MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Acclaimed rapper-songwriter Peaceful Gemini honors the importance of Filipina identity on the music video of “Mariposa,” her first official single under Sony Music Philippines.
Directed by young filmmaker Josh Cesario, the visual narrative brings to life the shared historical and socially contingent relationship between women and nature.
Centered on the themes of sisterhood, women empowerment, feminine intimacy, and rituals, the “Mariposa” music video finds both Peaceful Gemini and fellow rapper DB tha Girl embracing the tropical island vibes with an anthem that carves out a space for women of color to move past patriarchal pressures and embrace their innate power.
“Women are worth so much more than what society tells us,” the Las Piñas-born artist explains. “ ‘Years and years of misalignment with the truth of our importance and worth is rapidly opening a door to a new paradigm wherein women are to be honored and that becomes the norm. We are divine. Through our womb is the portal of life. We bring balance. We birth life into the world. Mariposa is anthem to embody these messages. It is a reclamation of our divinity as women and as a Filipina. Embracing what we got – whether struggles or success – because they are testament to our growth. Women deal with a lot of complexities but it is in returning back to our roots that makes these layers easier to understand. Turning back to nature, to community, to rituals, to honoring our ancestors – helps us make sense of things that once used to bewilder us.”
Crushing stereotypes and capturing the essence of what it means to be a Filipina, Peaceful Gemini teams up with fellow rapper DB tha Girl in setting the precedent of incorporating women empowerment themes in modern hip-hop. The duo started working on the track since 2019, with prolific producer Pope Fiction dropping a soulful, Partynextdoor-inspired beat to complement the tune’s rallying sentiments.
Peaceful Gemini recounts, “we allowed time, space and experience to marinate the song. Three years later, everything just flowed organically into place. Nothing rushed or forced because the process of creating it carried an energy and intention that respected the natural flow.”
The music video of “Mariposa” is out now on Peaceful Gemini’s official YouTube page.
About Peaceful Gemini
Known for her sharp, introspective lyricism and spiritual eloquence, Filipina rapper and songwriter Peaceful Gemini continues to helm socially conscious narratives that capture the collective and marginalized voices of women in general—reclaiming their place in a genre that often dismisses their historical contribution and importance.
Born Nicole M. Leonar, the eclectic artist has found her footing in the independent and underground music scene as part of the alternative hip-hop outfit, Assembly Generals, and as the person behind Peaceful Gemini.
Her music as Peaceful Gemini is presented as a journey in itself, where sharing her stories, ideas, intentions, art, energy, and music with the rest of the world is her way for more healing to open up and hopefully, inspire more lost souls to find their purpose in the process.
In 2019, Peaceful Gemini released her first EP, Middle Of NowHere. The soulful and hypnotic record was an ode to that phase in time wherein the practice of staying grounded to the present moment was the ideal. Moreover, Middle Of NowHere is about Peaceful Gemini’s self-discovery that led her to explore spiritual and outside themes within the context of hip-hop. The EP garnered critical success upon its initial release, with ABS-CBN News’ Rick Olivares praising it as “an expression of Peaceful Gemini’s femininity and seeking to push the envelope in this new world.”
The acclaimed album was followed by the release of her biggest hit so far, the empowering anthem “Warrior Princess.” The 2020 single offers devotion “to raising awareness with the world and within ourselves” and champions the need to build new and better systems to spark some drastic and major changes in the country.
At present, Peaceful Gemini is signed to Sony Music Philippines in preparation for her new music era. She is also one of Spotify’s RADAR artists in the Philippines, the platform’s global emerging artist program that aims to help up-and-coming artists in all stages of their development as they connect with new audiences.
