No Love Club Halloween Party Performance

On October 26, 2024, I was invited by Studio Mojo to perform at The Love Club's emo-themed Halloween Party. It was my first time EVER performing with a full band, and it went without a hitch - despite only having three band practices and starting from scratch with the arrangements for the four originals we played that night.

Thank you to everyone who helped me along the way, including Aira for suggesting I have a full band, Prescille for helping me find my bandmates, Ala Una Elvin for our practice space and for being our sound tech, and, of course, my wonderful bandmates: Steve, Yves, and Joggie.

This was an unforgettable night, and I'll treasure the memory for the rest of my life.

Liberata: A Cultural Night of Freedom

On September 21, 2024, I performed at Liberata: A Cultural Night of Freedom, in commemoration of martial law in the Philippines. This was hands down one of the best crowds I've ever performed for, and I couldn't be more grateful.

Thank you to CAWAY, STC, and Keith Human for inviting me to perform at this enlightening and important event!

Dreams With You Feature

ST3R10 strikes again! I had the honor of being part of ST3R10's sophomore album - as the opening track no less.

I'm so grateful to be part of such an amazing album. Go check it out on Spotify, Youtube, or whatever streaming platform you prefer!

P.S. my favorite tracks are Heist ft. Wiji Kun and Cryo Heart ft. Cali Esse!

Shitty Pop Day Two Performance

On January 14, 2024, I performed at my first ever gig! This was a big deal for me, since I've only ever done open mics before, and even those were far and few between (literally only three). I had a blast and met a lot of new friends that night!

Thank you to ST3R10 and Liana San Diego for inviting me to perform and having faith in me!

Societal Feature

My first ever official release is out! I'm so happy to announce that I'm part of ST3R10's debut album, Societal. Go check it out on Spotify, Youtube, or whatever streaming platform you prefer!

P.S. my favorite track is Pick and Choose ft. Bearie!

Falling

I started writing this song a few years ago, and as soon as I came up with the first two lines, I immediately thought of two strangers who happen to meet and fall in love.

I shelved the idea, however, because I didn't know the right guitar chords for it . . . and also because I really forgot about it entirely.

Then last year, around the time the quarantine started, I remembered the song and I decided it was finally time to finish it. After all, it had had several years to ferment - I figured it was time to finally start working on it.

But as I developed the song, the story started to change. Instead of the meet-cute I had originally envisioned, the song turned into more of a best-friends-turned-lovers type of story (I have a soft spot for that kind of romance alright). So, I took that idea and ran with it. I imagined two people who used to be extremely close in their teens, fell out of touch during their college years, then reconnected and fell in love when they were older and more mature. Two people who knew each other's ins and outs, and yet had more to discover in their relationship.

Call me a sucker, but I've always loved romance - especially romance where their love is based on a deep understanding of each other, and not just on a whim. I wanted this song to be happy and sweet, just like the moment where you finally find the person you want to share your life with. And, well, considering my tendency to write dark songs, I thought this would be a nice change.

This song was a long time in the making, but it has given me so much: the experience of my first online gig (it was the second song I premiered at Developh's Festival), the confidence to sing original riffs (baby steps!), and a song that I can sing when I feel like being cheesy and romantic (finally, something happy, am I right?).

I hope that you enjoy the song as much as I do, and any likes, comments, or shares would really make my day! You can also download my song from the Bandcamp link below!

God of Wishful Thinking

God of Wishful Thinking was one of my hardest songs to finish composing. I came up with the chorus years ago, all in an instant:

In my head, I envisioned a guy who is obsessed with his crush. He watches her from afar, stalking her, even, and keeps dreaming of how it will be once she falls in love with him. To urge her along, he catfishes her online, making her think he's her perfect man, hoping that will make her more open to who he really is when they meet in person.

After I wrote down the chorus, I realized I needed to come up with some verses, so I set it to the side and slowly added to it over time. But even when the verses were done, I knew I needed something more, and releasing it as it was would waste an amazing song idea. Then, last year, I finally had an idea for the bridge. I got it all down, and, with minimal tweaking, completed the song.

But that's not the end of the story! Just a few months after I finished this song, I had the chance to premiere it at Developh's Festival. Surprisingly, this song was the one that got the most love from the audience, which made me so happy after all the work I put into it.

With that being said, I hope you enjoy this song as well. Any likes, comments, or shares would make my day, and you can also download my song from the Bandcamp link below!

Anomaly

This might sound a little egotistic, but Anomaly is one of my favorite original songs. The idea first came to me because of a strange chord progression I made, and the melody, along with the first few lines, popped into my head:

Soon after I came up with the idea, I saw that Write the World was holding a songwriting competition, and I thought, what if I finish my song for the competition?

So, within less than a month, I finished my song and submitted it. Needless to say, I didn't win HAHA but I did gain an amazing song in the process, and I got to show its lyric video at Developh's Festival, which raised funds for students in need and gave a platform to student creatives.

As for the story in the song, it's actually one snapshot from a larger narrative. Anomaly is part of my album August, which tells the story of a woman coming to terms with how her husband has changed from someone she loves to someone who abuses her. Anomaly happens at a turning point in the story, where she realizes that this isn't her fault, and that she has to leave him for her own good.

However, I know it isn't as easy to leave or find help in real life. If you or anyone you know is in an abusive situation, please reach out to people, officials, or organizations (some of which I've linked below) who can help you. No one should have to live through abuse, and abuse is never the fault of the victim.

If you live in the Philippines, linked below are some organizations and helplines that you can contact.

Project Sulong, a volunteer-based and youth-run referral service meant to connect victim-survivors of sexual violence to legal professionals for pro bono legal advice and psychosocial services: https://www.facebook.com/projectsulong/

A list of women's centers in the Philippines: https://preen.ph/105438/local-womens-centers

Victims of domestic violence and child abuse can call the following hotlines in the Philippines:

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Batasan Pambansa Complex, Quezon City Tel. No.: 8931-8101 to 07

DSWD – NCR Ugnayan Pag-asa Crisis Intervention Center Legarda, Manila Tel. No.: 8734-8639/ 8734-8626 to 27

PNP-Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) Camp Crame, Quezon City Tel. No.: 8723-0401 (local 5260, 5261)

NBI-Violence Against Women and Children Desk (VAWCD) Taft Avenue, Manila Tel. No.: 8523-8231 to 38 / 8525-6028

If you don't live in the Philippines, here are some lists of helplines in other countries to get you started. Please also try searching for your local women's and/or children's protection center, or any local organizations that fight to protect abuse victims of any kind.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_domestic_violence_hotlines https://rm.coe.int/helplines/16809e17ad