The “Prince of Kumu” is coming for his rightful throne, and it’s no less than the PARCINQ Cover! Introducing Jeffrey Hernandez, also known as Prince, an extraordinary Kumu streamer who is about to prove why such a big accomplishment is under his belt.
The Kumu Experience
In a sea of content creators, three years seem so short to attain the “Prince of Kumu'' status, but Prince’s fun, relatable, and hardworking nature have done that. Unlike some who had their eyes set on content creation way before Kumu, livestreaming was not initially in his plan.
However, it was Kumu’s unique features that piqued the curiosity of Prince back in 2020, which quickly became his source of entertainment. From being a mere viewer to finally hitting the “LIVE” button and becoming ‘Prince’, nervousness was swiftly replaced with amusement. Prince got the hang of it in no time, and Pringels (Prince’s fandom) relished every experience, just as he enjoyed every minute of it.
What was once merely an endeavor beyond his wildest imagination has now turned into his life’s greatest blessing with boundless opportunities.
Streaming Excellence
Fresh from bagging three awards at the Kumu Diamond Gala, Prince credits his success to his audience. It was the collaborative effort and generosity of Pringles that propelled Prince to the top spot of every campaign he has participated in.
“While I do a lot of content in KUMU, singing, dancing, bulsahan, tambay, game shows, travel, lifestyle, etcetera, I see to it that I listen to what my audience likes,” Prince shares. He takes into account their input, ensuring that he provides them with fun and memorable content in return.
Like everybody else, Prince is not rock-made, making him vulnerable to online criticism. “I would be honest and say that at first, I got affected by negative criticism,” he admits. But over time, he used these critiques as stepping stones to enhance his craft. “Sometimes these criticisms are actually wake-up calls to make our craft better.”
He is aware that not everyone will like what he could offer, but as long as he knows in his heart that his intentions are pure, he continues to entertain and inspire others through his streams.
With a strong support system from Pringles and the KUMUnity, Prince had the opportunity to extend his blessings beyond the app as well. From holding benefit streams, he was able to donate almost 500 pairs of slippers to children and elementary pupils in Batangas, 21 pairs of shoes to varsity scholars in San Pablo, food and other basic necessities to several orphanages and homes for the elderly in Tagaytay and Cavite, and more than 30 tablets to deserving students to aid them with their modules during the height of the pandemic, among others.
Now, it’s easy to see why he is the “Prince of Kumu” after all.
Never Back Down, Never What?
Never settling for less. This prompted Prince to take his shot in the third edition of the Kumu x PARCINQ campaign. After winning several campaigns before that led him to grace a number of billboards in Metro and enjoy memorable vacations across the world, Prince believes he can do more.
Rolling with wins multiple times, you would think Prince came into the competition with confidence. On the contrary, hesitance first embraced Prince, as vying for a cover shot is definitely a new experience for him. With the needed push and constant support from his family, friends, and Pringels, Prince realized that it’s an opportunity he couldn’t miss, and he just rolled with it gracefully.
Coming for something unfamiliar, Prince lived by the quote, “Everything is possible if you just put your heart and hard work into it.” True enough, every moment in his Kumu x PARCINQ journey has left lasting impressions on him. From the first stream down to the actual cover shoot, everything kept him in awe. He shared that it’s a wonderful journey he will be eternally proud of.
Redefining Winning
Prince is not a neophyte in the winning scene, but his outlook on winning will truly astound you. Forget the numbers or the ranks. Prince iterates, “Winning doesn’t necessarily mean coming in or being first. I personally believe that winning simply means being happy and grateful for whatever you do.”
Not all campaigns or competitions always end sweetly. Feeling happiness and gratitude for the outcome of every endeavor is already a win, as long as you’ve overcome every challenge that came in the way. Not all failures are losses; sometimes they are also wins to redirect us to better things.
Now that’s a mindset that Prince wants to impart. You simply need to keep moving toward your dreams and enjoy every moment of the journey.
On Chasing Dreams
“You’ll never know what the future holds. Continue working hard for your dreams,” says Prince. But five years from now, Prince envisions himself still enjoying and thriving on the app. But more than that, he pictures a Prince who is creating more meaningful content that will resonate in communities beyond the app and ultimately in society.
Add or follow Prince (@prince) in Kumu because he might be “King of Kumu” then; who knows?
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Photography by Rxandy Capinpin
Art Direction by Joe Andy
Styling by Mark Ranque
Fashion film by Ian Francisco with Video Associate Anghel Millar Words
Interview by Kryzzle Cailing
Makeup by Nadynne Esguera Grooming
Hair by Mycke Arcano
Produced in partnership with Kumu