I recently sat down with Awayaso frontman Zeph Lopez for a little chat about their latest single and music video, “Bahala Na.” What started as a simple interview quickly turned into me realizing that these guys may have just saved the Metro from total destruction. Here’s how it went.
“Naging inspiration namin sa MV ‘yung mga sinaunang Godzilla movies, tsaka ‘yung mga sinaunang Ultraman series.”
Zeph was talking about where they got the idea for the music video, and honestly, you can see it right away.
If you’ve ever been around the popular bars and gig places, or even local production gigs around the Metro, chances are you’ve already heard of Awayaso. This four-piece indie-rock band has been steadily gaining traction as they continue to play almost consecutively in different venues around the Metro.
The current lineup has Zeph Lopez on bass and vocals, serving as the voice of the band; brothers Jam and Apol Pisigan, the inseparable guitar duo; and EJ Rosquillo, who is banging the skins behind them.
The four recently released their latest single, “Bahala Na,” complete with an action-packed music video that feels like someone took a classic kaiju movie, an old-school Ultraman episode, an indie-rock band, and threw them all into one glorious blender.
And yes, there’s a giant monster.
A giant, pig-faced kaiju, to be exact.
In the music video, the creature goes on a rampage across the Metro, destroying familiar landmarks and buildings like it woke up one morning and decided that traffic wasn’t enough of a problem for us.
But fear not, Metro Manila.
Our four musical heroes are here.
Armed with their instruments, questionable bravery, and apparently enough rock-and-roll power to take on a giant monster, Awayaso goes head-to-head with the kaiju in a battle to save the city from total destruction.
It’s ridiculous.
It’s fun.
And somehow, it works.
“Last year pa dapat namin ire-release ‘yung kaso biglang dumami ang naganap na sakuna sa Pinas, tulad ng lindol at kung ano-ano pa. Kaya naisipan namin na ‘wag muna kasi baka isipin ng iba patungkol siya doon.”
The timing was one of the reasons they decided to hold off on releasing the video. And considering what was happening around the country at the time, it was probably for the best.
When “Bahala Na” finally arrived, however, it was definitely worth the wait.
The music video combines that classic suitmation look from old-school kaiju and tokusatsu films with modern CGI. The result is a wonderfully chaotic mix of old and new that somehow makes the whole thing feel like a lost monster movie from another dimension.
But that’s not all.
The fight between our heroes and the kaiju gets taken to another level with a full hand-drawn animation sequence, drawn by Zeph himself. It adds another layer of personality to the video and makes the whole battle even more fun to watch.
For me, that’s one of the best parts of the MV. It doesn’t just show how creative the band is musically; it also shows that these guys clearly have a lot of imagination and artistic ideas outside of simply making music.
And then there are the stories behind the shoot.
“Memorable ‘yung nag-shoot kami sa rooftop ng ginagawang bahay, kasi wala pang hagdan paakyat sa taas kaya nagtulungan kami buhatin ang isa’t isa paakyat.”
Apparently, one of the most memorable and funniest moments during the shoot involved the band having to climb onto the rooftop of a house that was still being constructed.
There was just one tiny problem.
There were no stairs yet.
So, naturally, they had to help carry each other up.
Because apparently, making a music video about saving Metro Manila from a giant kaiju wasn’t enough of a challenge.
Now, there’s actually a funny reason why this interview happened in the first place.
I’ve been friends with the guys from Awayaso for quite some time, but it honestly never crossed my mind to interview them about their music. Then they released “Bahala Na” on YouTube, and I watched the video with my daughter.
I don’t know what kind of sorcery Awayaso put into that video, but it instantly turned my kid into a fan.
She even told me she likes Awayaso more than my own band.
LOL.
And from that point on, every time my kid is around, “Bahala Na” somehow ends up playing in the background. She even hums along and sings parts of it.
So, yes.
I may have accidentally introduced my daughter to a band that she now likes more than mine.
I’m still processing that betrayal.
But jokes aside, that’s probably one of the coolest things about “Bahala Na.” Beneath all the monsters, explosions, old-school effects, animation, and indie-rock madness, there’s something genuinely fun about it. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that makes it easy to enjoy.
And if this story still hasn’t convinced you to head over to YouTube and take a peek at what the heck I’ve been talking about, well…
Bahala Na.
But don’t blame me when you end up becoming an Awayaso fan too.
And please, for the love of my band’s ego, don’t let my daughter know.
Ringo is a storyteller at heart, with a writing journey that’s as eclectic as his playlist. He’s dabbled in a variety of topics, including pop culture, music, automobiles, and travel. He also ventured into the daring and uncensored realm of storytelling while working as a content writer for Playboy Magazine, where he gained experience in telling bold and varied stories.
In his later role as a Staff Writer for Geekosity Magazine, he delved deeply into the realm of fandoms and superheroes, creating stories that honor all the elements that contribute to the success of pop culture. For someone who was raised with an interest in both words and worlds other than his own, it was the ideal playground.
As a content and news writer Taguig City’s Public Information Office, he currently serves on the front lines of public service by telling stories that have an impact, and educating, inspiring, and connecting the public through the city’s transformative initiatives.
Whether it’s fiction, features, or facts, Ringo’s goal remains the same: to write stories that engage, empower, and leave a mark.