2016: Tawag Ng Tanghalan In 2016, Wilbert Ross left Davao Del Sur to pursue his career in Manila. In February of the same year, he joined
Tawag ng Tanghalan, a singing competition segment of It's Showtime on ABS-CBN. He performed "Hello" by Lionel Richie but was eliminated during the daily round.
2016: Pinoy Boyband Superstar Later that year, In September 2016, Ross auditioned at
ABS-CBN's competition on search for the newest boyband in the Philippines
Pinoy Boyband Superstar where he got 95% of the votes from the all-girl audience on the first round. He advanced to the Top 20 but was eliminated before reaching the Top 12, so he returned to Davao.
2017–2020: Hashtags and early acting career In 2017, He learned about the public audition for Hashtags. in February 2017, Ross was introduced as a new member of the dance group Hashtags that performs regularly on the
ABS-CBN noontime show “
It’s Showtime". The group appeared daily on the program for several years, gaining popularity among viewers. In May 2019, Ross signed a recording contract with
Star Music, marking the beginning of his career as a recording artist. Under the label, Ross was set to release original music, transitioning from being known primarily as a member of the dance group Hashtags to pursuing a solo music career. Ross released his debut single, "Maaari Ba", on May 31, 2019. He also ventured into acting, appearing in supporting roles, including the commercially successful film
Hello, Love, Goodbye. During this period, he gained online attention through collaborations with YouTuber
Zeinab Harake, including a "24-Hours Magjowa Challenge" video. Harake also starred in the official music video of "Maaari Ba", which garnered over a million views within it's released. Ross subsequently began producing vlog content on YouTube.
2020–2022: Transition to Viva and music releases In June 2020, Ross released the single "Kung Siya Man", a follow-up to "Maaari Ba", under
StarPop. Later that year, he signed with
Viva Entertainment, where he took on supporting roles in projects such as Shoot, Shoot: Di Ko Siya Titigilan, directed by Al Tantay, and Crush Kong Curly, directed by GB Sampedro, where he was paired with AJ Raval. He also appeared in the fantasy-comedy series
Puto, starring
Herbert Bautista and
McCoy de Leon. Ross later headlined his own comedy film Boy Bastos, which streamed on
Vivamax. On July 29, 2022, he released the single "Langga", which followed a premiere of it's official music video starring
Zeinab Harake, trended on YouTube upon release.
2023–2024: Extended play, directing, and television projects In 2023, Ross appeared in the comedy film Working Boys 2: Choose Your Papa, a modern adaptation of the 1985 film originally starring
Tito Sotto,
Vic Sotto, and
Joey de Leon. On October 13, 2023, he released his debut extended play (EP), Lampara, which included the tracks "Byahe ng Buhay", "Dramatic Actor", and "Benteng Ukit". He described “Byahe Ng Buhay” as a lyrical journey through life’s ups and downs, “Dramatic Actor” as a blend of melodious vocals with a touch of drama, and “Benteng Ukit” as a captivating song about self-inflicted wounds, that lingers in the listener’s head and heart long after it’s been heard. Ross wrote it during a bout with clinical depression. Lampara means lamp and when lighted it brings light. That is just what Wilbert Ross hopes to bring to the listeners of his first EP, a message that light exists and it is always there Ross also starred in the
Puregold digital series Ang Lalaki sa Likod ng Profile, alongside Yukii Takahashi. Around this time, he began directing his own music videos and established his creative team, Chalkzone Creatives. In 2024, Ross expanded his acting portfolio with appearances in projects such as Pagpag 24/7, Men Are from QC, Women Are from Alabang,
Nokturno, and
Hello, Love, Again. He also released the single "Makaluma" and was introduced as Lakin Sanchez in the University Series Chasing in the Wild.
2025–present: Album debut, writing career, and concert success On July 8, 2025, Ross officially renewed his contract with Viva Entertainment, marking a significant milestone in his career and solidifying his ongoing relationship with the Philippine entertainment firm. The renewal highlighted the company’s continued confidence in Ross’s artistic direction and commercial appeal, with several upcoming projects in development, including music releases, live performances, and digital content. On August 15, 2025,
VivaOne announced the series
Golden Scenery of Tomorrow, starring Ross and
Bea Binene, during the VIVARKADA: THE ULTIMATE FANCON AND GRAND CONCERT. The series premiered in October 2025. On September 15, 2025, Ross debuted as an author with the release of his
novel Pagbilang Kong Tatlo, a suspense thriller launched during the Manila International Book Fair. On November 7, 2025, he released his debut
studio album Aking Musika, a nine-track project described as a musical autobiography. The album featured songs such as "Dulo ng Pahina", "Maliwanag Mong Mundo", "Langga", and "Nakangiti", as well as "Ginintuang Tanawin", which served as the
original soundtrack for
Golden Scenery of Tomorrow. The following day, November 8, 2025, Ross held his first ticketed
album launch. In March 2026, Ross held a two-day sold-out gig titled Musika’t Hiling, marking another milestone in his live performances. In April 2026, during the
VivaOne Fan Takeover Concert, Ross and Binene’s first film together was announced, a Philippine adaptation of the
Thai film Pee Mak. The project marked their first big-screen collaboration following their series success. During the same event, a teaser for Ross’s first major solo concert was unveiled. The following day, Viva Records officially announced that Wilbert Ross would hold his first solo concert, at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City, in July. Titled WRTen by Wilbert Ross, the show was later extended to two days after tickets for the first day sold out within 15 minutes of release. ==Personal life==