A year after his debut album “Kung Alam Mo Lang,” who would’ve thought Hev Abi would be where he is today
Charts and trends often dictate the type of music one puts out. Where many would seek a formulaic hit, the rare few create as they please. Hev Abi is one such kind.
Last year, Hev Abi released his debut album “Kung Alam Mo Lang.” With tracks such as “Walang Alam” and “Alam Mo Ba Girl,” the project immediately became a hit, earning the young rapper well past 400 million streams on Spotify alone.
It’s safe to say that he is a modern Filipino hip-hop hit-making juggernaut.
Around the same time as the release of his first album, we had the opportunity to join Hev Abi for a brief interview. Then, prior to everything just mentioned, he appeared as a talent solely focused on his artistry.
“Kung ano ’yung gusto [kong] marinig, ayun din ’yung ginagawa ko at pinaparinig sa iba.”
(What I love hearing, those are the things I create and make others listen to.)
READ: To simply make music is the point for rising star Hev Abi
With his latest mixtape “Bahay Namin Maliit Lamang” showing sides of a Hev Abi we’ve yet to discover, it’s clear his sentiment from over a year ago remains true to this day. It didn’t matter that he shot up the charts overnight or that he is being held up as a modern Filipino hip-hop icon. The fact remains, to simply make music is still the point of it all.
In our conversation last year, you talked about how you wanted to simply put out the music you love irrespective of how others think about it. Has that changed given that you are regarded as a leading figure in modern Filipino hip-hop?
Hindi siya nagbago; ganon pa din. Parang di ko nga napansin na lumipas ’yung panahon. Kumbaga, may isang taon na rin pala—speaking of, kakaisang taon lang ng album. Pero wala, ganun pa rin naman ang ginagawa ko sa ngayon: Kung ano ’yung gusto ko ’yun pa rin ginagawa ko.
(It hasn’t changed. It’s like I didn’t notice time passing by, that’s it’s already been one year since the album. But no, what I do is still the same: I make what I want.)
What does that recognition mean to you?
Di naman siya nakakagulat para sa akin. Lahat naman siguro ng artist gusto maging leading [in] some way. So pagdating sa akin, gusto ko isipin na hindi siya nakakagulat, siyempre, para maging steady ka lang. Grateful lang lagi.
At the same time, siyempre, masaya rin. Ako naman, basta ginagawa ko ’yung music na gusto kong mapakinggan—’yung recognition ng mga tao, ng Spotify—bonus na lang rin. Thankful ako na maraming nag-e-enjoy at nakakarelate sa music ko, which is ’yun na rin siguro ’yung reason kung bakit nasasabi na ni-re-represent ko ’yung new sound ng Pinoy hip-hop.
(It’s not all that shocking to me. I’m pretty sure every artist wants to be “leading” in some way. I like to think that it isn’t surprising so I can remain steady. But, I’m always grateful.
At the same time, of course, I’m very happy. For me, as long as I get to make the music I want to listen to—the recognition from people, from Spotify—it’s a bonus. I’m thankful that many enjoy and relate to my music, which is probably why it’s said I represent the new Pinoy hip-hop sound.)
Tell us about your latest mixtape (“Bahay Namin Maliit Lamang”). Is there pressure to live up to the success of last year’s “Kung Alam Mo Lang”?
Wala naman [pressure] para sa’kin—siguro may konti, pero [smaller project] mixtape lang naman siya. I mean in the first place, wala rin naman akong inexpect masyado sa “Kung Alam Mo Lang.”
Kumbaga, kung ano man ’yung tingin ng marami dun, sa mga album ko—para sakin, pantay-pantay lang din sila sa mata ko. Basta ako, gumagawa ako ng project at nag-e-enjoy ko.
(There’s no pressure for me—well, there could be a little, but it’s a smaller project anyway. I mean in the first place, I didn’t expect much from “Kung Alam Mo Lang” to begin with.
If anything, regardless of how others see my albums—for me, they’re all equal in my eyes. Whatever they say, I’m just here working on projects and enjoying them.)
How has the Hev Abi sound evolved throughout the years and are there more aspects to your artistry that you want to explore moving forward?
Oo, may mga tinatry akong bago na—actually, dun nga nagugugol oras ko ngayon. Gusto ko gumawa ng bago sa pandinig ko gawa ng daming klase ng kanta na nagawa ko na dati. Gusto ko talagang di mo masasabing ‘narinig ko na ‘to before.’
Siguro kung paano nag-evolve, ngayon mas maarte na ako sa ginagawa ko. As much as possible, ayoko may maulit sa mga bago kong ilalabas.
(I’ve been trying a lot of things recently—actually, that’s where much of my time has been going. I want to make something new to my ears given that I’ve already made so many songs. I want to make sure that listeners can’t say ‘I’ve heard this before.’
As for how it’s [my sound] has evolved, I’d say I’m now more particular with what I do. As much as possible, I don’t want anything to repeat with anything new I’m working on.)
What’s next for you? What can your supporters look forward to in the coming months?
Ngayon, gumagawa ako ulit ng bagong album. Kakaisang taon lang nung “Kung Alam Mo Lang” tas gumagawa na ako ulit ng bago. Parang ngayon nga lang din ako nag-start ulit gumawa ng album—parang back-to-zero ’yung feeling, pero in different ways since marami na ring nagbago.
(Now, I’m working on a new album. It’s only been a year since ‘Kung Alam Mo Lang’ but now I’m making another. It’s only now that I started working on an album again—the feeling is like going back to zero, but in a different way since a lot has changed since last year.)
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In early October 2024, Spotify Philippines celebrated the music platform’s 10th year in the country. To commemorate the occasion, they held the Philippines’ first-ever Spotify Lounge, a musical celebration featuring performances from the likes of Ben&Ben, Illest Morena, and Maki.
“With an impressive 80 percent average growth in Pinoy artist global exports year-on-year, we remain dedicated to empowering Filipino talents and continue elevating Pinoy music on the global stage. I’m excited to bring their music to even more fans around the world,” said Kossy Ng, head of music for Spotify Southeast Asia.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.