What makes the local music scene thriving and thrilling, too, is the emergence of new artists and acts. One of them is the P-Pop girl group named HARA from Davao City. It is managed by Unique Music Management and has joined Sony Music Entertainment.
The public and music enthusiasts can listen to the group’s pre-debut single, My Love, on digital music platforms, and watch the music video on its YouTube channel.
This paper had a recent brief virtual chat with HARA, composed of Blythz, Ai, Ckhy, Tashi, Lory and Yani, whose group name, a pre-colonial term, means “beauty” and “strength,” yes, “ganda” and “lakas” in the vernacular.
Asked how the six-member group came about, Ai recalled that an audition was held in Davao and they saw the announcement online. Part of it was an elimination round, trimming down the participants into a small number that would eventually form the group. It tested their mettle when it came to dancing and singing. Their audition experience could be compared to participating in a reality talent show.
She added that members Yani and Ckhy were scouted to complete the crew.
Before they heeded the call to be a part of a P-Pop group, each was busy pursuing her own interests and priorities.
“I was a dance coach, a choreographer, and also part of a choir group,” said Blythz, while
Ai was “a professional cosplayer and streamer,” also doing K-pop covers as a side hobby.
Ckhy shared that aside from schooling, she would join “pageants, singing and dance competitions.”
Tashi was also attending her studies and doing K-pop dance cover competitions and cosplaying.
Lory worked as a professional model and tried her luck at auditioning for artista shows.
Yani, who also joined beauty pageants, was a volleyball player for her school. She would sing and dance at home.
Whether some of them discovered the passion to entertain and engage audiences through music and dance at a young age or later in life, what matters is that the girls of HARA finally have the chance and the platform to do so. Their career as a collective has taken off with the pre-debut single My Love.
A piece of information given to this paper describes the song as a “Eurohouse-flavored pop track” that brings one “into clubland fantasia, where suave, confident vocals and magnetic dance-pop production create a mesmerizing sonic experience.” The lyrics were written in English and Tagalog with a touch of Bisaya.
“Our music focuses on empowerment and knowing your worth, especially for us, women.” said Blythz. “It talks about realizing your value and having the courage to walk away from someone who doesn’t respect you. Through our music, we want to remind everyone, especially us, that you deserve love that respects and values you.”
Ai recalled that they first heard My Love during the audition phase and when the members of the group were completed.
“Pinarinig na agad yung song (They played it and let us listen to it) and they did ask us how do we feel about the song. But for us, it was perfect already,” said she.
Blythz added they fell in love with it, at first listen, as one may put it.
To further describe their genre, Ai shared that their song “sounds really feminine,” but generally, it’s upbeat and pop.
When asked about the idea behind releasing a pre-debut single instead of having the usual first-ever song, Lory said it was a way to introduce HARA as a group.
My Love may be viewed as a starter or a preview to the songs that listeners can look forward to from them.
During the interview, HARA was also asked for its two cents on the trend among artists to release one single after another rather than go for an album.
“For us, mas maganda din yung paisa-isa (we find it nicer to record and release one song at a time),” said Ckhy. “I think each song represents like, (yung) ibang kaya po naming gawin (what else we can do).”
Yani, on the other hand, shared that it also shows the evolution of them, sound- and genre-wise.
Ckhy added that they want to try different music genres. With that, they can surprise their followers, and offer something new every time, if one may add.
HARA will grace festivals, mall shows and school events. Hopefully, they will also have live performances for Metro Manila audiences and share the center stage with other established and promising P-Pop artists.
As HARA, Ai said that they want to connect with fellow P-Pop groups and take their music nationally and internationally.
Give HARA’s My Love a listen on all digital music platforms via Sony Music Entertainment.