Gamela Libangan is a young Filipino woman who moves to Manila from the province of Calinte to pursue her ambition of becoming a singer. In striving for success, she faces a society in which the choices offered to women are limited: the wealthy follow the traditional path of becoming a wife and home-maker, while the poor become domestic helpers or menial job workers. To move up the economic ladder, a woman must do so through marriage. However, Gamela perceives herself as plain with only a singing voice to draw attention to her. She achieves success at a high-end entertainment club. There she meets Lyndon Samuelson, an American man with whom she experiences love. He gives her the opportunity to migrate to the United States. The fall of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, and Corazon Aquino’s rise to the presidency, instill in Gamela the unwavering belief that her voice is a God-given gift made to express the dreams and heartaches of her countrymen. Thus, Gamela is torn between accepting a life of love and comfort in America and her duty to her country as a musician.

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