MANILA, Philippines – For the young, up-and-coming band It All Started in May, music is both a memory and a movement — a way to echo the past while finding their voice in the present.
Formed within university halls, bandmates Pau (guitarist, vocalist), Jai (keyboardist), Mikee (drummer), Red (guitarist, lead vocalist), and JP (bassist, vocalist) started their journey as temporary collaborators for a campus event. Jai, Mikee, Red, and JP are all students, while Pau is a professor at the same school. What originally started as a one-time gig later grew into a deeper, longer-term pursuit of sound, identity, and sincerity.
Their music blends vintage soul with modern sensibilities, crafting a sound that feels both nostalgic and new by channeling the spirit of ‘70s Manila, while embracing the richness of today’s sonic diversity. In the ever-evolving soundscape of Filipino music, It All Started in May brings together distinct musical backgrounds into a cohesive palette of retro vibes, heartfelt textures, and local flair.
How it all started
As the name suggests, the band’s story began in May of last year, along the halls of National University Dasmariñas.
Band member Mikee recounted how the group was originally formed: “It all started sa school namin, sa Dasma, started dapat for [battle of the bands], tapos hindi natuloy,” shared the drummer.
(It started at our school in [Dasmariñas], started originally for BOTB, but that didn’t push through.)
What started as a simple plan to compete at a Battle of the Bands (BOTB) competition soon blossomed into a deeper, collaborative creative pursuit. When a convention came up, the five individuals decided to form a band, and the rest, as they say, is history.
That one-time gig at that event quickly evolved into something more meaningful. Their bond deepened beyond that event stage, transforming, from a spontaneous collaboration, to a shared artistic journey that united individual passions and creativity.
Making music, mixing sounds
It All Started in May’s sound is difficult to pin down. “May mix yong sound ng blues, tsaka may touch ng Manila sound (The sound has a mix of blues with a touch of Manila sound),” Red described their music, referencing influences like VST & Company, Boyfriends, and Hotdog.
“Maraming inspiration din from older generations, ‘yung ‘70s (We also draw a lot of inspiration from the older generations, the ‘70s),” JP added, explaining how they took that core sound, and put their own spin on it to fits today’s modern sound.
Yet interestingly, each member brings a different energy to the band’s sound.
“Kasi iba-iba kami ng genre before, ganon po kami nagstart (Because we all came from different genres before, that’s how we started),” Mikee explained, citing how one member is drawn to folk, another to blues, while he himself leans toward heavy rock.
But while they each have their own genres and their own individual styles, what unites them is their mutual love for the funk, pop, and groove of old music from the ‘70s.
This musical diversity is what lets them craft songs that sound like warm memories reimagined — nostalgic yet distinctly their own. Collaboration is key in their songwriting process, as Red told Rappler.
“‘Pag mayroong nasulat si Sir, tutulungan namin siya, ganun din sa ‘kin, ‘pag mayroon akong nasulat, tutulungan nila ako,” the band’s guitarist and vocalist illustrated, also mentioning that they often ask each other for suggestions to help refine their work.
(If Sir has written something, we’ll help him, and the same goes for me — if I’ve written something, they’ll help me.)
“Most of the time, parang individual muna kaming magsusulat, sa bahay muna,” JP added in a mix of English and Filipino, “and then later on, parang collective na namin siya idevelop.”
(Most of the time, it’s like we write individually first, at home, and then later on, we develop it collectively together as a group.)
Together, this blend of influences and collaborative spirit shapes It All Started in May’s unique sound — one that draws from the past while pushing forward with fresh creativity.
Staying true, moving forward
It All Started in May’s release of their debut single, “O’ Kay Tamis,” serves as a formative milestone, one that reflects their core nostalgic sound while also leaving room for growth. As the group looks toward future projects, they’re conscious of both their “identity” — what drew listeners to their music in the first place — and the need to evolve.
“Actually napag-usapan na namin siya before,” JP told Rappler. “Gusto namin sana na, magbase din sa kung paano namin nabuo ‘yong ‘O’ Kay Tamis,’ kasi hindi namin inexpect na ganon ‘yong magiging sound niya.”
(Actually, we’ve talked about this before. We wanted to base our identity on how we created “O Kay Tamis” because we didn’t expect it to end up sounding the way it did.)
“Since nag-develop kami ‘nong parang identity namin, parang siguro mas magandang ganon na kami mag-start,” the bassist and vocalist added. “Siyempre ayaw rin naman namin makulong din sa kung ano ‘yong comfort zone namin. Gusto rin namin mag-adapt throughout the years.”
(Since we’ve developed this identity as a band, it might be better to start out that way. Of course, we don’t want to be trapped in our comfort zone, either. We also want to adapt throughout the years.)
This vision of adaptability doesn’t mean sacrificing identity or authenticity. On the contrary, it’s a natural extension of what the band stands for — drawing from the old, while carving out fresh, new paths forward.
At the heart of It All Started in May, is a commitment to sincerity — not just in their lyrics, but in how they live their lives as artists. When asked what message they wish to impart through their music, the band’s answer was simple yet resonant: “Magpakatotoo ka ng sarili mo (Be true to yourself).”
The band emphasized the importance of staying true to one’s creative identity, saying that authenticity naturally draws people in. They encouraged fellow artists not to let themselves be boxed in by their own art; or create purely for the sake of making art. For them, making music has become more than just the act itself — it’s about sharing it with others and understanding what your work is really for.
From a spontaneous school gig to a rising name in OPM, It All Started in May shows that music thrives on sincerity, collaboration, and just a little bit of May-made magic. – Rappler.com
Content shared from www.rappler.com.