Marlisa Ann Punzalan, known professionally as Marlisa, was born on October 1, 1999, in Sydney, Australia. She is a singer who began her musical journey at the age of three. In 2014, Punzalan auditioned for the sixth season of The X Factor Australia, where she sang "Yesterday" by The Beatles and received a standing ovation from all four judges. This performance marked her breakthrough moment, leading to her victory in the competition at just 15 years old, making her the youngest contestant to win the show. Following her win, Punzalan signed with Sony Music Australia and released her debut single "Stand by You", which debuted at Number 2 on the ARIA Singles Chart and was certified platinum. Her self-titled debut album Marlisa followed in November 2014, debuting at Number 6 on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified gold. In late 2014, Punzalan performed two concerts at Rooty Hill RSL Club to thank her local fans. She also collaborated with other Australian singers on a cover of "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush for charity. In June 2018, Marlisa released "Thank You", her first single in over two years, under the ABS-CBN Film Productions label. Her second studio album Brave was released in March 2019. In 2022, she signed with Osetero Limited and released several cover EPs.
