From soulful melodies and blues-inspired textures to the energy of funk and modern OPM, Myriad Bloom is finding its own space within the Philippines’ ever-growing independent music scene.
Blending influences from different genres while keeping their sound rooted in emotion and live performance, the Filipino band continues to explore what it means to create music that feels both familiar and fresh. Their growing catalog, including Fire, Tagay, Love Like This, Something More, Dagli, and their latest release Tagpo, reflects a band unafraid to experiment while staying connected to the stories and feelings behind their music.
As Myriad Bloom continues to perform and reach new audiences, their journey is also one of discovery—learning from every song, every stage, and every experience along the way.
For this edition of City Stories, we sit down with Myriad Bloom to talk about their musical journey, the influences behind their sound, their creative process, their experiences in the Philippine music scene, and what lies ahead for the band.
For those discovering Myriad Bloom for the first time, how would you introduce the band and the sound you’re creating together?
Myriad Bloom is a homegrown act rising from the OPM indie scene. Our music fuses the roots with the modern. Each of our songs cannot be caged inside a particular genre box and are best taken with unrestrained ears.
We like to imbue our sound with lyrical songwriting and pepper it with subtle influences from blues, soul, jazz, and funk. Beyond these, we feel like there’s never been a shape that snugly fits our description. Maybe because our mode of playing has never been definitive or categorical from the beginning. We simply make music that strongly makes us feel connected with each other. That in itself is good enough.
How did Myriad Bloom come together, and what inspired you to form the band?
Some of us go all the way back to our former rock and roll personas over a decade ago. There have been many iterations before we got this tight roster but basically, myself, Hector, and Neil were already bandmates from our previous band, the Cosmic Misfits.
When I decided to form Myriad Bloom with my good friend KV as the Band Manager, Hector and Neil followed suit. We stumbled upon Gia from a ton of auditions, a diamond in the rough, really. We were quite confident to launch when she took the helm as our frontman. Somehow, everything clicked.
Louise was our latest recruit to be our keys. Never did we know what we were missing till she came. and the rest was just magic (and history).
I think it was the longing to write and play in a band that is faithfully about the lyrics and music rather than the branding that pushed me to form Myriad Bloom. Having said that, each one of them has served over and beyond to fulfill that aspect. At this point, to me at least, it’s only a matter of time till we cascade into milestones that could make us big and commercially viable.
Your music carries elements of blues, jazz, funk, and modern pop. How did these influences naturally become part of Myriad Bloom’s identity?
The age of the members spans generations. With that comes the rich and cultured taste from the seasoned and the more contemporary ideals and upgrades from the young ones. I think this makes our sound uniquely ours.
A lot of musicians inevitably flock together according to their styles and influences. To us, it’s more about finding common ground to serve the song best. We see our musical inclinations merely as tools to convey a message, not a fixed variable.
Simply put, just as much as we don’t try to make our songs fit strictly into a genre, we’re not trying hard to sound different either. If a song calls for a blues lick or a funky groove, we do not resist. If it is in need of something more experimental, we indulge it.
Our identity makes the songs. A song does not have to identify with anything.
What does the name “Myriad Bloom” mean to the band, and how does it represent your journey as artists?
The word ‘Myriad’, especially in ancient eastern philosophical contexts, may sometimes refer to the ‘ten thousand things’. It isn’t the literal number but a concept used in describing the totality of all things. Maybe that is the highest number they could word out at that time. Nevertheless, it describes the wholeness of the manifested reality and the grandness of its multiplicity. An overly reductive way to explain this is to simply think of it as ‘many things ad infinitum’.
‘Bloom’ on the other hand is an act of revelation, an unveiling of sorts. ‘Myriad Bloom’ means the ‘blooming of ten thousand things’ or, more accurately, the ‘revealing of the wholeness of our manifested reality’.
We think of music in this way. No genre. No brands. Just a revelation. A reality being unveiled in an audible format.
When you first started making music together, did you already have a clear idea of what you wanted Myriad Bloom to sound like?
Not really. Sometimes, there’s clarity in not yet knowing. However, I was certain though, that given the right members, it would sound great even without having an inkling whatsoever of how exactly it would sound like.
How do your individual musical influences and personalities contribute to the band’s overall sound?
I think this is similar to question number 3. In addition to that, the personality of each band member is pretty chill. We see our differences as an advantage. It is something that adds to the flavor, not something that takes away or compromises. In fact, we rely on each other’s counsel to inform our musical decisions and resolve any creative difficulties.
I guess when you play long enough as a musician, it is hard to stay puritanical about anything. If you do it right, it supplies you enough patience to actually listen, humility to give way, courage to stand your ground, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Your songs such as “Fire,” “Tagay,” “Love Like This,” “Something More,” and “Dagli” each have their own character. What usually inspires the stories or emotions behind your songs?
Each of our songs describe, very covertly and in their own way, bits and pieces of the human condition. A lot of times, they may be dressed as a love song but convey something deeper when internalized.
“Fire” is about experiencing something real even before the brain knows it. “Tagay” is about the longing to stay in a particular place and time where and when you could still be with someone significant because, at the end of the day, all there will be are memories. “Love Like This” might seem like a push and pull, but really talks about the inevitability of things and our willingness to take a leap of faith (and fate).
These songs are inspired by my fascination with everyday stories of people around me. Some of them, my own.
What can you tell us about the creative process behind “Dagli”, your 2026 release?
“Dagli” is one of the songs I kept locked up in a vault for more than a decade and a half. I wrote it in an attempt to fill a 4-chord progression of Kens (my then keyboardist) back when we were jamming drunk up north (Isabela). Having experienced Dalton Pass and Banaue with all its sun, fog, and sudden pour of rain, I got really fixated with the concept of suddenness and how they are inevitable, with or without us. Much like love.
I then completed the song the next day over a very bad hangover. That was 2011. It had many versions since then as it got passed from one band to another. The recordings either never materialized or were shelved.
Fast forward to 2025, we stumbled upon it again. Talk about suddenness, it was a full circle moment. The drums, guitars, and bass were already tracked by Hector, Neil and myself back when we were still in our previous band. We decided it was time.
Looking back, this song was just really waiting for Gia and Louise to be released all along. We released it this year, 2026. But who the hell would listen to a long-ass song that, of all things, talks about the fundamental quickness of events? Maybe only those who are experiencing this kind of love can tell.
Is there a particular Myriad Bloom song that feels especially personal or meaningful to the band? Why?
I would say “Tagay”. That song covers our common ground and shared history. It spans across all transitions the band had to go through to get here. For us, the song represents the birth pains of forming a band. From crawling and clawing through misfortunes to the times when we had to hit the ground running, Tagay has been our go to song. As the song goes; ‘tuloy ang ikot’.
How does the songwriting and arrangement process usually work within the group? Does a song begin with a lyric, melody, groove, or something else?
I don’t have a particular starting point when writing a song. I see lyrics, melodies, and grooves as building blocks ready to be assembled at any time. It almost feels like my brain constantly makes a song out of sensorial inputs whether smell, auditory, or visual. Sometimes the smell of coffee comes to me as colors, sometimes textures feel like notes — a lot of times my senses are jumbled, but they all lead to a song.
What I usually look for is the idea that glues a song together. It takes an experience or a memory for a song to unravel itself. It doesn’t matter if it’s profound or mundane, as long as it can serve as a space for the melody and groove.
Songwriting, for me, is an act of communion with myself. It could be as easy as plucking notes out of thin air or as difficult as grappling with a wild beast I’ve just met. As soon as I think the song is alive and breathing on its own, it will then be pitched to the band for arrangement. It is there that the song takes shape and gets polished a thousand times over.
I am just fortunate to have bandmates as competent as them. As hard as I may be with myself when writing, I just let it all go when the song is already in their hands. I put that much trust in their talents. It has always been a privilege watching them do their magic.
At that point, all I do is listen and watch them have fun with the process. All I ask of them is to put only the things that they could be proud of when the song is released. No matter how basic, complicated, or downright silly, as long as there is joy in doing it, it will be worth playing (and listening to). To me, that is all that matters.
What is the dynamic like among the members when you’re creating music? Are there moments when you strongly disagree creatively?
I don’t require members to be the best at their instruments, I only ask them to be the best at their roles for the band. I value attitude more than skills. We can train for skills. Attitude, on the other hand, consumes energy. We leave our egos at the door and work towards a common goal which is to play the songs as best as we can. That was my only ask before I got them as members.
This is why every meeting is a fun experience. I don’t like dreading rehearsals and songwriting sessions. I have specifically picked members that each of us will be excited to work with every time. It’s a matter of creating an environment where everybody can be themselves. Mistakes are not taken too seriously and we see shortcomings as opportunities to grow.
It’s hard for us to have any disagreement because each of us knows how to listen and yield. In the unlikely event that we do, there has never been a case of drama. I guess because we find humor in everything.
You’ve performed in events such as Fête de la Musique Philippines. How does playing live compare with recording your music in the studio?
They’re very different beasts. In a live setting, the mindset is all about getting your parts right while giving a performance for the audience right in front of you. No retakes. Half the time, you are trying to survive and the other half just drowns you in a feeling of ineffable rupture.
Recording sessions, on the other hand, are more like cooking a dish in a kitchen with a motley crew. It’s about finding a balance between the creative and the critical. You don’t want to add too little or too much. You fill pockets as much as you make spaces. Ultimately, the goal is releasing a song that everyone is happy with. That process requires a lot more patience and introspection.
What has been one of your most memorable performances or moments as Myriad Bloom so far?
All our Fête performances are quite memorable. Playing for Huesika Fest also comes to mind as that was our first outdoor stage.
However, the most memorable moments to us are the stuff that happens in between rehearsals and gigs. Half of our time together is spent eating out or hunting coffee spots. Just recently, we went food crawling in Binondo just for the hell of it. We had a really good time.
If you’re in the circle, we really try our best to spend time with you. Whether you are part of our production team for the day or just a friend dropping by, you will be treated as part of the family. That may sometimes mean making long tables at a restaurant so that we could all fit or simply be with you in your time of need.
These moments are precious to us because we want to look at what we do beyond the business aspect. At the end of the day, it’s the shared humanity that burns a moment to our memory. The milestones are just sugar and creamer packets on the side.
How has performing for different audiences influenced the way you approach your music?
Since the beginning, the dream has always been the crowd chanting along with us and or dancing to our music. That’s something we have always been imprinting deep in our songs’ DNA.
What do you think sets Myriad Bloom apart from other emerging bands in the Philippine music scene?
Our songs were written because we want to show that we can still push OPM to greater heights – that there is more to being authentically Filipino than adobo and tinikling and that there is still plenty of room to grow the local indie scene.
I also think it’s the reason behind why we do what we do. We keep making music because we love working together. Beyond the aspects of branding and business, we have found a way to keep doing what we do best without being the proverbial artist who has to wallow in pain and misery to make art.
Emerging in the Philippine music scene can be quite daunting and a lot of times unrewarding, but one has to think of us emerging happily.
As independent or emerging artists, what has been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in building Myriad Bloom?
The opportunities are quite limited as compared to artists working with a label, especially at this early point of our career. The milestones are also harder to get. We can’t even get into New Music Friday on Spotify Editorial Playlist. Sometimes, when the band is getting quite a buzz and traction on TikTok, we get flagged by Spotify for the spike. Then you will have to go through a long tedious process of back and forth with your digital distributor and Spotify trying to prove that you’re not buying bots for streams, only to find the issue unresolved in the end. It’s very difficult not to feel helpless when you are trapped in this loop.
We wonder sometimes if the mechanisms that are meant to protect us are also there to keep us small. Meanwhile, the growth of our fanbase is undeniably there. We are getting messages from listeners daily and that keeps us going. We know we will inevitably get there, it’s just making us work for it twice as hard and twice as long.
This system could definitely use a long overdue upgrade towards a more level playing field if we really want to enrich our music scene.
What has the Philippine music scene taught you since you started the band?
Talents come and go. There will always be someone new and better for the people to rave about. Unless you want to quit in the end, do it out of love. Don’t rush. Breathe. This is not a race. Remember why you do it in the first place. And go all out. Rest if you have to, but always go all out.
If someone listens to Myriad Bloom for the first time today, what song would you recommend they start with—and why?
Depends. If you want a love song that hits you right in the gut, ‘Love Like This’. If you want a more nuanced feel, try ‘Dagli’ or ‘Fire’.
But if we’re going to give a blanket answer blindly, ‘Tagay’ is definitely the most universal. It’s quite upbeat and will surely tell you more about the kind of band we are trying to become.
What are some goals or dreams that Myriad Bloom hopes to accomplish in the next few years?
To play on bigger stages and find more opportunities to put our music out there.
Finally, when people look back on Myriad Bloom’s journey years from now, what do you hope they remember about the band and the music you created?
We want to be remembered as the band who once dreamed, took a chance, and actually made it. If, in the infinite realm of the far future, someone will look back and listen to our songs, all of this, in the here and now, is worth playing our hearts out for.
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