PAULO Dela Cruz (vocals), Sam Deuda (guitar), Rico Leonardo (bass), Lawrence Luna (guitar) and Carlos Galvez (drums) of PAPAPETA don’t have to try too
hard to be funny; they just are.

Everything just comes naturally to them, which is exactly the way the band came to be.

PAPAPETA didn’t plan to start out as an Original Pilipino Music (OPM) band. “Paulo just sings better in Tagalog,” laughs Rico.

In all seriousness, though, why they started to play more Tagalog songs with a pop rock edge was because they noticed how some Filipinos don’t bother listening to OPM anymore.

Everything seems to be a funny story with PAPAPETA. Who would’ve thought that a group of misfits who went to Greenwich’s #UltimateBandkada Search auditions
mainly for the pizza, would finish among the top eight finalists?

Not these guys—especially since they didn’t rehearse at all before the auditions. Greenwich’s Ultimate Bandkada Search is a camp and competition where participants are trained and mentored by musicians like the Climax, Pow Chavez, Top Suzara and Kio Priest in different music genres.

The bands then get a chance to show off their skills and if picked
by the judges, can win up to P100,000.

So who cares if the five make fun of each other’s English dictions or if they take forever perfecting a serious pose for the photoshoot?

They’d rather be serious about more important things. “Our goal is to promote Philippine culture,” Lawrence says. Influenced by the likes of the Eraserheads, Rivermaya, Orange and Lemons, and Parokya ni Edgar, the band just wants to bring back “’90s OPM” to the mainstream. Rico adds, “Right now, most Filipinos view Filipino music as tacky or ugly.” Let PAPAPETA prove them wrong.

Your band name is interesting. I heard during the shoot that you guys had five versions of how it came about?
Hindi rin namin alam yung meaning ng PAPAPETA. When people ask us sa gigs, we say it’s Hebrew (laughs). Papa means male. Peta means gwapo.

Ano yung ibang versions? Tapos how did you start anyway?
Sa fifth floor ng music room. Parang, “Guys, gusto niyo bumuo
ng banda?” “Tara.” Yun na. Start pa lang, si Paolo lang ang PAPAPETA.
Username account ng SoundCloud niya. Nagsusulat kasi siya ng songs niya sa SoundCloud. Nang pinakinggan ko ng mabuti mga kanta niya, nakita ko na may star quality. So I [Lawrence] approached him and said na gumawa ng band para hindi sayang yung mga compositions niya. Kaya PAPAPETA para respect for the
artist who composed the songs.

So paano niyo nalaman yung Greenwich Search?
The day before sabi sa amin, “Uy, tugtog kayo. May audition sa Greenwich.” So naisip namin na rare opportunity yun. Exposure din yun. Pero pagdating namin
doon ng lunchtime, naisip namin, “Uy pizza, tara, kain!” (laughs)
We didn’t expect anything. Wala kaming practice. Nasa bahay kami ni Rico. Tapos nagtext yung Greenwich. Si Paulo nasa jeep. Hindi siya makahinga.

How did you guys celebrate after knowing nakapasok kayo?
Nagwala and sigawan sa cell phone (laughs).

Who or what are your influences?
Sa arrangement, siguro Eraserheads, Rivermaya, Orange and Lemons. Yung ’90s. Medyo iba na OPM ngayon eh. Kaunting Parokya ni Edgar and Mayonnaise. Iba-iba yung genre namin bago kami nag-start.

Ngayon pop rock kasi ayaw na ng mga Pilipino makinig ng OPM. The goal is to promote Philippine culture. Gusto lang namin ibalik sa mainstream ang OPM.

Most Filipinos think Filipino music kasi is baduy or pangit. Okay
ang Filipino music.

What are three qualities you think every Ultimate Bandkada should have?
Punctuality… obedience… Tsaka behavior? Siguro chemistry ng band, discipline and uniqueness.

If you were a Greenwich pizza, what would you be?
Four cheese na lang. Simple pero maganda. Hawaiian kasi yung music namin full of flavors.

Get to know each band, watch them perform and vote for your favorite.
The band with the highest number of votes will be given the Favorite ng Barkada Award at the finale on August 8, 2015, in Valkyrie, The Palace, Uptown BGC.

Avail of your daily free vote or buy any of The #UltimateBandkada Feast for additional votes. For more information, please visit www.ultimatebandkada.com.