Over the last few years, the Philippines has witnessed the rapid ascent of an exciting addition to its hip-hop scene.

A natural-born storyteller with a knack for making tunes that are as meaningful and relatable as they are pleasing to the ear, kiyo has captured the hearts of many across his home country since he began making music under his stage moniker in 2018.

But what makes the 22-year-old such a fascinating artist is his ability to keep surprising his listeners. Not one to stay within his comfort zone, the rapper — whose real name is Yukihiro Rubio — is always on the lookout for opportunities to switch up his sound. 

"[It's] unorthodox. I’ve always wanted to be on the grey lines. I want my music to make bridges to all boundaries with a taste of hip-hop," kiyo said of his brand of music. 

A fusion of genres such as lo-fi, trap, tropical jazz, bedroom pop, and experimental hip-hop, his 2021 debut album, HARANASA, is a showcase of his experimental spirit. 

He explained: "My amateur side tells me that I need to try different genres to find what I am really looking for."

This year, the creative genius behind hits such as 'Ikaw Lang', 'G', and 'Eba' will make significant headway towards his goal of spreading his music internationally at the third edition of the ASEAN Music Showcase Festival, which will be held in Singapore on 10 and 11 September. 

Alongside Fern., Cheats, Ace Banzuelo, KRNA, SOS, and Young Cocoa, kiyo will represent the Philippines at the event that seeks to spotlight musicians from the ASEAN region. 

Ahead of the festival, kiyo spoke to Bandwagon about his musical inspirations and style, explained the concept behind HARANASA, and teased what fans can expect during his performance in Singapore. 

Hi, kiyo! How would you describe your style of music? 

Unorthodox. I’ve always wanted to be on the grey lines. I want my music to make bridges to all boundaries with a taste of hip-hop. 

What themes and issues do you enjoy exploring in your music? 

SLICE OF LIFE! A slice of everything in between. HARANASA is about starting again and finding purpose. I want to be able to make songs that make the listeners ask themselves questions, to make them more conscious. Whether this may be love, heartbreak, or a song that’s about self-discovery. 

Your debut album, HARANASA, is a diverse one. What was it like exploring a variety of genres (lo-fi, trap, tropical jazz, bedroom pop, and experimental hip-hop)? Why did you decide to combine so many sounds in one project?

My amateur side tells me that I need to try different genres to find what I am really looking for. I’m still experimenting with what I really want to do with my music, [and] that’s why I tried to put [in] everything all at once. This is my first project after all.

One thing I learnt during the process is that hip-hop is a story of life — you can take hip-hop anywhere as long as it has a beat, and you can always tell your stories. I can tell my stories through different sounds [Having] many genres in one project is really unusual so I wanted it to make sense. That was the challenge. That was why I came up with the idea of time.

My debut album revolves around time/the clock and the journey of life! And life is composed of different colours, experiences, vibes, moods, as well as stories of journeys. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions that you can feel [at] any time of the day. That’s why I have different sounds put into one project with every song having a specific time labelled to it.

‘G’ is 5 PM. It’s about running away, letting go, and disappearing into the darkness. It was sunset time at the beach, and I was looking at the beautiful orange horizon thinking about my future. When the sun sets, I can try again tomorrow.

‘Eba’ happened around 2 PM, it’s a lazy afternoon with the boys in your favorite spot.

‘Ikaw lang’ is 5 AM. You usually arrive at Baguio before sunrise. That explains the time, and you have a whole day to do everything! The song is about falling in love, a new beginning, and going to places you’ve never been with someone you think you can try again [with].

‘Pagkabigo’ is 1 PM because it’s usually the time we set home from work, when we hang out with our friends and meet up with our crushes. That’s why it’s set at Sunken Garden with the jeepney.

The times shown in the video relate to what you’re typically doing at that time. However you’re feeling at that time, that’s your experience.

Where do you get your visual inspirations from when you direct your own music videos? How do your creative processes for music and videos differ?

Music and my videos are always correlated. I always start with colour. What colour is this song? What colour should match the music so I can construct the video? [It is very important for] audio and visuals to be connected.

Before doing music I was in the filming industry, not the indie one, but I used to shoot weddings, debuts, and edit commercials for chicken feed. I still really enjoy doing my part in the production of music videos, that’s why I am directing my own videos.

Let’s talk about your live performances. What goes through your mind when you’re on stage? How do you keep your audience engaged? 

I used to be conscious around people. I can’t look them in the eye. Actually, I still find it hard to talk to others. But the moment I step onstage and feel the anticipation from the audience, my fear disappears. The audience is with me. That’s the best feeling when performing. I don’t really try to hype them up to sing with me because it messes up how I perform the song. My number one rule on stage is to NEVER LOOK DOWN AT YOUR FEET!

You’ll be performing at the ASEAN Music Showcase Festival for the first time this year. What can fans expect during your set?

I hope I can bring my band. The experience of playing with a band is very different [from performing with] just playback, but I prepared for this one! I’ll be playing unreleased tracks at the ASEAN Music Showcase Festival. This festival is a great opportunity to put my music out there. 

Lastly, what can we expect from you in the years to come? 

My goal is to sail across [the] ASEAN [region]. Not the entire world, for now, but soon. Artists around me are more focused on getting that Western dream. I told myself that I should bridge music from the Philippines first and connect it to the rest of Southeast Asia. We’re going overseas.

[A] new project [is] on the way! Cold… cold… world.

This interview has been translated into English and edited for brevity and clarity. 

Tickets to the ASEAN Music Showcase Festival on 10 September and 11 September are available here.