Alamat is sealing the deal for P-pop success

In the slew of P-pop boy groups being launched left and right, it will be often that many of them will be overlooked like in Ariana Grande’s song, Thank You, Next.

We have so many groups now that dance and dress so similarly that somehow you can’t differentiate one from the other. We can’t blame them though since P-pop is generally a new area in Original Pilipino Music (OPM) that is fast-evolving still.

But then comes Alamat. The group was formed by director Jason Paul Laxamana with the help of entertainment juggernaut Viva three years ago and they traversed the showbiz industry in the thick of the pandemic.

What sets Alamat apart is how their creator knew what the group stood for at the very beginning of it all and it makes so much sense. The six members of the group even come from different parts of the country and they really take time to learn about the elements in their towns which they could bring into their music.

Alamat is composed of Mo of Zambales, R-Ji (Samar), Taneo (Kalinga), Jao (Pampanga), Tomas (Bicol) and Alas (Davao). Its creator Jason Paul has been a crusader for pushing other creators and talents to use our rich heritage as inspiration.

He has been faithful with this and making it his true north. It is the reason why Alamat is on a faster lane to success than most of the groups that launched with them.

Jason Paul shared on X that Alamat’s song Dayang is made in honor of the song’s Tausug theme and the choreography was inspired by Southern Philippines dances/martial arts such as pangasik, kuntaw, silat, and tariray. The latest hit Dagundong, which we got to see them perform live just this week, had a mix of krumping with elements of Filipino martial art sikaran, idaw (Igorot warrior dance) and manual of arms/marching.

It’s amazing watching them because you also discover more about the Philippines that you don’t come across daily and it is creating a movement for the new generation to be much more of a stickler to reignite their passion in helping the growth and understanding of Filipinos as a nation.

The boys during the mediacon shared that they are extra careful whenever they gather bits and pieces from our regional backgrounds.

Jao shared, “There’s cultural appropriation that’s why when it comes to these, we really research and ask people who come from that particular culture.”

We have been seeing so much more of Alamat lately because they were also tapped to perform the official soundtrack of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry Penduko, in which their creator is also at the helm as director.

Jason Paul created the Pendukoverse and the song Dagundong is the perfect addition to it, especially that they share the same ethos of deepening the appreciation we have for our own stories.

For Tomas, he couldn’t wrap his head around how big of an honor it was for them to be on top of the OST.

“Hero siya (Penduko) sa Philippines and gagamitin kanta namin, perfect na andon siya. Gusto kasi namin kapag about the Philippines, gusto namin kami ang kukunin,” he said.

What is nice about Alamat is how they also remain humble through it all. There was a point in the press event when the group got emotional, most especially its creator John Paul. You would feel the heartfelt effort they put in by how gracious they are about Alamat’s growth throughout their journey.

They even look up to the P-pop kings, SB19, who are like their brothers in the industry. Their creator flexed that during the recent P-pop convention, Alamat had a good billing.

“Sila ang nag-perform before SB19. These boys look up to SB19 and to be placed in the slot before them, nakaka-panindig balahibo! Naiyak ako na-manifest na nila,” he said.

Alamat’s latest song Dagundong is available on all music streaming platforms.