MUNIMUNI MEMBERS Owen Castro (flute and vocals) and Adj Jiao (guitar and vocals) spoke about the power of songs in “Music in a Time of Turmoil,” a talk spearheaded by the Ateneo Musicians’ Pool for Talakayang Alay ng Bayan last October 8. Instead of performing their heart-wrenching classics, Castro and Jiao opened up about the way music moves people during difficult moments.

Between the lyrics

Castro began talking about the ability of music to convey messages and experiences. He disclosed his struggle with bipolar disorder and how he translated it to Tahanan, one of Munimuni’s most beloved songs. “The lyrics [of Tahanan] talk about the comfort I feel. Parang dialogue siya between me and ‘yung tao na pinupuntahan ko kapag nag-re-relapse ako (It’s like a dialogue between me and the person I go to whenever I relapse,)” he said.

Jiao later reiterated that engaging with the audience during their gigs can create pivotal conversations about tough topics like mental health awareness. They both emphasized the significance of these conversations in letting people know they’re not alone during difficult times. “Dito ko nakita kung gaano ka-powerful ang pag-perform ng music, lalo na sa mga taong may pinagdadaanan. Alam nila na may kasama sila sa paghihirap nila (This is where I saw how powerful performing is, especially to people who are going through something. They get to know that someone is there for them in their struggles,)” Castro said.

Turning turmoil to thankfulness

When asked how they feel when they are thanked for helping others through their music, Castro and Jiao said that they didn’t want to get used to it. They instead highlighted that music is merely a means for empathizing and connecting with other people. “Hindi ako nasasanay [to people thanking us]. Ina-acknowledge ko and pinasasalamatan ko, but I tell them that [the help] goes beyond [the] songs so they have to keep on living (I don’t get used to people thanking us. I acknowledge and thank them, but I tell them that the help goes beyond the songs so they have to keep on living,)” Castro said. 

“Ayaw ko masanay (I don’t want to get used to it.) These are individual people with different struggles. We take [the fans’ thanks] as individual stories that we celebrate,” Jiao added.

Trust the process

Music enthusiasts and Munimuni fans alike voiced their questions about the music writing process and how to go about the creation of a song. Jiao advised the crowd about the strides they could take in pursuing music as a career. “Keep writing and keep practicing…In any arts [related] career, it’s not very structured. It’s really [all about] risk-taking,” Jiao said. He noted the importance of consistently working on one’s craft, regardless of if it’s music or not.

Castro also mentioned how his classical music background influences Munimuni’s songs: “As a classical musician, may mga songs ako na binibigay [to the band] na particular ako sa ibang parts. Kinakanta ko, tapos kinakapa [ng ibang band members ‘yung kanta]. Depende pa rin sa gusto [namin] iparating (As a classical musician, there are songs that I give to the band that I’m particular with in certain parts. I sing the song, and they look into it more. It still depends on what we want to convey.)” 

He later encouraged aspiring musicians to practice often and to engage in experimentation. “If you want to write songs, just explore. Practice. See kung anong mangyari (See what happens,)” Castro said.

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