The boys of ALAMAT are starting to heat up.
With the success of their debut single “kbye” now neatly tucked under their
proverbial belts, members Taneo, Jao, Mo, Tomas, Valfer, R-Ji, Gami and Alas are
ready to level up with the release of their new single titled “kasmala.”
“kasmala” is a disjointed word play on the Tagalog word ‘malakas’ which means
strong.
This eight-member Pinoy pop group have kept busy and have been working hard
since their debut early this year. Besides breaking the million-stream mark on
YouTube with their “kbye” music video, ALAMAT has achieved a notable career
milestone impressive for such a young act.
ALAMAT has the distinction of being the fastest OPM act to break into Billboard’s
Next Big Thing charts with their impressive top 2 debut. Currently, it is the highest
chart position for a new Pinoy act. ALAMAT has also impressed music
tastemakers with their modern R&B tinged dance pop sound mixed with a style
that is distinctly rooted in Filipino aesthetics.
For their brand-new single “kasmala,” ALAMAT has raised the stakes sonically. To
keep up with the times, their new song is produced by a Swiss music production
team called The Kennel.
Viva Records tapped the Stockholm-based music team described as “one of the most successful independent music publishers, having written and produced music more than a hundred No. 1 chart hits.”
And of course, in typical ALAMAT fashion of highlighting proudly Pinoy, writing the lyrics for “kasmala” is ace songwriter Thyro Alfaro. Essentially, the new single is a
collaborative mix between the Swedish music production outfit and Filipino
musicians and songwriters.
A Viva Records exec describes it as “Top caliber music production used by K-pop
acts meets the best Pinoy lyricist of his generation. And throw in a talented,
disciplined, stylish and good-looking act like ALAMAT, it’s a dynamite mix!”
Thematically, “kasmala” champions the indomitable Pinoy spirit.
According to Ninuno Media’s creative director Jason Paul Laxamana, the new
song bears a strong message. He said that Filipinos have always been strong in the
face of diversity.
That the song “kasmala” is a reminder for “fellow Filipinos that
we, too, have always been subject to hate, dehumanization and prejudice
throughout history.” Adding that, in spite of, “We shall not be broken down. We
shall persist and continue to thrive. We shall endure. For we are strong. We are
“kasmala.”
Weeks before the release of their new single, ALAMAT’s social media pages have
been lit with art-y and stylish photos that took its inspiration from the
#StopAsianHate campaign, hence, Laxamana’s comment.
The same teasers, plus the anticipation of the release of their new “kasmala”
track and accompanying music video generated so much buzz for ALAMAT that
they broke into Billboard’s Next Big Thing charts days before the new track
dropped.
For their part, the boys of ALAMAT are laser focused on making this outing bigger
and better than their first. And in the context of what they’ve achieved already in
such a short time, that’s really saying something.
The track “kasmala” is set to be released on July 15 at 6 pm on all music streaming
platforms. Likewise, the accompanying music video directed by Jason Paul
Laxamana will debut on YouTube the same day.
“kasmala” by ALAMAT is released by Viva Records.
ALAMAT garnered considerable attention for championing a Pinoy feel to their
aesthetic.
The eight-member group made it a point to highlight a modern theme that
not only highlights several Philippine languages (Tagalog, Ilocano, Kapampangan,
Bicolano, Waray-Waray, Hiligaynon, and Bisaya) on their songs, and modern
fashion and style aesthetics that is distinctly Pinoy.