Practically 15 years in the past, a younger and bright-eyed Morissette Amon packed up her issues and moved to Manila to go all-in on her dream of changing into a singer.
The remainder, as they are saying, is historical past.
With a profession spent straight within the highlight, evidently we all know every thing there’s to find out about Asia’s Phoenix; to say something much less can be a grave understatement. Ever since she was 14, her rise to prominence within the Filipino music business has been well-documented, from TV5’s Star Issue to The Voice of the Philippines. To prime all of it off, you may have her military of loyal followers who’re devoted to her each transfer.
Regardless of this, Morissette is set to indicate the world that there’s nonetheless a lot about her that we, because the viewers, have but to see. A kind of issues is her identification as a Cebuana.
“Lots of people overlook that I’m from Cebu,” she shared with Rappler, in a mixture of Bisaya and English. “Karon (now) I’m [going] on my fourteenth yr within the business and one of many issues that I haven’t actually achieved is put out songs which can be in my [language].”
“Labi na (Particularly) after I was doing The Voice again in 2013, I used to be already based mostly right here in Manila kay I used to be already with TV5 for 3 years…so after I was auditioning, I auditioned right here in Quezon Metropolis. Sa ato nga (throughout that) time, ang gi-butang nila (what they put in my introduction) was Quezon Metropolis. However what folks don’t notice is that I used to be actually born and raised in Cebu.”
When you look again at Morissette’s profession to this point, you possibly can undoubtedly see why folks miss out on that element. Other than being bodily based mostly in Manila, a lot of the songs that she’s greatest identified for decoding — “Gusto Ko Nang Bumitaw,” “Akin Ka Na Lang,” and “Di Mapaliwanag” — are all in Filipino. She revealed that early on in her profession, folks within the music business made it very clear that it was Filipino or bust: if she needed to make it huge, if she needed to “join with the plenty” (as they are saying), she needed to learn to communicate Filipino effectively. So, she took Filipino lessons, sang in Filipino, and gave interviews in Filipino.
Then, because the pandemic froze the leisure business worldwide, the singer discovered the proper alternative to discover her artistry much more. She dipped her toes into songwriting, working carefully along with her husband and singer-songwriter Dave Lamar to create authentic songs. They created their facet mission, From The Sea (a play on the English translation of their Spanish final identify, Lamar), and launched each an EP and album of authentic songs. The 2 additionally labored collectively in creating authentic songs for her EP, Signature, which noticed her experimenting with genres and sounds.
Morissette additionally joined and obtained concerned with the impartial file label Underdog Music. With this got here extra alternatives to train her advocacy of offering a platform for music from the Visayas and Mindanao areas.
“One of many issues that I needed to do was assist out sa [Visayas and Mindanao] area,” she stated, as she talked about gaining full inventive management over her profession when she joined Underdog.
It felt like the celebrities had aligned for her to actually and figuratively return to her roots. It was figurative within the sense that she had the inventive management to not simply experiment along with her sound, but in addition return to the style that she’s greatest identified for — ballads. Alternatively, it was a literal return to her roots as a result of she had the chance to sing authentic songs in Bisaya in addition to collaborate with Visayas- and Mindanao-based producers and songwriters.
She launched her first-ever Bisaya-English track, “Undangon Ta Ni” (translated as ‘Let’s Finish This’) in 2022. The track was pitched by Cebuano singer-songwriter and fellow Underdog artist Relden. Then, in 2024, she premiered “Ang Paghuwat” (The Ready), which was written by Vispop juggernaut Ferdinand Aragon.
“I’ve been a fan of Ferdinand since endlessly,” she gushed. “And so to have had an opportunity to collaborate with him on ‘Ang Paghuwat’…ga-fangirl jud ko ato. Unya ang story sa track, murag comforting jud kaayo [I was really fangirling over him. On top of that, the story of the song is so comforting.]”
In December 2024, she premiered her third authentic Bisaya track, “Ihilak Lang Na” (Simply Cry It Out), a track written by critically-acclaimed Cebuano songwriters Therese Villarante-Langit and Jude Gitamondoc. Gitamondoc can be the founding father of the Visayan Pop Music Competition (Vispop).
Villarante-Langit, who has received each Vispop (the songwriting competitors) and Himig Handog, revealed on Fb that she had really written the lyrics for the track with Morissette in thoughts.
“It was magical too that as quickly because the ideation for this track started, I imagined [Morissette’s] highly effective voice and resonant storytelling,” the lyricist wrote. “I imagined the vulnerability within the palpable melodic turbulence, and her voice daring to rise above it while nonetheless bearing ache and hope. Sure, each. The track and Morissette had been inseparable to me. My intestine instructed me this was the last word, most epic factor to occur for this track.”
“She pitched this track, and it was like love at first sight. Naa jud siya’y sure nga magic. For me, as somebody who might perceive the language, makarelate gyud ko dayon sa lyrics. Murag, da, mao ni akong gi-agian as a newlywed nga adulting kaayo, mao jud ning kanta na i-banner nako.”
(There was a sure magic to the track. For me, as somebody who might perceive the language, I used to be capable of relate instantly to the lyrics. It was like, that is precisely what I went by as a newlywed, determining grownup life…this is sort of a track that I might principally placed on a banner and wave round.)
Whereas her husband Dave couldn’t perceive the lyrics, the melody, the association, and the construction of the chords felt haunting. You couldn’t assist however really feel drawn in.
This complete journey of studying, and singing authentic Bisaya songs looks like a reintroduction to Morissette — not simply because the singer, but in addition the artist. The creator. The collaborator. Via her work with Bisaya songwriters and lyricists, she looks like she’s studying extra with the poetic facet of the language, going past simply utilizing the conversational components of Bisaya.
“[Even though] I’ve been talking the language, lahi pud siya [It’s really different] when it’s singing…and with lots of these songs that I’ve put in addition to those we’re engaged on, ang iyang Bisaya is laum unhappy gyud kaayo (laughs). I attempt to make it a degree nga mangutana jud ko sa ila Ferdinand, sila Sir Jude, nga ‘unsa’y pagkasabot nimo ani?’ kay naa man ko’y concept of what it means, pero basin lahi ilang interpretation kay sila pud ang ga-suwat, ba.”
(The Bisaya phrases within the songs are actually deep (laughs). I attempt to make it a degree to ask Ferdinand, Sir Jude, ‘what are your interpretations of this phrase?’ as a result of whereas I’ve the overall concept of what [the word] means, perhaps they’ve a special interpretation because the songwriters.)
Whereas she’s not assured writing in Bisaya or Tagalog but, she asserts that she has no downside with receiving track pitches from Bisaya songwriters. For Morissette, lending her voice to those songs is her personal means of serving to these artists achieve a bigger platform for his or her music. She hopes that with each Bisaya track that she places out, she will get to push for authentic Bisaya music within the nationwide mainstream.
“As a listener, I’m at all times drawn to every time I hear Bisaya music performed, particularly right here in Luzon. It’s nonetheless sort of a uncommon prevalence. I’m simply glad to be one of many artists in Manila who helps push for VisMin pop and our wonderful songwriters and creatives within the South,” she shared.
Morissette goes on to disclose that when she appears again in the beginning of her profession, if there have been alternatives again in Cebu when she was 14, she in all probability wouldn’t have moved to Manila along with her household. “For us, Cebu is at all times residence.”
“Now, with the web, there’s so some ways to attach with folks and artists, creatives, producers [all over the country]. [We] may as effectively assist these creatives who aren’t based mostly in Manila and provides them a highlight as effectively,” she continues, in a mixture of Bisaya and English. “I’m effectively conscious of how a lot expertise there’s within the Visayas and Mindanao, and I’m positive there are such a lot of gifted creatives who we haven’t heard of as a result of they haven’t had the chance to place out their artwork on a wider scale.”
“I’m additionally very grateful sa tabang, sa belief pud sa ani mga musicians sa Visayas ug Mindanao nga, naa sila’y salig nako ug sa mga naa diri nga ipadayon ang pag-raise pud ang VisMin pop, para madungog siya everywhere in the world, everywhere in the Philippines…It’s only a matter of time earlier than VisMin pop will probably be heard everywhere in the nation.”
(I’m very grateful for the assistance, for the belief of those musicians from Visayas and Mindanao, that they’ll belief me and others right here in Manila to lift VisMin pop in order that our music will probably be heard everywhere in the world, everywhere in the Philippines…It’s only a matter of time earlier than VisMin pop will probably be heard everywhere in the nation.)
That’s why it appears apt that Morissette’s forthcoming album is explicitly about her showcasing who she is as a Cebuana. In her almost 15 years within the business, she has but to launch a fully-fleshed out album — not only a compilation of songs and covers, however one with a central theme and creative idea. In a means, all the celebrities aligned: they began Underdog Music to uplift artists who didn’t have a platform particularly these from Visayas and Mindanao, they acquired quite a few pitches from Bisaya songwriters, and she or he needed to make an album that was true to who she was as an artist and as an individual. And an unmistakable, unshakeable a part of who she is is her heritage.
“I need to proudly say on this compilation of labor: I’m Cebuano. I’m Bisaya.” – Rappler.com
