The sound of Cup of Joe

The sound of Cup of Joe | Daily Tribune

We’ve always thought that the noisier raucous Pinoy bands are always the most-favored pop groups in the country.

Cup of Joe isn’t raucous, but it seems to be the leading alt-pop band in the Philippines today. It’s a quintet from Baguio City that began as a senior high school band that never even thought they would become a professional group of music-makers because their parents required them to go college and earn degrees that had nothing to do with creating and performing music.

Here are the leads of some Internet reports about the band on 18 and 19 January.

From What’s The Fuzz: “Cup of Joe has made history as the first OPM album to reach number one on Apple Music since SB19, showcasing its incredible impact on the music scene. The album’s rise to the top solidifies its place in OPM history, capturing the hearts of listeners with its unique sound and powerful tracks.”

From @allchartsPH: “Cup of Joe’s ‘Silakbo’ has reached number one on iTunes PH Albums chart.”

Also from @allchartsPH: “Cup of Joe enters the top 5 of Spotify PH Top Artists chart for the first time ever at number five, following the release of ‘Silakbo’.”

From Billboard Philippines: “Cup of Joe aren’t just redefining the Filipino alt-pop scene — they’re fully embodying it.”

The album referred to above (released midnight of 16 January) may be titled Silakbo a Filipino/Tagalog word which means “outburst,” but there’s no song in the collection that can be described as inflammatory or incendiary. It is the band’s first full-length album.

The 10 songs in the album though are admittedly emotional. The quintet, a few hours before the album’s release, confided in their Instagram: “Silakbo is a narrative of our pain and healing. In creating it, we aim to be as honest and direct as possible. It’s us finally bringing unspoken emotions and experiences to light.”

The group began not as a complete band but a smaller group of boys at the laboratory of a senior high school class in St. Louise University, Baguio City. It had a core of guitarists and a lead vocalist who offered themselves to perform in little campus events. One day, however, the core group was asked if they can perform in a university-wide event, not just for the senior high school. The core group had some weeks to prepare for the event, so they decided to invite friends who can deftly play pop band instruments and do some singing, too.

That’s when the group became a sextet (a group of six members) that performs covers. The sextet eventually named itself “Cup of Joe,” which is a slang for cup of coffee. They accepted gigs as much as their class schedules allowed, including some engagements in Mindanao in between semesters. They even found time to compose songs for themselves, recorded them, and posted on the digital platforms. The songs earned viewers by the tens and hundreds of thousands in a few months. And that was were Viva Records found their songs that prompted the company to offer them a contract. That was in 2019.

Cup of Joe is composed of lead vocalists Gian Bernardino and Raphaell “Rapha” Ridao, keyboardist Vixen “Xen” Gareza, lead guitarist Gab Fernandez, and rhythm guitarist Clint Joules “CJ” Fernandez. (The sixth member, the bassist Rafael “Sevi” Severino, left the band in August 2024, so Cup of Joe is now a quintet.) They are not all born and raised in Baguio City. Most are from the nearby northern provinces. One is from Abra.

Viva released the band’s “Alas Dose” (Twelve O’clock) on 8 November 2019, which became popular during the Christmas season.

In 2020, the band released “Sagada” (named after the renowned town in Mountain Province), and “Hayaan” (Let It Be). Both tracks are mid-tempo ballads that emphasize the band’s alt-pop style. “Sagada,” in particular, resonated with listeners due to its soothing quality and themes of emotional release.

In 2021, they expanded their sound with “Bukod Tangi” (Unique), which features catchy choruses and a New Wave style. The track contrasts with their neo-folk song “Ikaw Pa Rin Ang Pipiliin Ko” (I Will Still Choose You), which became their biggest single to- date.

In 2022, the band released two singles, “Mananatili” (Remain), and “Estranghero” (Stranger), which strengthened their connection with their expanding fan base. These tracks showcased a more refined sound and style, drawing inspiration from 80s and 90s pop hits.

In 2023, the band released their debut EP, Patutunguhan (Direction), which was featured on Billboard Philippines’ list of top albums and EPs of 2023. The song “Tingin” (Look) debuted on the Billboard Philippines’ Songs Chart at number 25. By December 11, it had reached its peak position at number six.

Cup of Joe and Janine Teñoso’s performance of “Tingin” on the Wish 107.5 Bus YouTube channel garnered over one million views.

In November 2023, Billboard Philippines reported that Cup of Joe has become the most-streamed Filipino music group on Spotify Philippines for the first time.

By 19 November, the band ranked atop on the Spotify Philippines Daily Top OPM (Original Pilipino Music) Groups, surpassing Ben&Ben. The latter spent its 697th day at number one only the day prior, just a month short of spending two calendar years occupying the top spot.

Moreover, Cup of Joe climbed several spots to become the number two Filipino music act overall, second only behind rapper Hev Abi on the Spotify Philippines Daily Top OPM Artists. It also entered the top 10 of the Spotify Philippines Top Artists for the first time, charting at number eight.

On 9 and 10 February 2024, Cup of Joe held their first solo concert, Cup of Joe: Seatbelts On!, at the New Frontier Theater. The event was presented by Viva Live Inc.

On 22 March, Cup of Joe announced their participation at the grand debut album concert of their fellow OPM rock band, Lola Amour, which took place on 13 April.

In August (2024), the quintet released the music video for their hit song “Misteryoso” (Mysterious), featuring Jhoanna, a member of P-pop group Bini as an actress and Justin of SB19 as its music video director.

On 6 September, Cup of Joe announced a special four-part project titled “DOS: The Sixth JOEnniversary Special” to celebrate their sixth anniversary. The announcement was made through the band’s social media platforms, unveiling a series of events that would take place throughout September.

In December, the band was recognized by Spotify as its Top 3 Group and Top 3 Local Group in the Philippines for 2024.

The band is seen to be deeply influenced by their environment in Baguio. Bernardino noted that their first single, “Nag-iisang Muli,” was inspired by the scenic surroundings where they began writing the song. Ridao initiated the songwriting process with the line “Kay lamig ng simoy ng hangin (“The breeze is so cold),” reflecting the cool breeze of Baguio. From this starting point, Bernardino crafted the guitar accompaniment, creating imagery rooted in their environment.

A music journalist described their songs as “anthemic, their sound is characterized by swelling synths, mesmerizing harmonies, heart-thumping drums, and hooks that transform raw emotions into unforgettable melodies.”

On the other hand, other music journos point out that it is Cup of Joe’s songwriting that truly sets them apart.

One pop music reviewer breathlessly describes Cup of Joe’s kind of music this way: “The band crafts vivid imagery within their lyrics, using sceneries as metaphors to convey the messages they want their audience to grasp, and has mastered the art of transforming poetry into music that resonates with universal experiences as they explore themes of heartbreak, love, or hope, continually reinventing familiar narratives in fresh and compelling ways.”

The boys from Baguio have had dozens of well-attended gigs all over the country. This 2025, they were initially slated to do their first really huge concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on 8 February. The concert is also titled Silakbo.

Tickets went on sale at 2 p.m. on 15 November (2024) and sold out entirely, as in all available seats by 6 p.m. Reaction was indeed truly silakbo.

But good news came the very next day. To accommodate their Jowahs (that’s how they named their fans), the producers, Viva Live, decided to add a second show the next day, 9 February. We hear that even the second night is practically sold out.

Selling out the Araneta is a record of sorts for a Pinoy band. The Big Dome seats 16, 500 viewers. This is proof that Cup of Joe has really entered the big time. Who would have thought that these boys, who were hesitant at first about going into the entertainment business will now be making music that streams by the millions and having lots of jowahs just dying to watch them perform live.