Remembering Lloyd Cadena: YouTuber, book author, radio DJ, humanitarian, boy band member

MANILA, Philippines — More than just a YouTube vlogger with over five million subscribers, Lloyd Cafe Cadena, Kuya Lloyd, Kween LC, or simply Lloyd to his family and friends, wore many hats: as a book author, radio disk jockey, humanitarian and even as a boy band member, to name a few.

In a 2016 exclusive interview with this author during the launch of his boy band The Bookmarks, and for the launch of one of his books, "Mahal Ko na Siya...Pak na Ito!!!," Lloyd opened up about how he started vlogging.

Lloyd began writing in 2011, primarily, for scripts for his YouTube videos, which he did just for fun. His vlogs became so in-demand that he began earning more from them than from his day job as a radio disk jockey.

A reliable source claimed Lloyd was earning "six figures a month" from his YouTube channel. The author asked Lloyd if this was true, but he was mum.

As a full-time YouTuber though, Lloyd then had more time for himself and to write books, which he started in 2013 after PSICOM Publishing approached him to compile his YouTube scripts. 

Penning a manuscript, he said, was a different world from doing videos or being a DJ — it entailed more deadlines and sleepless nights — a challenge since he considered himself more of a talker.

“As long as there are people who write books and there are readers, print media will still be there,” the online video star said on why he still wrote books despite finding success online.

“Books are still different; nothing can beat the feeling of smelling the leaves of a new book."

To further entice the youth to read, Lloyd, together with six other authors, formed a boy band called The Bookmarks, then managed by PSICOM and VIVA. If other boy bands are big in song and dance, The Bookmarks were more into making book signing events a fun destination for the youth.

The Bookmarks also included Bryan Olano, Albert Apolonio, Marco Pile, Mark Anicas, Rhadson Mendoza, Sic Santos and Angelo Nabor.

“There might be many posers, but you should also learn the art of dedma,” suggested Lloyd, The Bookmarks’ only gay member, who had his fair share of haters and death threats. 

Some haters, he recalled, would even picket outside his village to threaten to kill him only because they did not like his face.

“Just focus on the positive things like your supporters. Go to the people who love you," he advised those also experiencing some bashing.

“Do not be discouraged if you can’t get what you want now. Success can’t be achieved overnight. I also go through tough times sometimes, lowest points that make me want to give up. But you just have to continue and in fact, do more, of what you want to do while also being sensitive to what your readers want. Don’t just write and write or make more YouTube videos that people cannot relate to... Just be yourself and enjoy whatever you do. It’s useless if you don’t enjoy it and just be overridden by pressure,” he appealed to those aspiring to reach the same heights.

Just last month, the Creator and Influencer Council of the Philippines, an organization that aims to empower creators, influencers, marketing professionals and brands to become best-in-class in marketing, content creation and business, recognized Lloyd and actress Angel Locsin as the first recipients of Social Good Award, given to those who use their resources and influence to encourage social awareness and volunteerism.

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