In an age where musicians can be overnight success stories, one band stands out among the rest.
Cup of Joe, composed of vocalists Gian Bernardino and Raphael Ridao, guitarists Gabriel Fernandez and CJ Fernandez, bassist Sevi Severino (who left the band in June), and keyboardist Xen Gareza, have done what most acts today struggle to do — break out of the one-hit-wonder curse and truly make a name for themselves. It’s a phenomenon that shows in their numbers; take a look at their Spotify page and you’ll see at least ten songs with over a million streams, bringing their number of listeners to over four million a month.
If you think about it, to gain those numbers as fast as they did and more importantly, sustain it over the years is a rare find in today’s music industry. The secret to Cup of Joe’s success lies directly at the heart of any good musician: their songwriting.
Ask any Cup of Joe fan why they love the band’s music and they’ll tell you that their lyrics seem to mirror the experiences that they face as young people navigating today’s confusing world.
“They’re just like us,” shares longtime listener Mikaela Cruz. “Ka-age lang natin tapos ‘yung way of lyrics nila (They’re our age and their way of writing lyrics) is easy to understand, pero may (but there’s a) deep-rooted meaning.”
If you had to sum up Cup of Joe’s music in one word, it would have to be anthemic. Their instrumentation is filled with swelling synths, mesmerizing harmonies, heart-thumping drums, and hooks that turn emotions into catchy melodies that you can’t get enough of. However, beyond just sound, they’ve created a signature style of songwriting: they paint a clear picture of sceneries that serve as metaphors for the message that they want their audience to hear.
You see this in songs like “Patutunguhan” (Destination), where they mirror a love story to the push and pull of the tides. Lead vocalist Bernardino sings out, “Ako’y sumalungat na sa alon / Nakatuon sa ‘yong direksyon / Ang tugon sa aking pag-ahon / Napadpad sa kailaliman ng karagatan / Ika’y nakita at umilaw ang aking daan / Gabay tungo sa ’yong kanlungan (I have gone against the waves / Focused on your direction / The answer to my ascent / Stranded in the depths of the ocean / Saw you and you lit my way / Guided me to your refuge).
This metaphor-heavy style of writing shines through even in their earlier work. Their debut single, “Nag-Iisang Muli” (Alone Again) is inspired by the scenery of their hometown. In an interview explaining the song, Bernardino shared, “Rapha [Ridao] actually started the song basing it on the scenery where we are at when we started writing the song. The first [line] that he wrote [was], ‘Kay lamig ng simoy ng hangin’ (‘How cold is the breeze’).”
Bernardino then started putting the words to music. “We were at school and then giniginaw lang kami (we were shivering in the cold). Then we formed a different kind of imagery in the song, which is mostly based on the environment in Baguio… We incorporated the emotions that we could relate to the imagery or scenery kung nasaan kami (where we were). Feeling ko naman may ganun (We feel there are others who are the same). People are also coming to Baguio para mag-senti (to be sentimental).”
Cup of Joe have found a way to turn poetry into music that speaks to universal experiences. Whether it’s about heartbreak, falling in love, or hope, the six-piece act finds new ways to reinvent the stories that we know all too well. Whatever the future has in store for them, they can rest on the fact that it is nothing but bright. As Bernardino sings in “Lahat ng Bukas” (All of Tomorrow): Takot ay ibubura / Pangako magtiwala na / Lahat ng bukas ay ibibigay (Fear will be erased / Promise to trust that / All of tomorrow will be given).
A version of this story appeared in Billboard Philippines’ Indie and Alternative Issue, dated June 15, 2024.
