the song phonetically in several languages, extending its central ideas beyond a single linguistic or cultural audience.

The new release follows an unconventional path back to music. Before working as a recording artist, Nicolas competed in tennis as a teenager, including appearances at Wimbledon and the US Open. Her tennis career ended after injuries, after which she pursued law and moved into the record business.

Her professional life later expanded into education and entrepreneurship. She founded a higher education facility in China and subsequently became one of the youngest college presidents in the United States, according to her biography. She also launched the luxury brand Nicolas of Palm Beach while continuing to develop her music under the name Eylsia Nicolas.

Her return to recording followed another period of personal difficulty. After a period of intense professional pressure and rehabilitation, Nicolas turned towards education and later returned to the music ambitions she had previously put aside. Her biography also describes the impact of COVID-19 on her health and her subsequent work to restore her singing voice.

Those experiences inform the perspective behind “Ashes On the Wind.” Rather than simply recounting her own story, Nicolas uses the new release to consider the wider human experience, including the privileges people may have, the struggles others face and the need to remain conscious of both.

“Ashes On the Wind” by Eylsia Nicolas is out now on streaming platforms.

American singer Eylsia Nicolas has released a new single titled “That’s Fine By Me”, an Afropop-inspired track that blends elements of rhythm and blues, house music, and contemporary pop.

The release marks another chapter in the artist’s unconventional career path, which has seen her transition from professional tennis to law, business, and eventually music.

Performing under the stage name Eylsia Nicolas, Lisa Pamintuan first gained recognition as a tennis player. She won international tournaments at a young age, became the youngest winner of the Irish Open at 14, and later competed at major events including the US Open and Wimbledon before injuries brought her tennis career to an end.

Following her departure from professional sports, she earned a law degree and built a career in business, working with companies involved in technology, retail, and music. She later founded an educational institution in China and went on to become a college president in the United States.

According to the artist, her return to music came after overcoming a series of personal and health challenges, including lung damage and vocal issues following the COVID-19 pandemic. Nicolas says she used sound restoration technology and research developed through her own ventures to help recover her singing voice.

Speaking about ”That’s Fine By Me”, the singer described the record as an attempt to create a distinctive sound by singing over Afropop rhythms rather than directly within traditional genre conventions.

“This new song is Afropop, but I’m singing on top of the rhythm rather than inside it, trying to create a new sound—part rhythm and blues, part house, and entirely my own,” she said.

The release follows a period in which Nicolas has been building her presence as an independent artist while also managing business interests, including her luxury brand, Nicolas of Palm Beach.

“That’s Fine By Me” is now available on major streaming platforms.