Diane Tungol on Alice Who’s latest single ‘Touch’

CEBU, Philippines — Showing interest in music at six years old, Diane Tungol grew up listening to Celine Dion’s big ballads but eventually discovered she’s more into pop, funk, and alternative music.

Now 23 years old, this Communication Media graduate shows her brand of music via her band’s recently released single entitled “Touch.”

On behalf of her band “Alice Who,” Diane said, “J Russ, also a vocalist from our band, wrote this song initially years ago. He let me listen to it and we decided to finish the song together.”

Produced and released by local band Mandaue Nights last June 30, “Touch” is Alice Who’s most passionate song accentuated by a feisty upbeat rhythm.

The vocalist of this slick-sounding single said while all songs are interpreted differently, it’s important to know the real meaning behind it.

“We love the fact that a lot of people understood that despite having lyrics that show intimacy, consent should firsthand be obtained from the other person. We appreciate those who looked into the lyrics and understood the message beyond what it shows at face-value.”

Diane and J Russ always write and finish songs together. She says their collaborative energy is what drives them to come up with the right words and sound.

While their band is always up for sound and genre exploration, Diane – who looks up to music artists Nai Palm, Donna Missal, Noga Erez, and Snoh Aalegra – said that a thematic approach remains their number one consideration in creating music.

Explaining their band name, Diane said, “J Russ and I used to perform together as J Russ x DT. However, we thought that it was too long for a performer name. We decided to stick with the name theme and picked a name that fits our story.”

“We decided to go with ‘Alice’ since we used to hangout a lot at this drinking place called Alice Garden. As a last name, we decided to go with ‘Who’ given our thematic approach to creating music. Since we try not to stick to one identity or sound, we decided that Alice Who fits our persona.”

Managed by Filla Killa, Diane shared that the pandemic somehow affected her creative output. With worries triggered by the global health crisis, she’s now learning to set micro-goals to lessen the pressure as her way of being kinder to herself.

Collaborating with her fellow artists during these times serve as their breathing space.

“We try not to force things when it comes to music. I meet up online with the band when we have time, since we all have work. But for now, we try to prioritize important matters and squeeze in our creative process.”

Diane, an Operations Manager at their family-owned skin care clinic Skin 911, also expressed her appreciation to her family who has always been supportive of her music since day one.