Written by Breanna Limshenke
Header by Aisha Pandapatan

Hawak ko pulang gitara, Dun ako nakilala. Nakatira sa Marikina. Kulay ng buhok ay blondie pula na! 

‍

Bright stars don’t exist without their small beginnings. The lyrics written above is how Suyen, an alternative pop artist born and raised in Marikina, introduces herself in her recent release Suyen Imnida. With a sold-out EP launch last February 21 and a spot on Spotify’s Viral Songs Philippines playlist, the 21-year-old artist under record label Filtered Music is proving she’s more than just a newcomer—she’s a sparkling ruby waiting to be found.

‍

Behind the Sound of Suyen’s Guitar

Suyen's passion for music is rooted in her childhood as she grew up watching her father, a musician who was active in the 90s indie scene, play in sessions with fellow artists. Her family also gifted her instruments like the piano and guitar even before she had turned 11. It’s really no surprise, then, that years later, amid the isolation of the global pandemic, she began a serious pursuit of learning music production within the four walls of her bedroom. 
‍

To this day, her humble abode is her usual space for creativity, where ideas that lit up from within are built upon and molded into a retelling of narratives through song. “Hindi kasi ako mahilig umalis ng bahay,” she explains, “Kapag nami-miss ko siya at nasa labas ako, after 10 minutes, parang gusto ko na umuwi.” Being a “taong bahay” has not stopped her from making music that becomes the soundtrack of the lives of Filipino young adults, taking carefully crafted hooks with them wherever they go.
‍

Suyen’s first-ever single Sonic Tonic dropped in 2023. Since then, she’s put out several songs including a six-track EP release entitled Suyen Imnida, tackling themes of self-identity, love, and life. Among the lineup are top hits Bente and Tampo: Bente, which focuses on the frustrations one feels bearing the expectations attached to age, and Tampo, a song about pagsusuyo. Present in both tracks are contrasting sonic textures—one raw and urgent, the other smooth and tender—yet both shaped by the same electric guitar. Suyen observes that she struggles with finding a middle ground between soft and tough tones, one that she would like to take on moving forward with her music. The new track Isang Linggong Maghihintay serves as an attempt towards this, incorporating a sound inspired by songs like Slow Pulp’s Doubt and Soccer Mommy’s Circle the Drain.
‍

Along with this, Suyen expresses a desire to be versatile and to avoid boxing herself into one genre. Though she draws inspiration from acoustic guitar artists such as Elliot Smith and Adrian Lenker, she has been wanting to explore other styles and musical techniques. For instance, she wants to delve into the style of Magdalena Bay, a synth-pop duo known for their song Killshot, and try applying looping techniques into her music. 
‍

One of the new tracks, Something ‘bout u, is another example of her sonic expansion. Strikingly different from her usual heavy grunge rock instrumentals, the song is embraced by a softer and tamer beat while also bringing forward a more mature concept compared to her previous entries. Nevertheless, it still feels inherently Suyen’s, playing around the wide range of tones that her signature electric guitar can provide, with lyrics only a girl slipping out of her teen years can write. She’s got the superpower of being able to experiment within different ranges and extremes yet still letting her personality shine brightly through. 

‍

The Glass is Never Always Full

Being an artist of any kind is not easy. One may have all the drive necessary to create but fail at finding the inspiration to work with it. 
‍

“Sometimes you need to rest for a bit kasi not all the time [pa]laging may ideas,” Suyen advises, painting the image that there are days where she’s tried to create but found her mind running completely dry. She adds that it’s better to just leave the piece alone for a while and accept that, on some days, you will end up creating nothing, and that is fine. “Kasi ‘pag pinilit mo lang, minsan pangit lang din, or mafu-frustrate ka sa gawa mo,” she says.
‍

In addition to creativity, production requires a decent set of specialized skills. For music, there is a need to understand the theory and know how to play certain instruments. Suyen states that she never particularly enjoyed the piano but has found it necessary to learn as it is one of the most flexible tools in producing music. 
‍

She uses Logic Pro, a MIDI player, a microphone, and an audio interface when producing music. Additionally, wherever she is, she uses the voice memos app to note anything that comes to mind. To formulate the kind of instrumental she wants, Suyen utilizes Spotify playlists which include songs that encapsulate the sound she wants to emulate. The playlist can have as few as three songs which she’ll listen to on repeat in a listening process called a “soundtrip”. 
‍

Once inspiration strikes, whether it’s while she’s in the shower or cleaning around the house, Suyen records it into her voice memos. Since the tune usually comes first, Suyen has to find the chords on the guitar. After crafting a workable idea for the melody, she starts thinking about the overall mood and theme of the song. “Ano kaya ang isusulat ko today? Ano bang nafe-feel ko recently?” are the questions she asks herself at this stage. 
‍

She highlights the story behind Bente. During its development, Suyen found herself dissatisfied with the song, as it felt too dark and strayed from the vision she and co-writer Zild originally had in mind. It took almost a year of reworking before Suyen landed on the perfect addition: the “Hala! Hala!” hook. This drifted away from the originally intense sound, but it allowed the song to become a positive channel of expression intertwined with an emotionally uncomfortable lyrical context. 

‍

Suyen Has a Dream

Although she has often worked alone, Suyen notes the benefits of working with other people. “Iba rin yung mao-offer kapag collaborative ‘yung work, lalo na kapag two creative minds ‘yung nagtrabaho sa isang song,” she expresses. 
‍

When inspiration falls short, Suyen emphasizes that bonding with friends and meeting other creatives can help. She explains that the passion she has for her own work is shaped by the love of others for their own. “Sobrang passionate nila sa work nila, and ‘yun ‘yung nagda-drive sa ’kin to push myself na magsulat pa nang magsulat,” she muses. 
‍

She uses TikTok as an example wherein communities of motivation are made and where people’s dreams become more reachable than ever. “‘Yun ‘yung community na gusto kong ma-build through my music,” Suyen exclaims, “Gusto ko maka-inspire ng tao na, if kaya kong gawin ito, kaya mo rin! Kaya gawin natin together!” 
‍

Quality time with friends is another thing—a form of rest that serves as Suyen’s main motivation. She brings light to the importance of having something to draw creation from. “Minsan nakakagawa tayo based on our experiences, kaya you have to live first before you write.”
‍

Suyen shares that, ultimately, she wants her music to be for the voiceless—to aid them in feeling less alone. “It’s okay to live the life you want,” she affirms, a message she would like her musical presence to convey. Through her musicianship, she hopes to one day build a community where everyone understands each other without judgment. “Iba-iba tayo ng challenges na hinaharap. Iba-iba tayo ng gusto, and despite all of that, I feel like music is the only thing that can bring us together no matter what,” she states.
‍

A group hug is how Suyen wants her music to feel like to those who listen to her. With every lyric, she represents many young people who are going through the motions of life, creatively telling relatable stories that can often be difficult to put into words. In a society that can be full of criticism, pressure, and expectations, Suyen becomes a voice for those who may feel afraid to let loose and shout. 
‍

Listen to Suyen’s EP release Suyen Imnida here!

‍

Breanna Limsenkhe is a junior student taking BS CTM (Communications Technology Management) at the Ateneo de Manila University. Though a business girlie, she enjoys dabbling in various forms of media including writing, digital art, self-shoot photography, and music. Follow her journey to find a lost passion in digital painting @swkhs4 on TikTok or instagram.

‍