Joaquin Abregana, also known as Kalamay Papi, is among the many new emerging artists from Dumaguete rising in popularity, making the kind of music that brings passion from the drawing board to the stage.
Born on February 11, 2001, Joaquin was raised in a melting pot of different cultures. His father is a Reggae drummer, immediately exposing him to Dumaguete’s music scene.
“At a young age, he’d bring me to jam sessions or recording sessions or even live gigs that they’d have at a seaside restaurant every Wednesday,” he said.
Since then, Joaquin has been training himself to write songs at home and produce music in recording studios. He describes his music to be of two primary genres, hip-hop and R&B.
“Hip-hop had grown in popularity in the Philippines since long ago but breaking it down, it borrows a story told by Black communities, about people who had nothing. They achieved so much with their sound and music,” he said.
“In a blank state, it’s a means for me to manifest change and achieve something with my own sound,” he added.
In 2019, he released his first song, “Escaño,” which he intended to be a Bisaya-pop-rap piece that pays homage to Dumaguete’s local nightlife which influenced his musical career.
While passionate to make it to the big scene, Kalamay Papi has seen some rough days, especially when the pandemic swooped in. He recalls being unable to produce for some time. Like most indie artists, quarantine restrictions made it almost impossible for him to find gigs.
Despite this, the Dumagueteño was still thankful as he met music producer Navsbeatsass and visual art director Paul Benzi virtually.
“Kalamay Papi isn’t just an artist persona but rather like a creative collective. There’s a team behind my brand,” Joaquin said.
Later on, Joaquin joined Dumaguete-based independent record label Middle Island Records and even rap group Dojah Clique. He said that he’s grateful to have his team with him, especially his girlfriend/manager Frances Aldaba.
Through hard work and passion, Kalamay Papi counts 5 songs to his name, which include collaborations with independent artists who are also from the local scene.
He hopes to one day work with people all over the country and collaborate in multiple productions beyond the local scene.
“Since I’ve pursued music, I’ve been given the opportunity to take things one at a time, basically enjoy the ride instead of the destination. I can’t really say what the future holds, but I’m very dedicated to perfect my music,” he said.
Here’s a list of his music for you to check out:
“Escaño”
With rappers SZN and Nanito, “Escaño” has the chillest vibe and is a song that grounds who Kalamay Papi is and where he’s from.
According to him, “Escaño” is actually a beach strip in Dumaguete City popularly known for its distinct nightlife culture. There are a good number of bars in the area and a club where people drink and party.
“The intention of this song was to create a local, pop impact,” the Dumagueteño said.
“It was basically done with the intention to get on the radar, and kickstart my discography with something more light-hearted and more palatable to the Filipino masses,” he added.
Check out “Escaño” on Spotify here:
“Call for You”
This romantic R&B song is heavily influenced by Joaquin’s significant other, Frances Aldaba. In this piece, Joaquin describes how much he is willing to devote himself to her, even on the busiest days.
“The general intention of the song though is for it to be more of a ‘serenade’ to most of my listeners who are scattered across the country rather than just in Dumaguete,” he said.
Listen to “Call for You” on Spotify here:
“Vibe On U”
In a collaboration with Danna Ysabel, with production by Ela Rami, and sound engineering by Sam Akins, Kalamay Papi lays down his sexiest beat.
Joaquin explained that “Vibe On U” was the start of his deviation from conventional Filipino-pop approaches to music, when he started building his own version of R&B/hip hop.
“Interestingly enough, this song was worked on right before quarantine, but quarantine happened and lots of important aspects of the song such as the album art, marketing, and promotional video had to be done from home – during this time, ECQ was in place in Dumaguete,” he said.
Listen to “Vibe On U” on Spotify here:
“On My Mind”
“On My Mind” is Joaquin’s first track with Dumaguete-based rap group Dojah Clique. It was also Joaquin’s debut as the newest addition to Dojah Clique.
In May 2020, producer Navsbeatsass reached out to Joaquin and fresh rappers Stoke and Young Ace to join the rap group with existing members DYLNXIO and Z Phranz.
Before this, the group had already released a full-length album called Virgin Lungs in 2019.
“This is where I brought out a more new school and rap-heavy sound,” Joaquin said.
“It talks about what’s ‘on my mind,’ on how I started as a solo independent artist. I suddenly got catapulted into an environment, schedule, and industry that was a lot more technical, hectic, and competitive,” he added.
Check out the “On My Mind” MV here:
“Moving Fast”
“Moving Fast” is the latest addition to the Kalamay Papi compilation, and is his coming-of-age song. For Joaquin, this is his most personal song.
The piece tackles personal topics like being faced with opposition, controversies that an artist faces, redemption, and trying one’s best in handling new relationships.
“It’s significantly heavier than my previous releases,” Joaquin said.
The song also has MV which is shot and directed by Paul Benzi and Jomar Allan.
Check out the “Moving Fast” MV here:
– Rappler.com
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