Spark Plug is a feature series that seeks to profile multi-faceted athletes who have the unique ability to excel both in sports and in other aspects of their lives. In the second installment, we get to know Bernie Margulies, a two-time UAAP Judo gold medalist and a budding music producer.
At only 19 years old, Judoka Bernie Margulies has experienced much success on and off the mat. In his young career, the Management Engineering (BS ME) junior has already bagged two University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) middleweight titles for Ateneo while being a consistent Dean’s Lister. Outside of being a student-athlete, Bernie pursues his passion in music as a member of the Filipino hip-hop duo, Good Kid$.
At a glance, Bernie’s ability to juggle multiple passions seems easy. However, his success as a judoka, a student, and a music producer is a result of his hard work, passion, and dedication.
Life on the mat
Bernie’s ascent to the pinnacle of UAAP judo was not an overnight achievement. At the age of 11, Bernie first learned the sport through summer classes. Eventually, the young judoka went on to represent Ateneo High School in the UAAP juniors category. In his third year of high school, he was named team captain of the judo team.
As his skill progressed, Bernie began simultaneously training with both the AHS Judo Team and the Ateneo Men’s Judo Team. According to him, this exposure was critical in helping him transition into the collegiate level. “When I was [a] freshman, I became the champion for my weight division. But the year previous to me entering college, my college teammate held the gold medal for that weight division. So I guess the fact that I was training with the previous champion helped prepare me,” he shared.
Despite a relatively smooth journey to the top, Bernie still faced a number of unexpected challenges. A month before UAAP Season 82, a threat to his title defense arose when Bernie suffered a lateral collateral ligament injury that took four to six weeks to recover.
Facing the odds head on, Bernie doubled down on his therapy, allowing him to return to the mat in less than three weeks. As a result of his resilience and perseverance, Bernie successfully defended his middleweight title, winning his second UAAP gold medal.
Despite the rigors of competitive judo and the heavy academic workload of a BS ME student, Bernie still manages to make time for his second love: Music.
Moving to the music
Bernie’s love affair with music only began in high school through beatboxing, which eventually led to his music production endeavors. As his interest in the art continued to grow, music became an avenue for his artistic side. For Bernie, producing music provides the satisfaction of creating, a process he places premium on. “It’s very satisfying to see a finished product. It’s honestly a nice feeling when people say they like your music. It’s nice when people appreciate your work,” Bernie pointed out.
Bernie then sought a partner to create music with. Through a mutual friend, he was introduced to Gaby Singson and the two of them immediately clicked, thus forming the soulful duo Good Kid$. “I felt like I really vibed with Gaby, and I really like the fact that he could rap pretty well. And I felt like we both brought lots of things to the table,” he recalled.
The partnership proved successful as the duo’s hit song, Show Me has already garnered over one million streams on Spotify. Their rising popularity in the local scene has also given Bernie a lot of enriching experiences. He recalled one of the first instances he and Gaby had gotten paid for a gig.“I remember that was a great gig! Ten minutes is like three songs! I also remember [another instance] giving out autographs. So those moments are cool,” Bernie shared.
Despite enjoying financial success from gigs and song revenue, Bernie’s priority is producing music that he genuinely likes. While the content of their songs range from talking about girls, love, and having fun with friends, Bernie’s goal is to write music that many of his listeners can relate to. “We [Good Kid$] talk about anything that we’ve experienced, or we think would be good writing material that’s based [on] our lives. We write a lot about a lot of teenage stuff. And so, we just want to make fun, enjoyable music,” he shared.
In music, Bernie’s desire is to create songs that people can enjoy. Bolstered with a no-nonsense, get-work-done mentality, the sky’s the limit for the budding producer.
Eyes on the prize
With his eyes set on the future, Bernie strives hard to achieve his life goals; one essential life lesson that he learned is to follow his passion and pursue his interests. For him, the secret to his achievements is his desire to be happy.
While this is easier said than done, the end goal is simple for Bernie. “If you’re so worried about chasing after goals, you’re not going to have enough time to slow down and just enjoy life. I don’t work just for success. I know what I really want, and I want to be happy,” he shared.
