Wrive: Five boys, one ambitious journey
Wrive arrived with something to prove.
Although they fell short of making the final debut roster on the reality survival show “Dream Maker,” idol performers Asi, Russu, Ishiro, Drei, and Mathew still showed undeniable potential. They were the kind of talents too good not to warrant a second shot, and the ABS-CBN management division Polaris-Star Magic clearly thought as much.
Earlier this month, after two years of training, the five members finally shed the “pre-” from the “pre-debut group” tag they had carried for quite a while. And from the looks of it, they weren’t about to ease their way into this second wind. At their debut showcase, they dropped two singles right out of the gate—an early indicator of their hunger and ambition.
“We bided our time, made sure we felt whole as artists, so we could be confident in what we’re showing now,” says Ishiro. “We feel relieved, but also very proud to say that we’ve officially debuted.”
With its funky beats and groovy basslines, the flirty dance track “Ooh La La” introduced Wrive (pronounced “rayv”) as a fun, youthful, and readily accessible group—capable of singing and dancing steadily at the same time. Vocal harmonies felt dynamic, and the New Jack Swing-inspired dance break toward the end added an extra punch.
As its title suggests, “Señorita” is a Latin-inflected R&B track that reveals the boys’ more mature and sophisticated side. In a sultry live performance, they traded the peppy chants and semi-rapped interjections with sweet, breathy crooning in their solo lines. And the slinky, wave-like shuffle with which they glided through on the previous song reappeared here—only slower and smoother to match the mood.
By releasing two distinct singles, Wrive immediately establishes their versatility, leaving little room for guessing whether or not they can adapt to different musical styles. “I wonder how I can apply my favorite genres into our music,” Mathew says.
“We combine our influences and put in our own flavor,” Asi adds. “Then it’s up to the listeners to determine what makes our sound unique.”
It also bears mentioning that Russu wrote “Señorita,” because it shows that Wrive isn’t just a passive vessel for songs—but a pop act just as involved in the creative process. “I hope people feel comforted when they listen to our music. We want to inspire them and we want them to relate to us,” Russu says. “I hope that we can be their home.”
And their openness to do so likely stems from the fact that they have a different set of musical interests and influences: Drei, the main dancer, loves dance music; lead vocalist Ishiro, K-pop; main rapper Russu, underground rap; leader Asi, rock and hip-hop; and the visual, Mathew, rock and metal.
Those designations aren’t official, though. They were approximations boys gave themselves. But perhaps it’s better not to box themselves in specific categories, given their desire to become “well-rounded” performers. The dream, they said, is to grow equally adept in singing, dancing, and rapping—so much so that they can one day switch roles at will. “That’s one thing to study and train ourselves in,” Asi says.
Different paths, one dream
The name “Wrive” comes from “We have arrived.” A destination implies a journey, and the one the boys had was anything but expected or easy. They started out individually—each one walking his own path: Drei was a professional dancer-choreographer; Asi, a “The Voice Teens” alumnus; Russu, a boxer and former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate; whereas Mathew joined various talent searches and trained as an actor; and Ishiro, in his own words, is just a regular guy
But somewhere along the way, their respective paths converged—leading toward a shared dream and goal. But things weren’t always smooth-sailing; there were misunderstandings and tampuhan. And that’s normal. When the going gets tough, they return to the reason they do what they do in the first place.
“We feel pressure in every performance we do,” Ishiro admits. “But that doesn’t put out the fire in our hearts to keep striving and doing our best every day.”
“Whatever happens, we move forward hand in hand,” Mathew adds. “We keep grinding every day. We’re not giving up.”
