While she is the first to admit that their marriage is far from perfect, Asia’s Soul Supreme KZ Tandingan does acknowledge that life with husband TJ Monterde has been fun and easygoing.
“Kindness and patience,” said KZ on what makes TJ a good husband. “Marami pang bagay, pero ‘yung top of my head na naiisip ko.”
READ: KZ Tandingan shares how TJ Monterde inspires her as an artist
In an exclusive interview with PUSH ABS-CBN at the 20th Anniversary of Cornerstone Entertainment last October 29 at Okada Manila, KZ candidly shared what makes her partnership with TJ — both personal and professional — work.
“Kasi it’s rare. Lalong-lalo na in the beginning, before he became one of the biggest artists in the Philippines. Medyo nauna ako sa music industry because I joined X Factor, and para sa ibang mag-asawa, parang it hurts the ego of the husband na the wife is bringing in more money to the family,” she shared.
READ: How KZ Tandingan supported TJ Monterde when his career was down
“TJ never made me feel that it was a crime for me to chase my dreams and be a wife,” said KZ.
KZ was recently one of the recipients of Cornerstone’s Pioneer Award, given to those who have been with the company for over ten years. KZ shared how she appreciated the way her artistry respected and celebrated.
She recalled how she once felt she had to conform to the stereotype of what a female artist should be. “But when I joined Cornerstone, ‘yun ang unang-unang sinabi ni Sir Erickson (Raymundo): ‘Hindi ikaw ‘yan. Be true to yourself.’
“I’ve always wanted to experiment. I’ve always believed na to be able to grow as an artist, you always have to stay out of your comfort zone. And ‘yun ang ginagawa ng Cornerstone sa amin. ‘Yun ang ginawa ng Cornerstone sa akin: to get out of my comfort zone, to find something else to achieve ‘pag na-achieve ko na ‘yung mga goals ko,” she added.
Following his wife’s lead, TJ is also now a talent of Cornerstone and has been exploring his craft more.
When his star began to shine, KZ was determined to give TJ the same unconditional support that he had given her. “Noong time naman niya, alam ko din na I really have to support this guy because he deserves everything, and more.”
While both are celebrated as artists in their own right, it is a special treat to see both KZ and TJ sharing the stage. Their duet of TJ’s hit song “Palagi” has been received well, with fans even clamoring to hear more of them as a tandem.
READ: TJ Monterde and KZ Tandingan share their most unbelievable moments with concert fans
“Actually, lagi naming pinaguusapan ‘yun — bakit kaya?” said KZ, admitting how they would wonder why their relationship has been warmly welcomed by the audience.
“Lalong-lalo na sa kanya na male singer, parang hindi encouraged na magsabi ka na may asawa ka, na magsabi ka na may love life ka. Pero sa amin, it worked to our advantage, especially dahil ikinukuwento namin sa mga tao kung paano kaming mag-asawa, kung paano namin hina-handle ‘yung relationship namin,” she explained.
Reflecting on this, KZ believes it boils down to one basic value. “I think the main reason why it works is because there’s mutual respect. Alam namin na mag-asawa kami, but we are still individual artists.“
”Nirerespeto niya kung sino si KZ as artist, nirerespeto ko si TJ bilang TJ. Hindi man kami nagkakasundo sa lahat ng bagay, we always make sure na naiintindihan namin na the other person is coming from a place of love; na gusto lang niya na maganda ‘yung output,” she said.
KZ and TJ’s joint concert, In Between: Live at the Big Dome, will be held on February 6 and 7, 2026 under the direction of John Prats. Tickets to both days already sold out less than 7 hours after dropping.