Music / ALAMAT

L-R: Mo, Alas, Tomas, Taneo, Jao, R-Ji

“Sa pamamagitan ng musika, layunin ng ALAMAT ang ipagdiwang ang ating pagka-Pilipino at maitanim sa puso't isipan ng mga kabataang Pinoy na hindi kailangan hubarin ang ating kultura't pagkakakilanlan para lamang umangat at makilala sa pandaigdigang entablado.”
— ALAMAT's mission statement, shown at the end of several videos on their YouTube channel

English translation:
"Through music, ALAMAT's mission is to celebrate our Filipino identity and to instill in the hearts and minds of the Filipino youth that we do not need to discard our culture and heritage in order to succeed and be recognized on the world stage."

ALAMAT (Baybayin: ᜀᜎᜋᜆ᜔) is a six-member P-Pop^note Philippine pop boy band assembled by NINUNO MEDIA, a partnership between Viva Records — one of the biggest record labels in the Philippines — and film director Jason Paul Laxamana. (Laxamana personally supervises ALAMAT.)

The members were recruited via “PWEDE! The National Boyband Search,” which was Exactly What It Says on the Tin (i.e. a series of country-wide auditions for guys dreaming of joining a boy band). ALAMAT debuted on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2021, with the song “kbye,” which is about the members getting dumped by a girl. Standard stuff for a bunch of young idol singers, but what set “kbye” apart from other tracks of this nature was its use of seven different Philippine languages in one song. According to Word of God, the members penned the song entirely by themselves. In fact, the company had another song prepared for ALAMAT’s debut, but ultimately let ALAMAT debut with “kbye” instead thanks to how good it was. The public seemed to agree; “kbye” made them the fastest-rising Filipino act on Billboard’s Next Big Sound chart.

ALAMAT has undergone some interesting lineup changes in a short span of time. A Chavacano-speaking member called Ambri left a few months before their debut, in November 2020. Alas, a Bisaya from Davao, replaced him. Kin, a Tagalog member from Metro Manila, left shortly after their debut; after which they continued as an eight-member group instead of finding a new ninth. In February 2022, Valfer left the group. A joint statement by VIVA and NINUNO Media cites “new career opportunities” as the reason for his departure. (Valfer would go on to start a solo music career, still under VIVA Records.) Gami also left a while later, citing health reasons as the reason for his departure.

Their brand is unity in diversity, highlighting the respective ethnic backgrounds of each member. As such, their lead singles feature at least seven different Philippine languages (Bikol, Bisaya/Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Iloko, Kapampangan, Waray-Waray, and Tagalog at the time of debut; presumably Bikol, Bisaya/Cebuano, Iloko, Kapampangan, Sambal, Waray-Waray, and Tagalog since Hiligaynon-speaking Valfer left and Mo has begun to sing in Sambal) ^note Gami and Alas speak the same language, Bisaya; R-Ji is also fluent in Bisaya and is Bisaya on his father’s side, but his marketing emphasizes his Waray-Waray side. These lines are usually written by the members themselves, presumably out of convenience — not everybody speaks your native language, after all — as well as creativity.

Their official mascot is Aki, a cartoon palm civet.◊ Their official Fan Community Nickname is Magiliw (plural: Magiliws, Mga Magiliw, or collectively Barangay Magiliw) and the official fandom color is brown. Their group name literally means “legend” in Tagalog.

Members

Current members

Note: Taneo, R-Ji, and Jao were announced as Visuals for the group, but the Visual position was officially abolished within ALAMAT in September 2022

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• Taneo (Leader, Main Dancer, Sub-Vocalist)
  • Real name: Brylle Jordan Sebastian Uyam
  • Date of birth: May 31, 2000
  • Ethnicity: Kalinga and Ilokano
• Mo (Leader, Main Rapper, Main Vocalist)
  • Real name: Aaron Joshua Baldos Mitchell
  • Date of birth: January 30, 2002
  • Ethnicity: Filipino and Black American
• Tomas (Main Vocalist, Lead Dancer, Center, Panganay^note Eldest)
  • Real name: Thomas Franco Torre Rodriguez
  • Date of birth: June 27, 1998
  • Ethnicity: Bikolano
• R-Ji (Lead Vocalist)
  • Real name: Ralph Joseph Baleña Lim
  • Date of birth: November 8, 1999
  • Ethnicity: Waray-Waray^note and Bisaya on his father's side, but marketing emphasizes Waray-Waray side a lot more
• Alas (Lead Rapper)
  • Real name: Joshua Magsilong Alvarez
  • Date of birth: March 28, 2001
  • Ethnicity: Bisaya
• Jao (Main Dancer, Sub-Vocalist, Bunso^note Youngest)
  • Real name: Justin Paolo Paras Canlas
  • Date of birth: December 26, 2002
  • Ethnicity: Kapampangan

Former members

• Ambri (???)
  • Real name: Ambri Labajo
  • Date of birth: ???
  • Ethnicity: Chavacano
  • (Officially left in November 2020)

• Kin (Visual, Lead Vocalist)
  • Real name: Jose Joaquin Sta. Maria Canlas
  • Date of birth: June 17, 2000
  • Ethnicity: Tagalog
  • (Officially left in March 2021)

• Valfer (Lead Rapper, Sub-Vocalist)
  • Real name: Valfer Javellana Alo
  • Date of birth: June 21, 2000
  • Ethnicity: Hiligaynon
  • (Officially left in February 2022)

• Gami (Main Vocalist)
  • Real name: Martin Lusica Gambuta II
  • Date of birth: January 28, 2002
  • Ethnicity: Bisaya
  • (Officially left in March 2022)

Discography

Title tracks

• “kbye” (2021)
• “kasmala” (2021)
• “ABKD” (2022)
• “Sa Panaginip Na Lang” (2022) for the soundtrack of the film Expensive Candy

Mini-album

• “Pasulong” (2022)
  • Singles:
  • “Say U Love Me”
  • “ILY ILY” with Lyca Gairanod
  • “Aswang”
  • "Maharani"
  • "Gayuma"

Other singles

• “Sandigan” (2021) for the soundtrack of Anitu
• “Tibay ‘Yan” (2021) with Iñigo Pascual (a collaboration for the Coca-Cola program Coke Studio)
• “porque” (2021) originally by UNiCA, formerly known as Maldita

Associated tropes

General

• The Ace: Mo is the second-youngest member, yet is also the main vocalist, main rapper, and one of the official leaders. He’s a good dancer too.
• The Baby of the Bunch: Jao is the youngest, and even has his own special position to honor this fact.
• Big Little Brother: Jao is the “bunso” (i.e. The Baby of the Bunch), but he is among the tallest members alongside R-Ji and Taneo. On the flip side, the “panganay” (eldest) Tomas is the shortest, which — in addition to his babyface — is why many first-time viewers assume that he’s the youngest rather than Jao.
• Big Eater: Taneo, according to all the other members.
• Boy Band: The members are all young men. At debut, the youngest member was Jao (18 years old at the time) and the oldest member was Tomas (22 years old at the time).
• Boy Next Door: Their image for “kbye.” They even explained that the concept for the jeepney scenes was that they were simply a group of friends hanging out together. Averted in “kasmala,” which displays much more dramatic and striking clothes, makeup, and visuals. This also applies to one of the concepts in the "ABKD" music video.
• CAPS LOCK: Alamat is officially stylized as ALAMAT.
• Dancing Is Serious Business: Their songs always have intricate choreography. Of course, the most intense dance moments often go to Jao (main dancer) and Taneo (lead dancer).
• Early-Installment Weirdness: In the first few months of ALAMAT being a group, Alas sometimes did not shout “at kami ang” (“and we are”), followed by the group saying “ALAMAT!” all together when they introduce themselves. “At kami ang” would consistently become Alas’ Catchphrase later on, so it can feel rather strange not to hear it at all in their earliest interviews or guestings.
• The Fashionista: Jao has proudly claimed the title of Most Fashion-Conscious in the group, but Valfer is a close second.
• Handsome Lech: Played for Laughs. The members frequently tease R-Ji for being a “chickboy” (local term for womanizer), although he says that he’s actually shy around women.
• Idol Singer: Laxamana, their director, has been open about drawing inspiration from K-Pop for ALAMAT. At the same time, ALAMAT aims to deconstruct the K-Pop model and infuse it with a distinctly Filipino spirit.
• Insistent Terminology: A Justified Trope; the members speak different Philippine languages, not dialects. They are not derivative of one major language, and speakers of one cannot understand another (for example, a Bisaya and an Ilocano would not be able to converse using only their respective tongues). Several videos on ALAMAT's YouTube channel highlight these linguistic differences by comparing simple words in different Filipino languages, even including lesser-known ones (which none of the members represent) like Ivatan, Tausug, Maranao, Maguindanao, among others.
• The Leader: They have two, Taneo and Mo, in charge of dance and vocals respectively.
• Leg Focus: The director touts R-Ji’s long legs as part of his appeal. And they are given a fair bit of emphasis in "kbye" where one of his outfits has him in short shorts.
• Multinational Team: An unusual (completely logical, however, within the context of the Philippines) example where all of the members are from the same country, but hail from vastly different cultures. The Philippines has no fewer than 170 ethnolinguistic nations; part of ALAMAT’s brand is highlighting these differences rather than fighting them. Each member’s outfit/aesthetic is typically tailor-made to represent their specific heritage.
• Odd Name Out: Valfer is the only one who goes by his real first name rather than a Stage Name or nickname.
• Older Than He Looks: Tomas. His explanation is that the doctor apparently got too excited for him to be born, so they took him out of his mother’s womb at merely four months old, and that’s why he looks even younger than he is.
• Phenotype Stereotype: Defied. The members are all Filipino, but they all come from different ethnic groups and have pretty dissimilar looks from each other. Even Alas and Gami, who come from the same ethnolinguistic group (Cebuano-speaking Bisaya), look dissimilar from each other; Alas’ skin is very fair and Gami has a rich brown complexion. In fact, the diversity of looks among Filipinos is cited as the reason as to why the Visual position was abolished within ALAMAT in late 2022.
• Real Men Wear Pink:
  • All the members seem comfortable enough to break Western norms of masculinity to some degree, but the most unabashedly feminine member is Jao, if this thumbnail is any indication◊ (Jao is the one with purple hair).
  • Gami has said that he wants to be a “soft boy.”
  • Valfer rocks a skirt in “Tibay ‘Yan.”
  • Taneo is fond of wearing crop tops. The ALAMAT admin has said that this is only feminine by Western standards, however, because Filipino men historically wore crop tops.
  • Alas is probably the most forthright example of this particular trope: even when dressed in a pink, floral crop top and styled with long blond hair, he still presents as very masculine. The (comparatively) lower voice helps. In "Say U Love Me," he has hair extensions, and in one of his outfits, a half-skirt as well.
• Reality Show: Tomas is a Pinoy Big Brother alumnus.
• Running Gag: R-Ji being a womanizer. Allegedly.
  R-Ji: Lagi nila akong pinagtitripan. (They just love to make fun of me.)
• Signature Headgear:
  • For Mo, wearing a durag to represent his Black American heritage. Even without headgear, his hairstyles also serve the same purpose, as he either ties his hair into cornrows or goes with his natural afro.
  • For Alas, his woven headscarves, reflecting the fact that he grew up in Mindanao.
• Spell My Name With An S: Tomas spells his Stage Name with a diacritic on his Instagram page (Tomás), but it is not spelled as such elsewhere.
• Teen Idol: Jao, Mo, Gami, and Alas were still in their teens when ALAMAT debuted.
• Those Two Guys: Taneo and R-Ji were cast as the two buddies of a supporting character in Laxamana's film Expensive Candy.
• Vocal Dissonance:
  • Jao is The Baby of the Bunch well-known for his commitment to looking glamorous. He also has a surprisingly deep voice, enough for Magiliws to be shocked at the realization that it was him rapping his verse in “Tibay ‘Yan.” "Aswang" makes ample use of his lower vocal register.
  • You wouldn’t necessarily expect Alas’ deep, emphatic voice. His voice, which can go pretty deep, is probably why he’s always the one practically growling “AT KAMI ANG...” whenever the members are asked to introduce themselves.
  • R-Ji surprisingly matches Taneo's deep vocals in the bridge part of "Hala," despite being more known for his clear, high voice along with Tomas.

Tropes that apply to their songs

• Accent Upon The Wrong Syllable: Sometimes used stylistically. For example, Gami’s pronunciation of “nagpangita” (Bisaya word for seeking) in “kbye,” stressing the final syllable instead of the third. It sounds strange to a native Bisaya speaker, but works well for the song.
  • In "ILY ILY", Mo's rap starts with, "Ano ba? Ganyan ka na lang pala- / -gi ka na lang sinusunod para tumahan ka na" ("What? Are you always like this / Soothing you just to stop your crying"), splitting the word "palagi" ("always") between two lines.
• all lowercase letters: So far:
  • “kbye”
  • “kasmala”
  • “porque”
• Alternative Hip Hop: Their songs tend to follow this style. For example, Mo describes “kbye” as a mix of Pop, R&B, Hip-Hop, and traditional Filipino instruments like the kulintang.
• Anti-Love Song: “kbye” is a song about getting ghosted by someone you like. (In seven languages.) The narrator’s mood keeps on alternating between angry and sad.
  • "Say U Love Me" is about a relationship breaking down, as the singer laments that his partner is falling out of love and is even already seeing other people.
• Better Partner Assertion: The premise of "Maharani." Apparently, the girl of the narrator's affections was hurt again by their partner, and they spend the whole song trying to convince her that they'll treat her better.
• Bilingual Bonus: Septilingual bonus, but the point stands. A large part of their appeal is the visibility they provide for lesser-represented ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines.
• Catchphrase: “ALAMAT, handa, ‘rap!” Aside from this being their introductory phrase, they also include this line in each of their songs, with the sole exception of "Sa Panaginip Na Lang" (perhaps because it's a movie soundtrack, and also because it wouldn't fit the melancholy mood of the song). It's also accompanied by a hand gesture, both in their regular introductions and within their choreographies, where they form an A with their hands.
• CAPS LOCK: A contrast to their first few singles, the title of “ABKD” is in all caps. This is because it corresponds to the first four letters of the Tagalog alphabet, although as such it's properly pronounced A-Ba-Ka-Da.
  • "ILY ILY" is in all-caps to indicate the double meaning of the title for those unfamiliar with the Ilonggo lullaby.
• Double-Meaning Title: "ILY ILY". The primary meaning is as the starting words of a Hiligaynon folk song, although it's spelled (and pronounced) "ili-ili". But the capitalization as well as spelling it "ILY" (as in "I love you") turns the title into a declaration of love; in the song's context, addressed to parents who have to work abroad, separated from their children.
• Electro House: The instrumental for “kasmala” was purchased from Swedish hit-makers The Kennel AB, so its genre shouldn’t be surprising. The final product enriches these pulse-pounding Electro House beats with Filipino folk instruments. "ABKD" was another collaborative effort with The Kennel AB, as well as "Aswang".
• Harmony: Their songs are highly rich in harmonies. "Sandigan" is notable in that the members without main/lead vocal positions (namely Valfer, Jao, Taneo, and Alas) featured in the song via harmonies and had no full individual lines, unlike main/lead vocalists Mo, R-Ji, Gami, and Tomas.
• Homage: Musically, "Aswang" could be considered as a modern Filipino take on the famous Michael Jackson song "Thriller," particularly evident in the chorus melody.
• Genre-Busting: The group's discography as a whole is hard to pin down to just one genre, as most of their songs take elements from different kinds of music. (Their director JP Laxamana says they aim for experimental pop.) It's best exemplified in "ILY ILY," where some have commented that it's like three songs in one; Mo and Alas's rap parts in the beginning; the melancholy vocal parts of Tomas, Lyca and R-Ji; and the archipelago raps from Alas, Taneo and Jao; after which the last chorus is set to an angry rock riff accompanying the soaring vocals of R-Ji and Mo.
• Gratuitous English: Defied. Laxamana has stated that the only English word you’ll probably hear in ALAMAT songs is “girl.” Played straight with "Say U Love Me," where two of the chorus lines are in full English while the rest of the song alternates between Tagalog and Bisaya.
  • "Gayuma" also has Mo singing a few lines in full English.
• Intercourse with You: Rather unusually for an Asian idol band consisting of young adults under 25 years old, a good amount of their songs have blatantly sexual lyrics. Within the Filipino showbiz industry though, this is pretty standard for Viva artists in comparison to those from other equally high-profile labels.
  • Valfer’s Hiligaynon verse in “kasmala” clearly hints at this, as Lampshaded by a shocked backup dancer and him apologizing for being too straightforward.
  Yeah, daw isa ka diwata akon nadangtan (It’s as if I saw a goddess)
  Sa kalayo, gusto ka makahampang, haha (By the fire, I want to play with you, haha)
  Pasensiya lang kung medyo nagarekta (Sorry if that’s a bit too straightforward)
  Game ka? (Are you game?)
  • Tomas's Bicolano line in the bridge might also count:
  Sa hiro mo 'yan sabihon, gare nagbabayle sa diklom (Say it through motion, like dancing in the dark)
  • Although the music video for the “Pasulong” track “Aswang” has a Slasher Movie storyline, the song itself is clearly about this, with very subtly sexual lyrics like “Gutom ka ba? Huwag mag-alala / Hapunan mo ang aking katawan” (Are you hungry? Don’t worry, your dinner is my body) and “Sipsipin mo ang aking... dugo’t buto’t laman / Gamit ang mabalasik mong dila hanggang sa manghina” (Come suck on my... blood, bones, and flesh / Using your vicious tongue until I weaken), the latter complete with a hip-thrusting motion in the choreography.
  • “Gayuma,” another track from “Pasulong,” is even more explicitly sexual, with Mo crooning, “I can’t get enough of that body / I’m gon’ have you scream you my name / C’mon, take a ride, let your neighbors know me.”
• Lyrical Dissonance:
  • As Tomas noted on their Coke Studio episode, “kbye”’s bitter lyrics and its cheerful melody are “magkasalungat” (opposites).
  • For “kasmala,” Played With. The harsh electronic beats certainly contrast with its ornate, romantic lyrics. However, the music video is somber, and the instrumental actually matches that.
• Lyrical Tic: In “kbye”: “yeeeah”s and “giiirl”s, as well as hearty “OY!”s.
• Lyric Swap:
  • The final chorus of “kbye” kicks off with the same “Wala akong magagawa / Kung gusto mong lumisan ay ikaw ang bahala”^{English translation}“There’s nothing I can do / If you want to leave then it’s up to you”. But after a few choruses full of bitterness, the narrator starts begging her to give their relationship another chance in this last chorus.
  • The ending of “kbye” changes “‘Bat bigla ka nalang umalis? Hindi ka nagpaalam / Siguro ang pag-ibig mo ay pansamantala lang” to “Bigla kang umalis, hindi ka nagpaalam / Pag-ibig mo siguro'y pansamantala lang.” The change in lyrics is made to fit the 3/4 time signature of the coda, switching from the starting 4/4 rhythm.
  • "porque" does a language swap for the final chorus along with a key change, where the Chavacano refrain switches to Tagalog.
  • "ILY ILY" features the original Hiligaynon lullaby in 3/4 time signature for the intro, and then uses the same melody for its Tagalog chorus in 4/4.
  • The second half of the verses of "Aswang" end with "Binabalaan ako / Na lumayo na sa 'yo / Dahil mapanganib" ("They warn me / To stay away from you / 'Coz you're dangerous"). Before the last chorus, however, it becomes "Binabalaan ako / Na lumayo na sa 'yo... / Pero pag-aari mo ako" ("They warn me / To stay away from you... / But you own me").
• Melismatic Vocals: ALAMAT has three official main vocalists (Mo, Gami, Tomas) and one strong lead vocalist (R-Ji), and you can really tell. Even Valfer, who does not have any main or lead vocal positions, did multiple melismatic high notes in “kasmala.”
• Multilingual Song: This is their trademark style, with each member contributing to the songwriting.
• Non-Appearing Title: At no point does “kbye” appear in the lyrics of “kbye.”
• Pep-Talk Song:
  • “Tibay ‘Yan” has lyrics directly addressing the listener, telling you to keep your chin up even though you face various challenges in life.
  Alam kong kayang-kaya mo ‘yan! (I know you can do it!)
  • Lyrically, “kasmala” is about falling in love with a girl. But paired with its music video, its lyrics could be interpreted as a some kind of oblique ode to the fortitude of Filipinos. invokedThe members have said it’s both.
  • The lyrics of "ABKD" are primarily motivational, encouraging listeners to not give up on your dreams, don't let haters bring you down, and believe in yourself. The music video portrays the message of the song alongside promoting members of the Aeta indigenous tribe.
• Perfectly Cromulent Word: "kasmala" is not a proper word in any Filipino language, but is instead a play on the Tagalog word malakas, meaning "strong." In the context of the song itself, it's referring to how enthralled the singer is with the object of his affection.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: In terms of voices, Alas and Valfer. Valfer has a high-pitched, nasally voice; Alas has a deep, husky tone. Their voices are used to contrast with each other in the rap highlight of “kasmala,” with Valfer obviously rapping in a higher tone and Alas in a lower tone.
• Retraux:
  • “Tibay ‘Yan” is a ‘90s-style Alternative Hip Hop song.
  • The teasers for “Sa Panaginip Na Lang” are shot with film to give it a fake retro look. The aesthetic may also be an Homage to Wong Kar-wai films. Likewise, the official music video and its promotional shots are made to look retro, as though they’re from the ‘90s.
• Signature Style: Some mix of Hip-Hop, R&B, and Pop with traditional Filipino instruments like the kulintang. Also, seven to eight languages in the same song — and possibly even nine in the future, if Kalinga is finally added to the mix alongside the occasional Gratuitous English.
• Singing Voice Dissonance:
  • Jao’s speaking voice is much lighter than his singing and rapping voice. As mentioned in Vocal Dissonance above, a lot of fans were taken aback when they realized Jao was the one rapping his verse in “Tibay ‘Yan” because of how deep his voice sounded.
  • Although Alas’ voice can go quite low, usually demonstrated in his raps, he often uses a noticeably lighter vocal configuration when singing.
• Silly Love Songs:
  • “kasmala” sings flowery praises to an unnamed girl.
  • Although their releases prior were mostly Break-Up Songs, Anti-Love Songs, or not about romance at all, the “Pasulong” EP features three full-on love songs:
    • “Aswang” is about falling under the thrall of a monster.
    • “Maharani” is a tribute to female royalty (maharani is the female equivalent or spouse of a maharaja). Thyro, who wrote the song, says it was inspired by the singkíl dance of Lake Lanao’s Maranao ethnic group. Instead of women dancing for the king, however, here the guys are the ones dancing for the queen, which is reflected in its choreography as well.
    • “Gayuma” is an ode to a romantic partner about feeling such powerful attraction as though a love potion (the titular gayuma) was used on the singer.
• Title Drop: “Anitu ang aking sandigan” in the chorus of “Sandigan,” which doubles as a title drop for the TV show it's for (Anitu) and the song itself.
• Those Two Guys: As rappers, Alas and Valfer are a package deal in “kasmala” and “Tibay ‘Yan.” They have similar hairstyles to establish this. The Unplugged Version of “kasmala” even shows Alas harmonizing on Valfer’s Hiligaynon rap.
• Translated Cover Version:
  • Their “Archipelago Version” covers of OPM songs do this partially. Some Tagalog parts remain, but most of the song is rewritten in the members’ native languages. Take this cover of Jaya’s “Wala Na Bang Pag-Ibig,” for example.^note Ironically, Jaya herself is of Bisaya ancestry. But her prolific catalogue of hits consists of solely Tagalog songs.
  • Averted with their cover of “Coba Cintaku” by UN1TY, which retains the Bahasa Indonesia lyrics.
  • Their cover of “Porque” by Maldita also averts this, but it’s still more than one language (in the original Tagalog and Chavacano lyrics).
  • Partially in "ILY ILY." The intro retains the original Hiligaynon lyrics of the folk song "Ili-Ili," but in other verses of the song, they sing Tagalog lines in its melody.
• Truck Driver's Gear Change:
  • "Tibay 'Yan" is mostly in A minor, shifting to A# minor from the bridge until the end of the song. "porque" shifts from B major to C# major for the last refrain. "Say U Love Me" goes from Ab to A right before the last chorus.
  • "ILY ILY" is primarily in C minor, but shifts to C major for the vocal interlude with Tomas, Lyca and R-Ji, before going back to C minor from Alas's Bisaya rap till the end of the song.
  • Thyro Alfaro's original arrangement for his song "Litrato" is solely in D major; however, in his collaboration with ALAMAT, the song goes up to E flat and finally to F at the last choruses.
• Vocal Tag Team: Usually Mo, Gami, Tomas, and R-Ji, but it varies per song.
  • In “Sandigan,” only the main and lead vocalists have any individual lines.
  • In “Tibay ‘Yan,” only the main vocalists Mo, Tomas, and Gami have any individual sung lines. (R-Ji, the lead vocalist, raps.)
  • In “porque,” no one raps and they all sing quite a lot.
  • In their cover version of “Litrato” by Thyro (singing alongside the man himself), the members without main/lead vocal positions get the “Sandigan” treatment again. They do not sing any individual lines — however, they do get full rap verses, even the ones without rap positions (like Jao and Taneo). The main and lead vocalists (sans Gami, who was absent) sing individual lines.
• A Wild Rapper Appears!:
  • Mo is the main rapper. However, sometimes he barely raps or doesn’t rap at all, because he’s too busy doing heavy vocal work in the song.
  • Alas and Valfer are the lead rappers. In “kasmala” and “Tibay ‘Yan,” they share the rap highlights.
  • Especially since Valfer left, Alas has been the most consistent rapper in their songs, even though Mo is the main rapper. In “ABKD,” Alas is the only one who raps, and Mo does heavy-duty vocal work, including the climactic high note.
  • Mo got to show off his rap once again in the first verse of "ILY ILY," followed later in the song by Taneo and Jao. Even R-Ji has a few rap lines after some singing.
  • In “Maharani,” Mo again does not rap at all, instead doing heavy vocal work, and again, only the non-vocal line members rap (Alas, Jao, Taneo, despite the latter two not having rap positions).

Tropes that apply to their music videos or performances

• Anachronism Stew: Their clothes often deliberately mix precolonial styles with modern fashion elements.
• And Then John Was a Zombie: In the “Aswang” MV, the boys start out as monster hunters but become monsters at the end.
• Arc Symbol: Some scenes from the music videos for "Say U Love Me" and "ILY ILY" feature the fast-forward symbol (two triangles pointing right) in the background. It was later revealed to be the symbol for their mini-album "Pasulong," which appropriately enough means "advancing forward."
• Badass Biker: Mo smolders while riding a motorcycle in his pogi shots for “kasmala.”
  • Jhoanna's boyfriend in "Maharani" is portrayed as a hunky biker with an abusive streak.
• Badass Longcoat: In “Tibay ‘Yan,” a Pep-Talk Song, R-Ji dons a white suit with a longcoat.
• Based on a True Story: Downplayed. The events shown in “kasmala” are very much rooted in real history, like the USA’s notorious human zoos (plural) that put “savage” Filipinos on display. However, these events are presented in abstract and symbolic ways.
• Cover Version: In their Tugatog Music Festival performance, they sang a slower rendition of "Na Na Na" by P-Pop girl group BINI. Midway through their song, BINI joined them onstage to perform their cover of ALAMAT's "kbye", proceeding to mashup the songs together, with the girls even singing the archipelago verses alongside the boys. For good measure, some of the verses were sung by BINI members also representing their respective native languages; Aiah from Cebu sang in Bisaya (with fellow Central Visayan member Colet singing the Bisaya ad-libs), Stacey from Nueva Vizcaya sang in Ilocano, and Gwen from Albay (same province as Tomas) sang in Bicolano.
• Did Not Get the Girl: At the end of the "Maharani" music video, Taneo does not end up with Jhoanna, as she chooses to go back to her abusive boyfriend. The video ends with the rest of the boys trying to comfort Taneo as they watch her ride off.
• Even the Girls Want Her: In "Gayuma," some of the other players who are shown to lust after the cyborg girl (played by AJ of G22) are also women.
• Fan Disservice: Played with. (Intentionally, of course.) “kasmala” mixes this with Fanservice.
  • The very first scene of the music video shows Taneo wearing only a loincloth and a mask, with the opening shot primarily focused on his abs, but tied to a post as he struggles with his bindings and gives a Death Glare to the viewer. The following scene shows what's being referenced by the imagery - the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, where tribal Filipinos were captured, caged and tied up, and put on display in "human zoos" for people to gawk at.
  • For example, Alas’ first solo scene is a Shirtless Scene, with him rapping about how “no kidding, your shape is beautiful.” But he’s also getting scrubbed by one of the eerily masked backup dancers, a parallel to how McKinley vowed to scrub the brown skin off Filipinos in the earliest days of American colonialism.
  • Taneo’s chiselled abs are also in display as a backup dancer crawls on him suggestively — but the fact that the dancer is clad in a formless white suit and emotionless mask makes it uncomfortable to watch. The scene also represents a grim chapter in Filipino-American history where Filipino men were perceived as a “threat” to White men thanks to White women lavishing them with attention, and were murdered without provocation.
• Fanservice:
  • The music video for “kasmala” is about racism, but invokedWord of God is that they did intentionally film some pogi shots (shots of the members looking as handsome as possible). This random montage of glamor shots is presumably the result.
  • "Say U Love Me" is a full music video's worth of fanservice, from the visuals down to the choreography.
• Glowing Eyes of Doom: The titular aswang^note a vampire-like mythical creature with roots in Visayan folklore, but has since become popular across the Philippines in general in the “Aswang” MV can make her eyes glow gold. When the boys themselves become aswang after she captures them, their eyes glow gold too.
• Homage:
  • The province signs that the members carry in “kbye” pay tribute to jeepney art.
  • The background of the party scenes in “kbye” mimics the gaudy artwork common to public schools in the Philippines, which are often designed by teachers on a tight budget.
  • In the first chorus of "ILY ILY", the boys sing while portraying the Filipino Holy Week custom of penitensya, walking on their knees and crawling on the ground while whipping themselves on the back. With the lyrics of the song, they're using the tradition as a metaphor for the sacrifices that OFWs (overseas foreign workers) make to provide for their families. Additionally, as the story of the music video portrays the boys as siblings along with Lyca, it could also be interpreted as them making atonement for not being grateful for their parents' provisions.
  • The music video of “Aswang” is a throwback to classic supernatural slashers, chock-full of tropes found in such movies like Dwindling Party, Haunted House, Hunter of Monsters, Femme Fatale (of the Literal Maneater variety, of course), Glowing Eyes of Doom, Jitter Cam, Vampire's Harem, And Then John Was a Zombie, among others.
  • The music video for "Maharani" portrays the singkil and tinikling dances that inspired the song's composition, with Taneo and BINI Jhoanna playing the primary roles, and the rest of the boys handling the clapping of the bamboo poles at their feet.
• Hotter and Sexier:
  • Despite the gap between the two music videos’ release dates merely being a few months, “kasmala” is a lot more mature than “kbye.” “kbye” showcased their youthful energy, but “kasmala” packs more Fanservice such as the scene of a backup dancer crawling all over Taneo, then Valfer saying he wants to “play beside the fire” with the lady he’s pursuing. The latter is Lampshaded by another dancer holding their hand to their mouth, shocked.
  • The music video for “Say U Love Me,” featuring the group’s most aggressively sexual choreography, comes after the colorful and kid-friendly “ABKD.”
  • "Aswang" also leans more on the suggestive side, through the choreography, the visuals of the music video, the lyrics, and even the YouTube subtitles; a particular line seems to be deliberately cut to make the first part more of a double-entendre.
  "Come suck my / Blood, bones and flesh using / Your vicious tongue until I'm weak"
• Hot Men at Work: One of the concepts featured in the “Say U Love Me” music video, in which the members play a highly fanservice-y bunch of construction workers. For example, one scene lingers on Mo’s uniform strap falling off his shoulder. Sexily.
• Lost in Translation:
  • The official English translation of their catchphrase “ALAMAT, handa, ‘rap” — “ALAMAT, about-face” — probably still won’t make sense to a lot of people, but there’s really quite a simple explanation for it. ALAMAT is the group name, and they are telling themselves to get ready (handa) and face the audience (‘rap, short for harap). Also, "about-face" and "handa, 'rap" are military commands in English and Tagalog respectively.
  • One of the lines in the chorus of "porque," "Bien simple lang iyo ta pedi / Era senti tu el cosa yo ya senti" is translated into English as "My wish is simple / That you'd feel what I'm feeling." In the final Tagalog refrain, the line becomes "Kay simple lang ng aking hiling / Na madama mo rin ang pait at pighati." The YouTube music video subtitles it the same as with the Chavacano refrain, but the more accurate translation of the line from Tagalog to English is "My wish is simple / That you'd also feel the bitterness and agony."
• Meaningful Echo: The music video for "Maharani" starts with a scene of Taneo misstepping from a dance and falling, followed by Jhoanna reaching out her hand to help him up. Shortly afterward, when Jhoanna is crying after an encounter with her abusive boyfriend, Taneo stands and reaches out his hand in the same manner.
• Mr. Fanservice: The members providing fanservice — in the form of Shirtless Scenes or otherwise — are pretty common in their music videos.
• Ms. Fanservice:
  • Although the members sing saucy lyrics in “Aswang,” the aswang herself — played by Fatima, a member of ALAMAT’s sister group LITZ — is in charge of the fanservice in its music video. She gets a lot of scenes focusing on various parts of her body, like her fishnet-clad legs, or her mouth as she smirks or bites her lips, among others. Even adding an unnaturally long tongue doesn't detract from the effect, as it's only shown either in her silhouette shots, or very briefly as she jumps one of the boys.
  • The main girl in “Gayuma” (played by AJ of G22) wears fishnets, a top, and a miniskirt and dances seductively, making the members all want her. However, it is again juxtaposed with some Fan Disservice, considering the shots of her eye that's completely gray, some Jitter Cam scenes, and how incredibly fast she moves her arms in later scenes. In the end, this is revealed to be because she's just an AI creation.
• Never Bring A Knife To A Fistfight: All of the boys are carrying weapons when they step inside the aswang’s manor, but, supernatural creature that she is, she easily defeats them without carrying a single weapon of her own. Even R-Ji wields a bow and arrow, but the aswang catches his arrow easily.
• Our Vampires Are Different: The title character of “Aswang,” a shape-shifting, blood-sucking mythical creature, is based on Visayan/Philippine folklore, so it differs from its Western counterpart in a number of ways.
• Period Piece:
  • Albeit in a highly stylized way, “kasmala” depicts some depressing events in Filipino-American history, such as:
    • human zoos in the 1900s, which displayed “savage” Filipinos for the entertainment of white Americans;
    • Filipino-American workers being murdered en masse in the early 20th century
  • “porque” takes it further back in time, to the Spanish colonial era. invokedWord of God states that “porque” is meant to be from Rizal’s perspective as he sees Leonor Rivera marry someone else. The members’ styling reflects the time period.
• Pretty in Mink: And pink. R-Ji wears a pastel pink fur coat in the party scenes for “kbye.”
• Red Eyes, Take Warning: Invoked and thoroughly deconstructed in “kasmala.” Gami wears red contact lenses as the masked dancers (representing white Americans) make a spectacle out of him. This is an allusion to how the Filipinos at the 1904 World’s Fair and other similar events sensationalized the day-to-day living of the Filipino ethnic groups on display (especially the Igorot tribes). In reality, the Igorot tribes and other Filipinos are, of course, just human beings like any other.
• Robosexual: In “Gayuma,” the boys all get drunk and enter a VR world through their headsets, in which they see an android girl that becomes their Lust Object.
• Rule of Symbolism: Used heavily in the music video for "ILY ILY", particularly with the use of paper money. One of Lyca's scenes features her lying in a tub full of it, and then later angrily tossing them around while ruining her makeup with tears. Another scene has Jao taking a clay pot filled with bills and laying it on a dinner table with the rest of the boys gathered around, and later shows them trying to eat the paper. The imagery conveys the message that the financial provisions by parents who have to work abroad can never satisfy a child's deepest need for a stable and intact family.
• Shout-Out: The José Rizal quote “Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay higit sa hayop at malansang isda.” ^{English translation}“Someone who does not love their own language is worse than an animal or foul fish.” is plastered on the background of “kbye”’s party scenes.
• Slasher Movie: The music video for “Aswang” plays out like one, with the aswang killing each of the boys one by one. They return near the end, however, having been turned into aswang themselves.
• Soundtrack Dissonance:
  • “kasmala” is a love song. Its music video depicts the extreme racism and exploitation suffered by Filipinos in the USA circa 1900s to the 1960s (AKA the first few generations of Filipinos assimilating to American colonialism).
  • The beginning of "ILY ILY" portrays a birthday party, but the mood is more gloomy as the ALAMAT boys start singing the Hiligaynon lullaby about a mother who's not home and left to buy bread. This setting is revisited in Lyca's vocal part as the boys enjoy the party, eating and dancing while she sings about checking in on her parents who are working abroad.
• Supernatural Gold Eyes: In the “Aswang” music video, the aswang’s Glowing Eyes of Doom are gold-colored. And after all the boys are caught, their eyes turn gold as well.
• Supporting Protagonist: Child actress Sheila Mae Romualdo plays The Protagonist in the music video for “ABKD.” The ALAMAT boys appear as supporting characters.
• Surreal Horror: The backup dancers in “kasmala,” representing white Americans, are clad in very creepy masked ensembles◊.
• Tamer and Chaster: After the more mature vibes of “kasmala” and “porque,” they returned to youthful vibes with “ABKD,” which they have outright stated to be a song aimed towards children.
  • After the not-too-subtly suggestive lyrics and visuals of "Aswang," "Maharani" has the boys playing high-school students practicing a folk dance and playing together after school.
• Unplugged Version: They post live acoustic sessions pretty regularly, with Valfer playing the guitar when he was still around. After Valfer's departure from the group, R-Ji took over on the guitar.
• Undeathly Pallor: Subverted in “Aswang.” When the aswang girl is first introduced, she is bathed in pale blue lighting or washed out by a spotlight. But in later scenes, she is obviously tan-skinned. When the boys get turned into aswang too, they are shown with glowing skin tones as well, forgoing the vampire = pale trope. Justified, because aswang are technically not undead, unlike Western vampires.
• Vampires Are Sex Gods: An aswang is a blood-sucking mythical creature in Philippine mythology (with origins in Visayan folklore). The aswang is depicted as a seductive woman both in the concept art for “Aswang” and in the music video.
• Vampire's Harem: A Gender-Inverted Trope by the end of “Aswang.” This is clearly the fate of the members’ characters, who started out as monster hunters but got seduced and transformed by the aswang girl, now spending the rest of their lives in her manor. Post-transformation, they’ve even traded their original outfits for identical black barongs, as though they’re donning uniforms, hinting at the “losing your original personality and becoming just like the other vampire harem members” aspect commonly associated with this trope. Cemented by Tomas singing “Pero pag-aari mo ako” (But I’m your possession) shortly after The Reveal that the boys have become aswang.

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