A few months ago, I accepted the challenge to write about Cebu music.
Perhaps it was because of the fact my early career basically revolved around writing about Cebu, but I really thought this was going to be easy-peasy, write-this-in-my-sleep.
Nope.
Once I talked myself out of the existential crisis that I was maybe (just maybe) losing my touch, it dawned onto me that I barely knew enough to confidently write about the local music scene. Sure, I know of #HAHAHAHasula, Jude Gitamondoc, 22 Tango Records and how my friend Jessica McYorker did a single on a compilation album for them a few years back, and my former co-worker Luis Quibranza III has a band with an album.
(Allow me a second to flex: Well, damn, I have talented friends!)
But honestly, that was it. I didn’t have enough of an interest to go to gigs unless it was to support friends, and even then I didn’t go to every single one. I have a Spotify playlist of homegrown hits, but didn’t know a good chunk of the songs on it except for the familiar ones, only so because they hit the airwaves. Heck, I can carry a tune, but I admit I have untrained ears.
So, really, who was I to write about music?
I was all set to tuck the proverbial tail between my legs and just move on with writing about other stuff when I started hearing the buzz about Monsters the Musical.
Now, musicals—that’s something I can definitely talk about!