MANILA, PHILIPPINES – It’s easy enough to find podcasts where people talk about their favorite songs or discuss the chart toppers. But how about a podcast that tinkers with the hows and whys of Filipino music?
“Musikalikot” is the latest series from pioneering podcast network PumaPodcast. The show takes an ambitious stab at dissecting the history and inner workings of any musical concept, work, event or phenomenon in the Philippine context.
“Music is so tied to Filipino identity and culture. I wanted to showcase this Filipino musicality as well as cultivate a deeper appreciation for it through Musikalikot,” says host Maisie Joven, a music enthusiast and producer at PumaPodcast.
The first season will feature musicians and music scholars, going from highbrow discussions of how the national anthem should be arranged, to pop questions like what goes into a jeepney bass blaster tune.
Episode 1 titled “Bakit Mahilig Bumirit Ang Pinoy?” features UP College of Music Dean Verne Dela Peña and singer-songwriter Matty Juniosa, who competed in Idol Philippines singing competition. Episode 2 takes you on a throwback to the 70s with “Bakit Mahalaga Ang Bass sa Manila Sound?”
“This podcast came to life simply because I had a lot of questions about music that I want answered,” Joven shares. “From my observation, there aren’t as many avenues to study our local music as foreign music. So there’s a big treasure chest of Philippine music we haven’t begun to scratch the surface of, at least in podcasts.”
“Musikalikot” is a work of love by music fans, for music fans. The podcast’s show art and episode posters are inspired by the gig posters that PumaPodcast’s design team would see on nights out before the lockdown began.
“Musikalikot” is now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Anchor, and other podcast apps! For show updates, follow PumaPodcast on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
