“Beyond the Tunes” is a series of interviews and features that aims to shine the spotlight on up-and-coming singer-songwriters who have earned a spot in the Wishcovery Originals grand finale. Meet the top musical acts who will be vying for the championship tilt in the third edition of Wish 107.5’s very own talent search.

For budding music-makers, penetrating the local music scene is no easy feat. The goal is simple but not necessarily easy-to-achieve: To make one’s sound unforgettable and absolutely irresistible.

From Outtakes members Luiz Cabaron (vocals), Jeem Nasty Veloso (vocals), and Ulysses Obando (guitars) — individually, in pursuit of a name for themselves in Cagayan de Oro a few years back — encountered challenges in doing so. Collectively, it has proven to be a different story. Cabaron formed the band together in 2017.

The tables have turned for the rock-and-soul troupe as they set foot as a contending act in Wishcovery Originals. During the November weekly and monthly eliminations, the band bested eleven other musicians and earned the second seat in the grand finals.

Their original pieces “Room 4-2” (weekly eliminations) and “Lihim” (monthly finals) are both stripped-down and sultry sonic pieces that touch bold themes such as romance and multiplicity.

For this edition of Beyond the Tunes, we sat down with the group’s vocalist and wordsmith Luiz Cabaron to delve deep into their musical background and artistic vision.

What made you pursue music? How did the band come to be?

It all started when I performed in our school for the first time. I was a high school freshman and had just moved to Cagayan. After the performance, I was delighted when the audience clapped and cheered. Since then, I have always been playing music, singing, and performing new songs.

In 2017, we decided to form a group and came up with the name From Outtakes because we were left-overs of the Cagayan de Oro music scene.

I write the songs in our band. I make the guitar arrangements, create the tempo and the beat, as well as write the lyrics. So that even if the song is still lacking, even if it’s still raw, when I present it to the band, we would only need to make a few adjustments. Only the riffs and basslines are to be added.

How does it feel to reach this stage and be part of the monthly finals? Do you consider this an important milestone in your career?

We are really overwhelmed. For me, as a songwriter, it boosts morale. I’m over the moon because I did not expect that we will reach this stage. It’s our first time in Manila. It’s our first time to fly. We didn’t really expect this.

What’s your creative process as a musician? Is there a particular habit you do before you compose a song? Or do you do it in a particular environment/ time? Or you’re the spontaneous type?

I used to write songs during the wee hours of the morning because it’s really hard to think and concentrate when you do several things in the house. Sometimes, when I ride the jeepney, that’s when I am able to think and write songs — when I look out on the street and think of things I can write about.

What’s the most challenging part or aspect of your craft as a performer and composer?

A songwriter faces a lot of challenges. Especially when the emotions that you currently feel differ from the emotions that the composition calls for. You will not be able to write properly, if you have problems at home, or you’ve had a lovers’ quarrel, or you have family problems.

In our band, it’s difficult to align our schedules for practice because each one of us is busy. That’s the only problem we have. 

How do you handle/deal with it?

We don’t really fight. We usually have a problem aligning our time. When someone says “I’m busy,” or things like that. Some of us have already graduated. Some are still in school, including myself. Sometimes, we just record and send things over via Messenger. We’ll say, ‘Hey, that’s your part [on the song].’ Because we really don’t have time.

During the weekly eliminations, you performed your original composition “Room 4-2.” How was the songwriting process that led to writing this particular track?

I wrote the song ‘Room 4-2’ back in 2017 for only forty-five minutes during my first date with my ex-girlfriend. The song is really close to my heart because it’s very personal and memorable to me.

That was my first time to quickly write a song because usually, it would take a year for me to be able to write because I’m not an expert yet.

For the monthly finals, your entry was “Lihim.” What’s the story behind this one?

I wrote the song “Lihim” when Wish called and said that we should prepare a new song. I really persevered to create a new song, so that Jeem will also be given the spotlight, like what we did in our song “Room 4-2.”

What’s the message you want to leave to your audience through this song?

Through this song, the message that I want to convey to people — is something that came from my mother — “You cannot teach your heart. You just can’t.” Because this song is about a love affair. It’s about forbidden love.

The story is about a girl and a boy, and the girl already has a boyfriend. I’m not saying that this is appropriate, because this is very wrong. But the thing is, you can’t control your heart and tell it to stop loving someone. You’ve already fallen in love. That’s the point of the song.

If there’s one line that you’d like for your listeners to remember most about your song, what would that line be and why?

For me, the line that I want to really tell people is the last one. There will come a point in our life where we’d say, ‘Why did I meet you just now?’

Room 4-2:

Lihim:

Watch the November Monthly Finals of Wishcovery Originals below: