Cameras are raised and, with eager hoots, the crowd welcomes the band Loop and its lead singer Kim Trinidad.
Unassuming and giggling as her bandmates tune their instruments, Kim is your average girl next door—kind of shy, with an awkward confidence about her. But soon she is leading the crowd in a soulful sing-along.
A native of Iligan City, Kim started writing songs in high school. She says she’s always been into music, humming out melodies and then picking the right words to go with them. She would write songs for every emotion she felt, for every crush and little joy she had, even if it was as simple as a sip of coffee while it was raining outside.
She admits finding inspiration in her own experiences, as well as those of others. She simply needs to write when there’s a story waiting to be told.
From writing songs on her own to performing covers, Kim started out as a solo artist. But wanting to do more of her original work, she decided to form a band; being friends with other musicians in her hometown, she didn’t have a hard time finding bandmates.
Middle ground
At first, Kim says it was difficult to be in a band with musicians of varied backgrounds. Their different musical styles usually clashed, and it was not easy to find a middle ground.
However, things went fine as soon as they found their groove.
Today, Loop plays music that any fan of whatever genre could appreciate. The band is an interesting bunch of artists whose individual contributions work on different levels.
Kim says it’s a thrill to be in a band that allows her to collaborate in creating original music.
But offstage, she comes off as an oddly vulnerable woman. She says she never really saw herself as a performer, as she’s “always had this fear of getting rejected or ignored,” and that “performing my own songs in front of a crowd was no different.”
There’s no rejection for her, though— whether it be in her hometown or traveling around the country with her band, as one sees her loyal fans singing along to her songs and cheering her on.
Having a band and making music “takes a lot of practice and passion,” Kim says. “It isn’t easy, but ultimately we should all be doing something with our lives and, luckily, right now, I get to do what I really love.”
Kim is an example of someone who, though she says she lacks self-confidence, isn’t afraid to go for what she wants. It’s also evident that Kim enjoys the process of creating music.
Inspiration may just pop up at any moment. “It just comes, I can’t force it,” she says, tapping on her table to create a beat, presenting it to her bandmates and ultimately performing in front of a crowd.
One feels as though Kim’s lyrics have been taken from her own diaries. There are tales of admiration, tales of longing, tales of quiet happiness—a few things everyone can relate to. These stories are her personal experiences that she wants to share with others.
She doesn’t put a premium on what the industry has to say about her in the future, and neither does she complicate her life with the future of her musical career. All that Kim does is focus on the now and her love for music.
After years of honing her craft and doing what she really loves, Kim has finally found herself in her music and in her band.
Photography: Toff Tiozon
Styling: Enzo Belen
Hair and makeup: Jet Babas