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The ladies of Pinay have proven how success can come in several different forms.
In the world of music, they have accomplished the goals that many beginning entertainers
can only dream of: Traveling around the country, singles making it onto the Billboard
charts and releasing an album. Their education is just as impressive. They have
bachelors degrees in the following areas: Psychology, Nursing, Molecular Cell
Biology and Asian American Studies as well as minors in Music and Asian Studies.
Each of the women also have a professional career outside of music.
Irma is currently attending law school at the University of Washington, Maylene
teaches both biology and chemistry classes at UC Berkeley and also works at Chiron
Corporation. Loredie is a registered nurse and Angelica works in real estate.
The history of Pinay dates back to 1993 when they were called "Pinay Divas"
and members included Maylene, Irma, Angelica and Jocelyn Enriquez. In 1994, Jocelyn
Enriquez left the group to pursue a solo career and Loredie joined to complete
the soulful harmonic sound that defines Pinay.
Their image as Pilipina artists is enhanced by their logo which is derived from
the Alibata character (an ancient Pilipino alphabet) which means "di-wa"
which sounds like diva; which translates to "spirit" or
"soul". The ladies represent a motivating "spirit" for aspiring
Pilipino artists. Their passion for music is heard from the way they reach out
and connect with their audience.
Recently, I had the opportunity to talk to Pinay member, Irma de los Santos.
AC (Dennis): Fans, along with myself, may wonder – is there is one
leader of the group? PINAY:
There is no one leader of the group.
Musically we share the leads. There isn't just one soloist. Creatively,
we each have equal say about the kind of music we want to do, about image, about
what shows we want to take, pretty much all of those things. Outside of music,
as a business and as our own management team, we are equal partners and we delegate
responsibilities pretty equally. For example, one of us takes care of the logistics
of bookings, one of us oversees finances, one of us takes care of performance/show
creation, and one of us takes care of public relations and press. We have learned
to really cooperate and combine our efforts to make the most of the experience.
AC (Dennis):
I’m curious, what kind of music do
you each of you listen to? PINAY:
There is so much out there that
the four of us are listening to right now. If we had a list, it could go on forever.
Our interest in music really runs the gamut of different genres but a few examples
are Lauryn Hill,Tamia, Black-Eyed Peas, Matchbox 20, Indigo Girls and Eric Benet.
AC (Dennis):
Where were you all born and raised? PINAY:
I was born and raised in San Francisco.
Maylene was born in the Philippines and came to California at the age of 12. Loredie
was born in the Philippines and came to California at age 8. Angelica was born
in New York, moved to Texas, then moved to Southern CA where she grew up and later
moved to Northern CA for college. AC (Dennis):
What kind of atmosphere were you all raised
with? PINAY: We
all grew up in a traditional Pilipino family atmosphere in urban American settings.
It was an interesting mix of Pilipino tradition and custom in an American atmosphere
that was very different from the one our parents grew up in. But despite the generational
differences, we all have very close ties with our families who have been extremely
supportive of all of us and our endeavors, both academic and creative.
From
L-R: Angelica Abiog, Loredie Reyes, Maylene Briones and Irma de los Santos.
Photo by Alan Aseniero. | AC (Dennis):
Do you and the others have any role models
in the music industry? PINAY:
Sure there were performers who
we grew up listening to and admired like Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin and
Roberta Flack. As far as who our role models were,
I think that each of us would say that it was those people who were close to us
as we were growing up who really had an effect on how we live our lives and the
kinds of decisions we make. Our parents have been important forces on each of
our lives. I know that our various music teachers over the years (SF girls chorus,
high school, college...) have been a great source of inspiration for our creativity
and perseverance in the music business. AC (Dennis): What’s the most satisfying part about being
Asian American in the music industry? | PINAY:
First and foremost, it's
great to have the opportunity to share our music regardless of our ethnicity.
The most satisfying part about being Pinay in this industry is that we realize
that we are part of a pioneering group of entertainers out there (along with other
acts like Jocelyn Enriquez, KAI, Julie Plug and Innerlude) who are making waves
and bringing visibility to Asian Americans in the music scene. Growing up here
in the US, I can't think of any mainstream musician whom I could look to as someone
who looked like me, grew up in the atmosphere that I grew up in, that I could
relate to on a personal and individual level. We speak to and receive mail from
kids, many of whom are Pilipino and Asian American, and it's nice to know that
they feel that besides listening to our music, they feel like they can relate
to us on a personal level... that's something I would've liked to have had growing
up. AC (Dennis):
Now what is the most frustrating part about
being Asian Americans in the music industry.
PINAY: The most
frustrating part about being Pinay in the music industry is the other side of
the same coin. We are part of a pioneering bunch. There is still a lot to do as
far as gaining general acceptance in mainstream industry. The entertainment industry,
in general is black, white, and increasingly now Latino. Asians still don't have
a real presence despite the numbers of us in this country. So maybe it's part
skepticism, part unfamiliarity, part fears about marketability (or lack thereof)
but it is a challenge to work in a business where people don't know whether or
not to expect commercial success from an Asian group. We're in the industry at
a time when doors are just beginning to open, and admittedly, many of them are
still closed, but we're working at it!
AC (Dennis):
How long did it take to produce your debut
album, Inevitable?
PINAY: The
actual writing and recording of the music on the album was spread out roughly
two years. We went through periods of working with some different writers and
producers, but once we hooked up with writer and producer JP Nebres, the album
really began to come together. We have a great chemistry and working relationship
with him. The first of his songs that we heard was "Inevitable." We
instantly loved it! Then in choosing a title for the album, we thought that Inevitable
would be really fitting, there was no question that we
were going to make the most of this experience. To make the music happen for us...it
was inevitable. AC (Dennis):
What was it like the first time you were
approached by a fan? PINAY:
The first time I was recognized
by a fan was when I was shopping with my mother at Macy’s. A mother and daughter
pair recognized me from a television piece that was done on us. The mother tapped
me on the shoulder and said, "Aren't you Irma from Pinay?" I couldn't
believe it, not only did she know of the group, she knew my own individual name,
then she proceeded to recite the other's names and how much she knew about us.
I was amazed! My mom couldn't believe it either.
AC (Dennis):
What was you reactions when you heard your
single on the radio? PINAY:
When our first single came out,
we were so excited! The first time it was played over the radio, we were all screaming
so loud in the car that we couldn't even hear it. AC (Dennis):
Have you had any embarrassing moments? PINAY:
My most embarrassing moment on
stage was when I unexpectedly drew a blank on the words of a song that I had sung
hundreds of times. Then someone in audience yelled, "It's alright, girl..."
then she started to yell out the words to me.
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AC (Dennis):
In your spare time, what do you girls like
to do? PINAY:
In our spare time,
we are so amazed that we have spare time that we don't know
what to do. We all have very busy lives. In addition to music, we have full time
jobs, and I am a full time law student. When we get
free time we just try and enjoy the time to relax. That's our chance to spend
time with family and friends. AC (Dennis):
Where do you see yourselves in the next
ten years? |  |
PINAY: Wow,
ten years from now, who knows. We could all be doing completely different things
but we are confident in the fact that we know if we do set our mind on something,
we can reach that goal. We are each individually the type of people to make the
most out of the opportunities that we see for ourselves whether that is being
professional singers, songwriters, producers, doctors, lawyers, business entrepreneurs
or family women. In ten years we want to be happy with what we are doing, and
who knows what that will be. We feel as though we have good heads on our shoulders
and education to fall back on, so hopefully we'll find opportunities that make
us happy. For now and for as long as it is possible, we want to make the most
of this opportunity that we have to share our music.
AC (Dennis):
Pinay is becoming an increasingly well
known music group. How does it feel to be recognized? PINAY:
Although we have gained some visibility
and some recognition, we don't claim to be famous. We love the support that we
have gotten from our friends and fans. We know that without them we would be nothing.
It does take some getting used to though. Like getting recognized at the local
Blockbuster video or at the bagel shop, signing autographs after a show or at
the airport. It's nowhere near the point where we really have to worry about it
being out of hand. So far everyone has been really positive and that's what keeps
us going. I think big-time fame would be somewhat scary, having so much of your
life in the public eye, but we aren't there yet. For now, we'll take it day by
day. ### | 
