Ben&Ben’s Poch Barretto On Growth, Purpose, And Performing With Legends: “There’s so much more down the road of being a guitarist that I can explore.”

Poch Barretto, most prominently known as the lead guitarist for indie folk-pop band Ben&Ben, has been secretly making waves of his own. Apart from playing for the band, he also juggles as its producer and musical director. However, it was his recent once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to jam and perform with a guitar legend and world-renowned guitarist that opened doors to something more.

But before he got to where he is now as a versatile guitarist for one of the biggest bands in OPM, Poch’s origin story in music harks back to when he started learning to play an instrument when he was just nine years old. With his mom being a musician — a singer, guitarist, and pianist — the talent has been passed down to him. From there, his desire to master the guitar was already brewing when he figured out how to play on his own.

Poch’s mom enrolled him for drum lessons with his growing curiosity as a young kid coming from visiting music stores and his determination to learn an instrument, which carried over soon after he picked up the guitar. Even to this day, that curiosity continues to grow inside him. “I think curiosity is a very important thing as a musician and as an artist. It’s a never-ending journey of creativity, a never-ending journey of figuring out something, of finding that art that you wanna create, of capturing that lightning in a bottle […] It’s an important thing to stay curious,” Poch tells Billboard Philippines.

“I started learning how instruments fit together in a song noong church pa (back in church), from when I was a teenager, and then na-carry over ‘yun into my professional life as a musician, even before Ben&Ben,” he says. “Entering [the band], everyone else in the band sobrang galing (is very good) as musicians, creatives, and artists. Pero ‘yung habit na ‘yun (But that habit) of mine of putting everything together, making sure everything sounds good together, parang na-carry over ‘yun (got carried over, it seems).”

Poch couldn’t resist being a control freak when it comes to what his fellow bandmates are doing. But for him, without all this, he shares that he could’ve been a better guitarist — even a more technical one. If you take out the guitarist role inside him, Poch says that he could’ve been a better musical director or producer. Juggling these roles has created a balance, allowing him to apply what he’s learned from musical arranging, directing, and producing to being a guitarist, and vice versa. 

“My favorite part of being in this band, sa job ko, is being able to perform with the guitar, my favorite instrument on stage, and also ‘yung moments na when we’re producing or making or arranging a song — those are my two favorite things about this job,” he shares. “Kasi grabe talaga ‘yung impact sa akin (Because it really had such a huge impact on me) creatively or as a person even.”

He realized that music can communicate something to another person who listens to a song. “So if we enjoy it ourselves and also with the performance, if we enjoy playing it on stage, then it can also maybe communicate something or touch somebody in the audience,” he shares.

Venturing into solo work, Poch says that being in a nine-member band means that making music together considers everyone, particularly with how each member’s preferences and tastes get to coexist in harmony. “I want something to sound na mas (more) R&B pero hindi naman bagay sa (but it doesn’t really suit the) song, sa Ben&Ben, so hindi namin pinu-push (we don’t push through with it),” he says. “For me personally, there are a lot of tastes within my musicality na hindi nata-tap (that isn’t tapped) because of [the band]. And that’s not a bad thing; it can come out in different things. It can come out with the music I’m trying to make.”

Poch’s solo work incorporates city pop, R&B, and soul rhythms, as well as rich sound textures, being drawn to these sounds because of his deep love for music. “As much as I make music, I love listening to music. I always loved listening to music, as most musicians might do. And these particular elements from different genres, parang may kinikiliti siya sa emotions ko (it’s like it tickles my emotions),” he says.

Last September 27, Poch was one of only five guitarists handpicked by Japanese guitar legend Char to play at the historic Hibiya Open Air Concert Hall in Japan. When he got invited to take part, it was both surprising and exciting. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform at an event headlined by Char, surrounded by legendary guitarists. But at the same time, imposter syndrome came knocking, with Poch questioning his credibility and why he was chosen to perform.

“There are so many other better guitarists in my opinion here in the Philippines who could do that, who could be invited to something like that. But also, from the point na I was asked, heading towards the event itself, pero nare-realize ko lang na parang (but I just realized that it’s kind of like) okay, I’ve done a lot na rin naman kasi pala talaga sa industry na ito, being a guitarist even with my band.”

He was able to overcome imposter syndrome by simply believing in what he has achieved thus far. Having over eight years down the road with Ben&Ben, starting at a young age, and being in the industry for more than ten years pushed the idea that he actually had the “it” factor. He was given the choice to perform an original song or just simply jam. Talking to his friend and Ben&Ben’s Korean producer, Ziv, Poch was on the fence about whether to finish his original songs in time or just jam with Char and the others. “Pero there’s also a charm in introducing yourself muna as a guitarist.”

It proved to be the right decision, as jamming was already a great way to show off his skills — just as Brazilian guitarist Mateus Asato and American blues player Josh Smith did with Char.

Poch found it to be a humbling experience jamming with world-renowned guitarists. “There’s so much more down the road of being a guitarist that I can explore, that I can achieve, that I can go into,” he adds. Surrounded by big-time touring guitarists, he told himself he was just a guy from the Philippines. “I really felt like the underdog and the small person there kahit na ang laki kong tao (even if I’m a big person) physically,” he shares. It was a crazy yet inspiring experience — simply watching those respected guitarists perform was already a lesson.

From that, Poch learned a lot, but most importantly, he found inspiration. Talking with peers about gear, guitars, and techniques, his conversation with Mateus about pursuing original music stood out as a key takeaway. For the longest time, Mateus was a session musician who wasn’t tied to a band, unlike Poch. Having played for Bruno Mars, Tori Kelly, and others, Mateus encouraged him to embrace his solo work — reminding Poch that he wasn’t alone in this kind of creative dilemma.

“Even my bandmates and the people here in the industry, parang everyone has their own music inside that they wanna let out,” he shares. It’s about cherishing the feeling that it’s okay to explore and make your own music and just put it out there — “not even expecting how big it’ll be, what’ll happen with the song, but to just create and to create for the purity of the art and for what’s really honest for yourself,” he explains.

Another major takeaway he brought home was the drive to keep doing his best and work even harder — to be a better musician while exploring new opportunities. Looking ahead, with his solo music brewing, Poch vaguely teases this as a “coming soon.” It’s been a long journey for him — from starting young to reaching a point he’d never imagined. “I’d tell [my younger self] to just enjoy it. Just keep going. Don’t give up. There’s always hope, and the future is brighter than we think it is,” he shares.