By NEIL RAMOS
Aiming to create a new music genre that fuses modern pop with Pinoy culture is the country’s newest boy group, Alamat.
The nine-member group, which includes Taneo, Mo, Jao, Kin, Tomas, R-Ji, Valfer, Gami, and Alas, is out with their debut single “kbye.”
A total of seven local dialects — Tagalog, Ilocano, Kapampangan, Bicolano, Waray-Waray, Hiligaynon, and Bisaya – feature in the song, a first for any local pop group.
Indeed, Alamat promises to offer audiences a uniquely Filipino musical experience that will not only entertain but also boost national pride.
Alamat is managed by Viva, with creative direction from Ninuno Media.
According to Ninuno Media, Alamat was formed to “counter Kpop.”
“It uses the formula of Kpop—intensive training, audiovisual music, commercial appeal, etc.—but promotes Filipino culture and sensibilities instead,” it said.
“Crucial to this concept is its commitment to multilingualism. The idea is, if we seek to genuinely embody the Philippines, Alamat should reflect the country’s cultural and linguistic diversity,” Ninuno Media added.
The members of Alamat went through a meticulous screening process before becoming part of the group.
Note they come from different parts of the country: Taneo from Kalinga, Mo from Zambales, Jao from Pampanga, Kin from Quezon City, R-Ji from Eastern Samar, Valfer from Negros Occidental, Gami from Bohol, Tomas from Albay, and Alas from Davao City.
A unique prerequisite in the application process aside from potential in singing and dancing is the individual’s proficiency in his native language.
From the very beginning, Alamat was envisioned to be a multilingual boy group that would aim to normalize the use of regional languages in mainstream music.
So far, the members have gone through intensive training in singing, dancing, physical fitness, and personality development for nine months, together with their vocal coach Zebedee Zuniga and dance coach Jim Amen.
The music video for “kbye” will premiere on Feb. 14, 5pm, on their official YouTube channel.
The song will be available in all digital music stores by Feb. 15.
