BGYO now: Focused, confident, and poised for bigger stages
Since their debut in 2021, P-Pop group BGYO has steadily built momentum through mall tours, album showcases, and co-headlining events. And now at last, they’re hurtling toward their first solo concert.
Members Gelo, Akira, JL, Mikki, and Nate couldn’t be more thrilled. This show is, after all, the culmination of their musical journey so far and—as the show title “BGYO: Now” suggests—an introduction to what they have become. And what they are now is a more self-assured group, their showmanship honed by big stages; a clearer musical identity, forged through constant experimentation; and more artistically involved, with members contributing to songwriting and production.
Of these evolving facets and inroads, however, it’s the band’s more refined sonic and creative direction that’s most palpable. This is best heard in their latest EP, “Headlines,” which sees the five distilling the different styles and genres they have dabbled in into a collection of catchy pop-R&B dance tunes with a retro-funk flair. “All These Ladies,” for one, feels like it can be a blueprint of sorts for the group: slick, groovy, and just the right amount of flirty.
“The EP is really special to us because it shows how much we and our music have grown through the years,” Mikki says in a recent group interview. “I think it shows the maturity of BGYO.”
And they can’t wait to bring all these onstage on Oct. 4 at the New Frontier Theater, where they also plan to perform older songs they haven’t touched in quite a while, and deliver solo spots that will highlight each member’s unique talents and personalities.
“We’re excited to reunite with our supporters, the ACEs who have been there with us since the beginning. We also look forward to meeting the new fans we haven’t met before,” Mikki says.
Pressure to deliver
Preparation has been rigorous, with the group committing to longer, more intense practice sets. They try to scrutinize their performances, looking for every bit of detail that needs tweaking or improving. They also take extra effort to take care, not only of their physical fitness, but also of their mental health. Because while excitement is the overwhelming emotion, the five admit that “the pressure to deliver is immense.”
Thankfully, they’re going into the show confident—riding the high from their performance at Summer Sonic Bangkok, where they were the only Filipino act on a lineup that included international superstars like Alicia Keys, Camila Cabello, and the Black Eyed Peas.
“We’re very grateful for the opportunity to perform our music to an international audience. We met artists who performed there—artists whom we learned a lot from,” JL says. “We also got to watch artists we look up to and picked up things that we can apply in our future performances.”
And it’s perhaps here, more than the music itself, where BGYO’s newfound maturity shows the most. Dealing with nerves, especially ahead of a milestone event like a solo concert, is par for the course, Gelo points out. “It’s normal to feel that way, to be afraid when you’re in front of a huge audience.”
But the key here, he adds, is discipline. You have to practice until every note and dance move becomes second nature. You have to be focused and keep this mindset until it becomes a part of who you are—where you no longer have to consciously think of flipping that switch whenever you’re about to go onstage.
While creative clashes are inevitable—what with five people with different influences and ideas—teamwork must always prevail. “Being nervous just means that there’s fire in your heart,” Gelo stresses.
Be the light for others
They must trust the process, so to speak, and trust the relationship they have built. But if that still isn’t enough, it won’t hurt relying on their backstage rituals for an extra boost. “Naghahampasan kami ng likod—malakas,” Gelo shares, laughing. “We huddle and pray to make sure we’re all aligned before the music starts to play.”
Focus doesn’t just apply to performance, though. It also implies blocking out external noise. “We used to get easily distracted by what people around us said. But through time, we have learned to shut those off and focus on what really matters, which is our music and growth,” Akira says.
This is the very mentality they hope to keep as they set their sights on going global.
Their recent International Rising Artist nomination in the BreakTudo Awards in Brazil (where they also won Song by New International Artist last year for “Patintero”) is a reminder to soldier on. Working with international producers like the renowned duo of Melanie Fontana and Lindgren—who have worked on hits for major K-pop acts like BTS, Blackpink, and Twice—gives them a peek at what a career beyond Philippine shores might look like.
“Malayo po kami, but we’re still on this journey,” Akira says. “By releasing music, bit by bit, we’re achieving our dreams. We won’t stop until we reach our goals.”
And in that quest, they turn to their own music as their guidance: “Bulalakaw,” to “manifest the good things” they have been striving hard for; “Panahon,” to assure themselves that good things come to those who wait; and “The Light,” to reaffirm their purpose.
“To find the light in the darkness and be that light for others,” Gelo says.
