**Single artwork by totâ**

Josh Villena’s solo project continues as he releases his second single “Katok” in an upbeat but eerie rock continuation of his story in totâ’s world. We remember his debut single “Malikmata” released last May 4 and launched in Balcony House as an introduction to the story of totâ and totâ’s world.

He teases us with a preview of the characters we will encounter in his upcoming music compositions, set to be released this year. We were introduced to Josh’s solo project not too long ago when he signed with Off The Record music label early this year.

In “Katok,” totâ speaks about fears and anxieties that never leave. “Tungkol ito sa constant o paulit-ulit na pagpaparamdam ng anxieties sa akin. Lagi silang nandiyan at hindi maiiwasan.”

In a world where talking about fears and anxieties is still not talked about too often, totâ makes music out of the things we usually shy away from. He creates this song under this genre of music he calls "Tindig Balahibong Rock" (Goosebumps Rock).

totâ is Josh Villena’s long-time project which was born at the height of the pandemic, at the peak of his anxieties and fears. He uses his nickname “totâ” as a nod to Josh's childhood nickname, which originated from his mispronunciation of his real name "Joshua." As a child, Josh has been drawing and making sketches out of his dreams which was his way of language-ing his fears and imaginations. Now older, and already a fixture in the music industry through his band “Autotelic,” one of the leading Filipino bands in the OPM scene, Josh creates a new twist by marrying visual art and music.

His fans can not only hear his message but also visually experience it through his sketches and drawings of totâ and the characters he tags with him along the way. totâ gives us a fresh perspective on our own fears, letting us see that it’s okay to talk about it, and that it is something we face in every day. In “Katok,” totâ emphasizes how our fears are lurking everywhere, and that sometimes, it paralyzes us. He speaks more of this in the lyrics:

knock! knock!

merong kumakatok sa pintuan

lagi sa alanganing oras nagpaparamdam

masamang panaginip, naalimpungatan

“Ang “Katok” ay ang gitnang part ng kwento at adventure ni totâ. Dito niya nakasalubong at hinarap ang isa sa mga monsters na humahabol sa kanya.”

One thing about totâ’s characters in his music is that he makes us feel like we are in a game where we can fight our monsters, or befriend them. “Gusto ko ma-feel ng listeners na parang nasa loob sila ng video game, at may kalaban or nasa “boss fight” na level sila.”  One funny thing about “Katok” is that “the main guitar track was recorded in a restroom, inside a bathtub” he shares enthusiastically. “All tracks were done and recorded by me except for the saxophone solo, which was tracked by my father Mel Villena.” Growing up in a family of musicians, totâ’s music surely features his talented and musically-inclined family members.

“May isang design ng monster akong nagawa na nag-trigger sakin to create the song’s main guitar riff,'' he adds.

It has been a packed 2023 for totâ with his continuous gigs and future releases for the next months as he brings us with him in his unique and creative music-storytelling. He just released his music video for “Malikmata” which was directed by Krisanto and starred Josh himself and Aci of Hey June!  Since his first release in May, the track has gained traction on all major streaming platforms and was also part of Spotify Philippines Fresh Finds Playlist. If you love totâ’s unique blend of symphonic alt-rock, make sure to watch out for future announcements on tota’s socials!