Original interview by Nathalie Tomada of Philippine Star
Interview translation by mocha cake
Original interview upload: August 1, 2024
Taking Pride in Bisaya Roots
Question: What is the message of your latest album 7sins?
FELIP: I just wanted to convey that it’s very human, it’s very natural for people to make mistakes. And I think that it’s important to understand why people make mistakes. We have different perspectives of things, and we may not really know what’s hiding behind other people’s masks.
Question: Which song from the album were the hardest and the easiest ones to make?
FELIP: This is a really good question. The easiest song I made was probably “sloth”, and the hardest was “ache”. Honestly, to be able to deliver the emotions needed [for ache], I cried. I really got in touch with my feelings with all of the song’s lyrics. That’s the reason why you can hear my voice crack in the track. We intended to make it sound as raw as possible to really let its beauty shine. I was literally crying while recording the song. It was the most challenging to record. It is vocally straining because of the high notes. For me, “sloth” is the easiest to perform because its bouncy rhythm makes it easy to sing along to. On the other hand, for “ache” simply just practicing the song won’t suffice.
Question: Which song of the album do you resonate the most with? Why?
FELIP: The song I resonate with the most would be “ache”. But my favorite song is “foes”, because I’m really fond of the metal genre.
Question: What was the most challenging part in finishing your latest album, considering it was completed in seven months despite your busy schedule with SB19?
FELIP: The most challenging part probably was writing songs while on our group’s tour. Oh, I meant the beats for the songs. I made some beats while flying. Then when I got back to Manila, that was when I finished the songs, with the lyrics and all in a studio. We made all the beats from scratch, while I was also writing the lyrics – it was all done simultaneously.
Sometimes when I have nothing to do and I’m struggling to sleep, that’s when I create songs – it helps me catch some sleep afterwards. [It’s also challenging] to create melody. It’s the most challenging for me – to make the melody sound catchy, to decide on the vibe I want.
Question: How did you choose the artists to collaborate with in your latest album?
FELIP: These guys are my friends, and they are also amazing artists. It’s only natural for me to want to collaborate with them. They are exceptional artists – in terms of writing, music production, we all do it. It’s also the reason why the process was very smooth on the collaborations, because it wasn’t just me creating. When you are with a group of musicians, I think it also comes out naturally.
Question: How does 7sins reflect you as an artist since joining SB19 and previous solo works?
FELIP: I became better as a human being and also as an artist. My talent and skills truly progressed. With consistent practice, one really gets to master their craft.
Question: How did your Bisaya roots influence your music?
FELIP: I’m just really proud of being a Bisaya. That’s the reason behind my Bisaya songs. I think it’s about time – Bisaya is a beautiful language. Let’s make more Bisaya songs. I also want to make that obvious – of how proud I am of my roots. Wherever you are right now, whatever status in life, be proud of yourself.