Photo Courtesy of A for A
From the heart of Lipa, Batangas comes A for A, an indie alt-pop duo whose music speaks directly to the soul. Since their formation in 2018, they’ve been transforming raw emotions and personal experiences into melodies that resonate deeply with listeners. Blending heartfelt lyricism with dreamy, alternative pop textures, A for A has carved out their own sound that feels both intimate and refreshingly honest.
As they continue to grow within the local indie scene, their authenticity and passion for storytelling remain at the core of everything they do. We sat down with A for A to talk about their journey, inspirations.
What is the story behind the name of your band?
This may actually be a fun trivia! 👀 As a couple, we’ve been calling each other “A” since 2014 (ayaw lang namin maging cheesy). So when we were thinking of a name, we knew “A” had to be part of it. We landed on A for A, which means writing, performing, and creating music for each other.
June, as the “idea machine” of the band, can you share a bit about your creative process and how you come up with new song ideas?
I’m kind of like a hoarder when it comes to music. I listen to everything, old or new, as long as it sounds good. Whenever something inspires me, I store it somewhere in my brain. Then when we’re working on a new song, I dig through that mental stash, pull out the bits that stuck with me, and start merging ideas. I mix and match what I love, tweak them, and turn them into something that sounds like us.
Ky, being described as “maarteng artsy daw,” how does your artistic perspective influence your role as a vocalist and keyboardist in the band?
I think being “maarte” shows more in how I try to style the both of us. We recently agreed on using our favorite colors, pink and blue, and you’ll notice them in our outfits and even our socials. How you present yourselves is such an important part of being an artist. 🎀
For both June and Ky, what is it like working together as a musical duo, and how do you complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses?
Being a couple definitely has its pros and cons, but at the end of the day, it’s all about making our songs the best they can be. We’re super collaborative — June handles the chords, beats, mixing, mastering (basically everything that happens on the laptop 😅), while I focus on storytelling and lyrics. We work on melodies together, bouncing ideas back and forth.
The best part about being married is having unlimited studio time. It’s like a never-ending sleepover with your best friend, doing what you love most, together!!! (Of course, it’s not always perfect, we get annoyed with each other sometimes. But at the end of the day, it’s all for the song’s best interest hehe)
How has your background in music and songwriting influenced your creative process as A for A?
June: One of the most important things I learned as a Music Major is the freedom to create. There’s really no such thing as “wrong” in music — everything has a name, a genre, a theory, or a style. But because I also learned about structure, with A for A, I try to move away from it. I want to be more outside the box, more creative. Most of the time, we don’t even know what the chords we’re playing are called. As long as they sound good, that’s where we go hahaha
Ky: I didn’t study music, but my background in Broadcast Journalism and Advertising taught me the art of storytelling, that everything and everyone has a story worth telling. It’s all about how you see it and share it. People naturally connect to something they can hold on to emotionally, so that’s always our goal… To keep our songs simple, relatable, and still creative.
What is the creative process behind writing a song?
Almost always, we start with a short story or feeling in mind, then build the beat and melody around it. Getting the vibe right is the most important part, the lyrics usually come after. We record our drafts on our phones, and the next morning we cross our fingers that they still sound good. If they do, we do a little happy dance and keep going! But if they don’t, we cringe for a minute, laugh it off, and start fresh hahaha
What’s the story behind your song “Alapaap,” and what does it mean to you personally?
Every time someone asks about Alapaap, the short version is: June was singing “parapapap parapapa” over and over again with a catchy melody, and I thought — what if the lyrics sounded like that too? That’s how it became “Alaala lang pala sa alapaap, paalala lang pala.”
But the extra layer of story here is after we wrote this line, we suddenly started thinking of one of our friends who we used to be close to, but we didn’t see anymore. We secretly dedicated the lyrics to him, that’s why the verses talk about asking someone to come hang with us just like old times. But then we go into the refrain and chorus where we realize that it’s never happening again. It’s all just in the past.
One of your songs is described as a “fan-favorite.” What do you think it is about that song that resonates so strongly with your audience?
Ever since we started performing, Alapaap has always been a crowd favorite. We think it’s because it sounds upbeat and jumpy, but if you listen closely, it hides a feeling of longing, something almost everyone’s felt at some point.
Can you share the story behind the song that was “inspired by a friend na ‘di pa rin mahanap si the one’?
OMG! we love talking about this because it’s such a universal experience! We have this friend who’s a total hopeless romantic. She loves falling in love, being loved, and just spreading love. She’s the sweetest. But love keeps failing her over and over again. Like most of us, she’s been through the frustration and heartbreak, but she stays hopeful — believing that one day, the person who’s truly meant for her, or yung Tinadhana para sa kanya, will find her. 🫶
One of your songs is described as “written for a friend who went through an ugly breakup.” How do you approach writing about sensitive or personal topics in your music?
Tahan was released during the lockdowns in 2020. One of our best friends got dumped, and since we couldn’t be there for her physically, the next best thing we could do was write a song.
Most of our songs are personal. They’re either from our own experiences or our friends’. We try to make them as raw as possible, putting ourselves in the story to really feel it. Even if the songs sound upbeat or light, we make sure the lyrics always tell the truth.
As an indie artist, what are some of the unique challenges and rewards you’ve encountered in navigating the music industry?
We’ve been patiently building A for A for 7 years now, going 8 in 2026! We’re here for the long game, but it took years of heartbreak and frustration to get to where we are mentally and emotionally.
Every Filipino artist without big connections or resources knows the grind. Getting people to hear our songs is always a challenge, but every time someone messages us to say they’re rooting for us, even just a short “I love this song”, it fills our hearts back to 100%. Those little messages keep us going more than they know.
Can you share a memorable experience from your time as a semi-finalist in San Miguel Wanderbattle 2019 and as a finalist in Red Horse Muziklaban 2018?
For a long time, the San Miguel Wanderbattle 2019 was one of our favorite gigs ever! We didn’t expect to see that many friends and family in the crowd, singing our lyrics back to us. It was warm, special, and we felt like winners that night.
For Red Horse Muziklaban, one of our bandmates couldn’t make it, and we didn’t want to perform without him because we were in it together. So we decided to let that one go and were happy to carry the finalist title.
Looking ahead, what are your goals and aspirations for the band, and what kind of impact do you hope to make with your music?
We’re still dreaming big for A for A. We hope to one day reach millions of listeners who’ll find comfort and joy in our music, just like we do. We see ourselves touring the country and the world — inspiring other musicians to dream big, work hard, and trust that with faith and patience, it’s all possible. May perfect timing lang talagaaa. Tiwala. 🤞🏻
What is your favorite song to perform live and why?
Right now, we get super hyped performing Tinadhana! It’s the kind of song that makes us jump, rock, and dance with no inhibitions, just pure joy!!! Even just talking about it makes us giddy hahaha instant mood booster talaga eh.
Follow @afora and discover how they keep turning feelings into songs since 2018.
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