As she celebrates a milestone on YouTube, singer and actress Kakai Bautista recalled how she was told before to fix her teeth if she wanted to pursue a career as a performer.

But Bautista said she never listened to anyone who saw her teeth as a liability. In fact, she proved she can make it regardless of how she looks.

“Sabe sa akin dati, ipagawa mo 'yung ipin mo, may potential ka talagang maging sikat na singer.' Pauli-ulit na sinabi kong hindi,” Bautista said on her Facebook account.

“Bakit? Dahil mas gusto kong maalala ng tao ang boses ko at kung anong nararamdaman nila kapag pinapakinggan nila ako, kesa sa tinitingnan lang nila ako habang kumakanta.”

True enough, Bautista carved her way in showbiz. Her cover of Roselle Nava’s “Bakit Nga Ba Mahal Kita” has amassed over 40 million views on YouTube, as of writing.

“Naiyak ako sa saya nung nakita ko 'tong tag ng Wish 107.5 sa akin today. 40 million views! Naknampoooooooch!!!! Akalain nyo baaaa,” she said.

The video was released on February 22, 2017 and has since garnered over 11,000 comments on the video-streaming platform.

• ‘Para sa mga sawi at shonga’: Kakai Bautista has heartrending version of ‘Bakit Nga Ba Mahal Kita’

Bautista then thanked everyone who supported her.

“Kung pwede ko lang kayong yakapin lahat," she said.

"Pakinggan n'yo ng nakapikit, ramdamin n'yo ang kwento ng awiting ito,” she added.