The Beat Manila's Up-and-Coming Artist: Genre-Fluid Sibling-Duo Ysanygo
The Beat Manila’s Up and Coming is a series where we feature rising talented artists from the Philippines, giving them a platform to share what they’re passionate about and to promote the music they (and us too!) would love for the world to hear. Do you want or know someone who wants to be featured? Email us at [email protected] or slide through our DMs on Facebook or Instagram!
For many people, a sibling is a built-in best friend, a partner in crime, and an occasional headache inducer rolled into one delightful package. But for this musically talented duo, a sibling is more than just someone who they duke out with over the last slice of pizza or a trusty confidant for their well-kept secrets, but a teammate whom they can make creative melodies with!
Meet Ysanygo, the genre-fluid sibling duo with a knack for songwriting, producing, and singing. Living under the same roof and growing up listening to the same melodies, Ysa and Ygo developed a bond for music. Like them always being there for each other, their music offers a tap on the back, ready to comfort their listeners in times of woe.
Fresh off the release of their newest single with Thai duo Purplecat, The Beat Asia had the chance to speak with Ysanygo, where they talked about the behind story of their recent collaboration, how it is working with each other, their idols in music, and many more.
Discover what makes Ysanygo’s music a must-add to your playlist!
Hi Ysanygo! Can you give us a brief background about the duo?
We are a genre-fluid sibling duo from the Philippines who debuted in 2017 with our single, “Imprinted,” which was produced on an iPad.
What ignited your passion in music? And what made you two decide to form Ysanygo?
Ysa: I’ve always loved performing since I was a kid! This continued until college, [when] I joined a songwriting competition. I only had lyrics at the time and needed help with the production. Fortunately, Ygo had the perfect track on his iPad! We lost the competition, but we decided to upload the song online. This was “Imprinted!” After that, we realized we wanted to keep making music together. This led us to form Ysanygo, a combination of our names.
Ygo: I used to borrow my sister’s ukulele and guitar when I was younger. My parents saw that I was really interested in music, so they enrolled me in formal lessons for guitar and piano! I got into music production when I discovered the app GarageBand on our mom’s iPad, and I began creating beats and making instrumentals for some of Ysa’s SoundCloud covers. The first few Ysanygo singles were produced using the same app, and everything else has followed since then!
How would you describe your music to those who haven't heard of Ysanygo yet?
Our music is like a warm hug, ready to be there for you at any time of the day. When people choose not to speak, we want them to know that there will always be a song for them.
Have you ever had conflicts because of your artistic differences? How do you two deal with these conflicts?
It really is inevitable for us to have conflicts when it comes to writing or a certain melody we want to do, [but] we make sure to hear each other out so we can get to the best version that makes us both happy. When working as Ysanygo, we make sure to get down to business and compromise on some ideas, but at the end of the day, we’re siblings! The best conflict resolution is to have a nice snack and beverage.
What do you think are the challenges and advantages of working with a sibling?
One of the advantages of working as siblings is [that] we can practice and brainstorm anytime since we’re under one roof! We also grew up listening to the same genres of music, which makes the creation process much easier, especially if there’s a specific sound we want to go for. As for disadvantages, we’re siblings, [so] we get distracted by funny TikTok videos or inside jokes in between rehearsals or studio sessions.
We admire your talent for writing and producing! Can you guys give us a sneak peek on your creative process? How and where do you get your inspiration for your songs?
Thank you so much! It means a lot! Ysa is the primary songwriter and Ygo is the producer, but lately, we’ve been collaborating on both aspects; Ysa would sometimes send voice notes on Messenger, while Ygo would tell you to come up to the studio, and we’d create the first draft of a song! Our process is ever-changing, which makes creating music really fun and spontaneous!
Your collaboration single with Thai artists Purplecat is out! Can you tell us what the song is about? How was it working with the duo?
“Sunny When I’m With You” is about the brightness and positivity that a person brings whenever they’re around! It was great working with Purplecat, especially since we have a shared appreciation for cats and K-R&B! Everything was just so smooth, from sharing ideas to communicating with them. We loved their energy, so this is probably one of the quickest songs we’ve ever made!
Who are your major music influences and why?
Ysa: Armi Millare has been one of my major music influences for the longest time. I’ve always loved her voice since I first listened to her, and the way she [delivers] emotion when she performs. She’s a brilliant songwriter! Being able to tell a story through music is something we’d like to learn.
Ygo: My major influence is GRAY, a producer and musician from South Korea. I discovered him in early 2019 when I was looking for new music to listen to—it turns out he’s behind some of my favorite K-R&B songs! I love how he’s able to produce music that spans several genres, yet you can still distinguish that it’s his work. As a “genre-fluid” duo, we apply this to our music and try to maintain the “Ysanygo-ness!”
What do you enjoy most about being musicians?
We love how our music is able to reach those who need it. It means a lot to us whenever someone resonates with our work, and it inspires us even more to create. The music scene is also such a tight-knit community, which is great because we love making new friends!
If you could collaborate with or open someone's show, locally or internationally, who would it be and why?
Ysa: It would be a dream to collaborate with Phony Ppl! We haven’t seen them live, but it’s already such a treat to watch their performances on YouTube. They’re so talented, and their energy radiates through the screen! I wish we could see them in the flesh and get to meet them in the future.
Ygo: I’d love to do a show with PLAYERTWO. We saw them live recently, and they were amazing on stage! We met some of the members, and they’re really chill people. We’re also just really big fans!
What's next for Ysanygo? Any shows, gigs, or new music we should look forward to from you soon?
We’ll be heading to Thailand this month to perform with Purplecat at “Spicy on the Beach!” We also have more collaborations on the way this year, so please stay tuned!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Stay tuned for Ysanygo’s upcoming gigs and music by following them on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, or stream their music on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube.
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