Alamat on Immortalizing Filipino Culture, Their Single ‘Day & Night’ and Their Upcoming Album

Music, choreography, fashion. These are all essential elements of any P-pop boy group, but all things Alamat does in their own unique way. The six-member group (comprised of Tomas, R-Ji, Taneo, Alas, Mo and Jao) is one of the first of its kind—a pioneer in the industry with their multiethnic lineup and an unapologetic champion of traditional Filipino culture in every aspect of the group.

(Photo credit: Anna Ylalim)

The rising P-pop group has had an amazing run in 2023, from having several songs added to Spotify's RADAR Philippines and Viral Hits Philippines playlists to performing at PPOPCON and being announced to perform at the Philippine Star's Truth Festival in Quezon City later this month. But with a little less than half a year left, they have some big things planned, including preparation for their new comeback. So far, the group has released two singles from their upcoming second album, IsaPuso: "Day & Night," which is a tropical-themed track that pays homage to Magindara, a traditional Filipino mermaid myth, and "Walang Hanggan," a slower, R&B-focused ballad. Both songs take on a message of love but in different ways, showing off the spanning range of Alamat's music and giving a tantalizing sneak peek into their upcoming sound.

Below, the group sat down with Sweety High to delve deeper into "Day & Night" and their upcoming album.

Sweety High: How does it feel to be one of the groups pushing P-pop forward? 

ALAS: It's exciting to see people traveling in an era of progression in the Philippine music scene and with us. We feel very honored to be a part of the community that is pushing OPM (Music of the Philippines) forward by blending traditional and modern elements of Filipino culture through our music, dance, fashion and choreography.

(Photo credit: Anna Ylalim)

TANEO: It's definitely an exciting thing for us, but it has a lot of pressure. At the same time, it's exciting being able to raise our flag internationally and introduce P-pop to the whole world.

 

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SH: Do you ever feel pressure knowing that so many young Filipinos look up to you as a role model?

MO: Of course! Not many people are given the chance to have a big platform, but we try our best not to think about that pressure and the responsibilities that come with being an artist. At the end of the day, what really matters is who we are to our loved ones. That's our guiding principle for whatever we do. Are we making our families proud? Do we reflect the values we've learned at home? More than what the other Filipinos or artists think about us, we remain the same people our family raised us to be. That keeps us grounded.

(Photo credit: Anna Ylalim)

 

SH: Your group, from the music to the choreography and the fashion, tends to have strong influences of Filipino culture. Why is it so important to incorporate that into your group and everything you do?

JAO: Art and music are what help tell the history of a culture or nation. These are the only things we can leave behind. So much of history can be changed, but if we use our talents to immortalize our heritage for the next generation, they'll see how we existed. No matter how traditions change or history is presented. It's always been one of our primary goals to promote our culture, and we'd like to keep doing it.

 

SH: The "Day & Night" music video directly follows the "Gayuma" music video, but the two have very different vibes. "Day & Night" is also the first pre-release single from your upcoming album. Why was it the perfect song to introduce your fans to this new era of Alamat?

TANEO: Every time we release a new song, we try to think of what else our fans haven't seen from us. "Gayuma" and "Maharani" were both songs that speak about intense attraction to another person. "Maharani" was about unrequited love, but "Gayuma" was about feeling insane attraction for someone.

We saw some memes where our fans said "Gayuma" era was our revenge era. (Laughs.) And it was hilarious for us to see fans having fun with it, but we honestly did not intend for that narrative. It was the fans being creative.

For "Day & Night," we wanted to capture that feeling you get when you start getting that butterfly, fuzzy feeling and have that summery crush. It was also right on time because it's summer there, right?

SH: Yeah, it's summer here.

TANEO: It's perfect because the song introduces how we want to better connect with our fans through our music.

(Photo credit: Anna Ylalim)

 

 

SH: Can you talk a bit more about the traditional elements in "Day & Night?"

TOMAS: The concept of the Magindara is a popular Bicolano and Visayan myth about mermaids. We also used several Filipino instruments.

The instrumental on the music was intended to reference a Magindara's voice, like the part of the song that sounds like "Woohoo!" The song was co-written by a well-known songwriter, Ms. Therese Langit.

 

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SH: Your new album, IsaPuso, is coming out soon. Are there any new sides to Alamat that you hope to show off once it's released?

R-JI: Yes. Our first album, Pasulong, was about showing we can combine our culture and heritage through our songs. We had music on that album that combined Filipino lullabies, like "ILY ILY" and "HALA." On the second album—without spoiling too much—we hope to connect with our fans and show what we feel.

(Photo credit: Anna Ylalim)

 

SH: How do you think you've grown since Pasulong?

JAO: We have definitely grown so much from Pasulong, which was a mix of so many different genres. Our debut release helped us polish our songwriting and production skills, and I think that will show in our new album.

 

SH: What drives you guys to continue making music? 

ALAS: Music allows us to express ourselves. The stories evoke different emotions, which is why we are driven to continue making music that resonates with people and celebrates our Filipino identity.

We are divided by so many things. We have different languages and different beliefs, but music is a universal art. It unifies us because it allows us to feel the same emotions, regardless of the language we speak or our culture or background.

 

SH: Alamat means "myth" or "legend" in English. How do you intend to live up to that name? 

JAO: Legends are stories that older people tell the younger generation to spark imagination in their minds and to pass on their cultural heritage. That is how we want to create our legacy in P-pop. By doing the same through our music and everything that we do.

(Photo credit: Anna Ylalim)

 

SH: You guys interact with your fans a lot, from engaging with them on Twitter to bringing them up to perform with you for your "Maharani" performance at PPOPCON. Why is it important to have your fans feel included?

TOMAS: It is important for us to include our fans because they are the reason that we're here and at this stage in our career. By interacting with them on Twitter and involving them in our performances, we create a sense of belonging and connection. It creates a strong bond between us and our dear Magiliw, and it makes them feel valued and appreciated.

(Photo credit: Anna Ylalim)

 

Curious about our other favorite P-pop stars? Read HERE to discover everything SB19 had to say about their latest release, PAGTATAG!