PureVolume

I describe the songs on my first EP, Shuki Pai, a collection of my search for realism in myself as a singer-songwriter and in other people with their life stories and writings about the past and present. If that sounds serious, well I can explain. "Kulaba", the disc-opener of my EP is about a dysfunctional girlfriend who became totally crazy about her disgusting boyfriend after she broke up with him. In a way it is a funny song, but behind the lyrics there is the sincerity of wanting him back. "Jejemonster" is about love can break boundaries and not minding the differences. It's a song that says "I love you no matter who you are". "China Phone" is about missing that person who only stay a little while then left and never had any communication at all. "Cherish This Love" is about desperation for love and honestly it is about one night stand. "You, Calicanto and Me", a bittersweet song about the past regarding two lovers in their favorite dating place and "Tricycle Driver" which is a song about love that went wrong but it still feels good.

I was inspired to write songs about other people's stories and I like listening to their love stories and miseries. And yet the 7 songs composed here are basically about friends and people that I've encountered with. I could say that I have so many inspirations especially artists that I like that really helped me to write my own music.

I grew up in the Santa Clara suburb of Batangas in the Philippines, where I still live with my family and I'm the youngest of the three siblings. It was a very happy living with my family but outside it's kind of painful and dangerous because people could be cruel for some times because they're such bullies and nothing to do but to bring you down. Life isn't easy here because sometimes I do go in fight with losers. Loser in the way they ruining someone else's life because they can't even get a life they really wanted.

I think I'm honest with my lyrics. I chose to be independent because I don't want my music to be limited. I want to share everything and I don't want a label to just shut me out when I have something to sing about. I was exposed to songwriting when I was in college and living in España, Manila. I mean the serious writing process unlike what I have written in high school. Living as a bed spacer in España gave me a room to reflect and I spent holed up in there just writing songs. It really takes mood to write because I used to end up with some unfinished songs. But going back to them and when ideas are working well again that's when I'm going to finish them.

The good thing in me is I can write about being happy, sad or sappy. And one thing I learned that there will come a time that you can't choose the life you want or the person you want to be. Sometimes you need to lose something precious in order for you live a glorious life. Part of being a frustrated journalism graduate student, I write a lot to somehow cure the ache in my heart and turn the pain to laughter with my music and humor. Luckily, now that I finished college and this EP is coming out this November 2, 2010. Hope you like my "Shuki Pai – EP"!

Enjoy!

- Raquela Berakiki