Despite an active career in acting, Angelika made her first mark in showbiz through her musical talent for singing. In 1994, at the age of 13 she sang the theme song for the Tagalog dub of Sailor Moon which begin airing in October 1994 on ABC-5. The song was a variation of “Moonlight Densetsu” and the Tagalog lyrics were written by Vehnee Saturno.

On 17 March 1995, de la Cruz (Lourdes Egger dela Cruz in real life) signed a contract with BMG under which she was required to record at least two albums over three years. But Dela Cruz only recorded one album during the period so BMG exercised on 23 March 1998 its option to extend the contract for two more years. She was required to record one album, which she was able to do. Despite the expiration of the option period, on 8 May 2000, BMG informed her she still had to record one album under the option period. On 5 June 2001, Dela Cruz sued and asked for damages, claiming that after recording one album BMG never gave her any proposal for a second one and that despite the lapse of the option period, the firm refused to release her on the ground that she still had to record one album.

In 1996, she released a 10-track self-titled album under BMG Records followed by a second album entitled My Only Wish three years later. The Japanese label Imperial Records tapped the singer-actress to record a few songs, which eventually gained international fame and earned for her a budding name in Japan. To give way to her flourishing acting career, Angelika’s singing streak took a hiatus for years, until she later managed to sing once again in 2006 when she was included in the soundtrack of her television starrer Bituing Walang Ningning. She recorded two songs for the series: Miss Na Miss Kita and Dito Ba? featuring Sarah Geronimo.

After the success of Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin, she once again headlined another primetime drama entitled Habang Kapiling Ka opposite Victor Neri who played Erica Malvarosa. Her outstanding performance in the series gave her a Best Actress nomination at the 2003 PMPC Star Awards for TV. Dela Cruz also took part and matured in movies. In 2000, she earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination for the movie Deathrow, an official entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival. She also played the lead in the action-drama movie Hari Ng Selda alongside Robin Padilla and the comedy film S2pid Luv with rapper Andrew E. Both were under Viva Films.

After her contract with GMA expired in 2003, dela Cruz moved back to ABS-CBN and teamed-up with her former on-and-off screen partner Jericho Rosales in the TV series Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas with Diether Ocampo and Kristine Hermosa. The series became one of the most watched shows in primetime and its popularity has reached abroad. dela Cruz who played an optimistic and talented young lady who became romantically involved with the character played by Jericho Rosales was applauded by both viewers and critics. After the success of Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas, dela Cruz was cast in another primetime television drama called Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin where she shared the screen with Star Magic’s brightest talents such as Claudine Barretto, John Lloyd Cruz, Shaina Magdayao and Bea Alonzo. She also appeared as one of the main hosts of the showbiz-oriented talk show Entertainment Konek and Sunday variety show ASAP.

Her career took a different direction in 2006 when she played an anti-heroine role to Sarah Geronimo in the drama series Bituing Walang Ningning, a TV adaptation of a 1980s movie starring Cherie Gil and Sharon Cuneta. Her superb performance as Lavinia Arguelles won her a Best Actress nomination at the 2007 PMPC Star Awards for Television and a Best Actress award in Gawad Amerika. She later appeared as Kristine Hermosa’s ambitious twin sister in the afternoon drama Prinsesa ng Banyera.

In an episode of Showbiz Central, de la Cruz admitted that she had married Orion Casareo in August 2008 and was expecting a child. She gave birth to Gabriel Casareo on 22 March via caesarian section.

In 2008, dela Cruz signed up with GMA Network and made a comeback via primetime drama series Babangon Ako’t Dudurugin Kita where she played the villain role of Via Fausto. The series gave her the opportunity to work again with her previous co-stars such as Marvin Agustin, Tonton Gutierrez and Dina Bonnevie. Later that year, she was given a role in the afternoon drama series Una Kang Naging Akin, again she is the main antagonist which became a consistent top rater in the ratings game. In October of the year, she was cast as the scheming ex-girlfriend of JC de Vera in the primetime series LaLola.

After giving birth, dela Cruz returned to the screen by playing Iza Calzado’s good-hearted sister in the afternoon drama series Kaya Kong Abutin Ang Langit. She most recently appeared in the primetime fantasy comedy series Pilyang Kerubin, telefantasya Dwarfina and the sports series Futbolilits. She made a guest appearance on the pilot episode of Ruben Marcelino’s Kokak before being cast as one of the leads in the primetime drama series Biritera in which she received positive reviews. After playing a good character in Biritera, she went back to playing villainous roles in the afternoon drama series Kasalanan Bang Ibigin Ka? and in the primetime fantasy series Aso ni San Roque. In 2013, Angelika once again plays the good character as Rodora Santos / Giselle Atienza-Carbonel in Mundo Mo’y Akin followed by Kambal Sirena (2014) and Second Chances (2015) then later she played Nimfa as the villainous mother of her stepson Jay (Kristofer Martin) in Healing Hearts along with Chloe (Krystal Reyes). In 2016, dela Cruz played Evelyn as Larry’s lovable wife and Ana’s protagonist mother in Hanggang Makita Kang Muli.

In June 2017, she joined the cast in GMA’s hit drama series Ika-6 na Utos. In that series, she was first seen as a villain but later became good/hero.

In February 2019, she played the role of Lucy Lopez in Inagaw Na Bituin as the main antagonist and mother to the anti-heroine, Ariella Lopez which was played by Therese Malvar. She also makes her sister and niece’s life miserable in that series.