At the age of two, Cess was captivated by Sarah Geronimo's performance on TV and immediately wanted to emulate her. She grabbed the nearest object, a comb, and sang a nursery rhyme, although her rendition fell short of her expectations. Despite only making it to the semi-finals of a children's singing contest at Ever Gotesco Commonwealth, she resolved to improve her vocal abilities by taking voice lessons. During her first professional voice lesson, she was encouraged to try an acting workshop coached by John Arcilla, a renowned actor. As someone who actively seeks daily inspiration and loves the arts, she quickly signed up and was amazed by the power of well-told stories conveyed by actors. She also discovered how singing and acting complement each other in delivering an effective performance, leading her to become increasingly fascinated with both art forms.

Sitti, MYMP, and other musicians are among Cess's preferred local artists, while Ella Fitzgerald, Astrud Gilberto, Billie Holiday, Pink Martini, and various others are her favorite international artists. Her favorite genre is jazz, and she has a particular interest in bossa nova. Although she enjoys singing arias, she characterizes her musical preferences as diverse.