fitterkarma On Their Appetite For Evolution, Mythical Storytelling, And New Creative Pursuits

If we look back on 2025 in the corners of the local music scene, we can cite it as another year filled with rising artists and bands who continue to release songs that contribute to the ever-evolving landscape of modern OPM.

One band in particular has turned this into their breakout year, not only soundtracking memes and trends on TikTok popular with the current generation, but also landing on the Billboard Philippines charts. This is fitterkarma, an avant-garde indie art rock band that has captured the hearts and ears of listeners across the country.

Composed of Joao de Leon on vocals and guitars, Sophia “Soph” Miranda on bass and backing vocals, Sanders Bayas on drums, and Mikee Mendoza (also known as LORY) on guitars, the band has carved out a place in the local music scene not only for their sound but for their distinct artistic and creative vision — incorporating mythology and dark, folklore-inspired storytelling into their music.

Their certified hit “Pag-Ibig ay Kanibalismo II” has resonated with listeners not just for its production, but also for its clever songwriting and imagery that stray from the norm. The song has since clawed its way to millions of streams and is one you wouldn’t want to miss screaming along to at gigs.

Looking back on the song’s humble beginnings, the band’s founder and frontman, Joao, notes its unexpected popularity, saying, “At first, we weren’t expecting ‘Kanibalismo II’ to be a hit like it is right now. We just wanted to release something we have sitting on our shelves from before I lived in the US.”

The track eventually became a mainstay on the Billboard Philippines Hot 100 and Top Philippine Songs charts. By the end of 2025 — just as fireworks were being readied, Media Noche (midnight) dinners prepared, and everyone was gearing up for the year ahead — fitterkarma had claimed the coveted No. 1 spot on the Philippines Hot 100 and Top Philippine Songs charts with “Pag-Ibig ay Kanibalismo II.”

Clearly, their meteoric rise isn’t a myth, because, after all, the song has skyrocketed the band’s reach among those who may not have heard of them before. “It first started with a meme we saw online around two or three months after we released the song. It was then that we realized that the song had already started to connect with listeners outside of our circle, because before that, we were used to only being listened to by our friends,” Joao adds.

For the band, it felt like a “this is it” moment, as Joao shares. “I felt more like, ‘What am I gonna do now?’ but of course with excitement.” The song was widely used in memes on Facebook and eventually took on a life of its own among listeners, which the band attributed to its strong and steady rise on the charts. “It still feels surreal na (that) we reached a lot of listeners because of ‘Pag-Ibig ay Kanibalismo II’ and slowly our other songs are also being recognized,” Soph says.

The song’s popularity eventually paved the way for their other releases to be discovered. What started as a solo project by Joao before expanding into a full-scale band in 2023, the Music Production students from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) released their debut single, “Kalapastangan,” which became their second entry on the charts.

Anchored by “Pag-Ibig ay Kanibalismo II,” the dominoes soon began to fall as the band found another hit in their hands. For Joao, the love that listeners showed for “Kalapastangan” was even more surprising, especially after it reached unforeseen heights years later. “It doesn’t have a chorus. It’s a through-composed song without the usual pop music hooks; it’s just a raw, continuous flow of expression,” he explains.

Part of what makes “Kalapastangan” compelling is how it makes room for varied interpretations, going beyond a typical love song to touch on religious devotion and imagery. “As a songwriter, I felt very appreciated, and the Filipino people’s reception to the song motivated me to write more music while staying true to my expressive intent. We as a band felt better and stronger as a group, as it also wore out our fear of being just a one-hit wonder after ‘Kanibalismo II,’” Joao adds. 

Truth be told, this is a testament that the cards in fitterkarma’s sleeves are not of low value, but rather royalty. “I am so happy that ‘Kalapastangan’ is also a fan-favorite track because personally it is also my favorite. (Laughs) From the instrumentation to the lyrics, grabe ‘yung impact and meaning for me, and siguro ganun din na-feel ng mga listeners about that song (the song’s meaning had a strong impact on me, and maybe listeners felt the same way about the song),” Soph shares.

Perhaps what makes people resonate with the band goes beyond the music and songs they’ve released so far. With an artistry that blends indie rock, alternative rock, and art rock, their songwriting is often inspired by themes from Philippine folklore and mythology. When the band was initially starting, this wasn’t initially their creative decision. “I think it was more of an impact of how we Filipinos are influenced by our folklore and mythology growing up,” Joao explains.

Inspired by fear and the many realms and depths of horror, Joao writes about what he fears, such as aswangs, ghosts, and hell, among others. Eventually, it “just turned into appreciation of how horror is also an art form, and how it can be used as instruments or even metaphors to express how I feel,” he adds.

With their ever-growing reach and audience, this is now where fitterkarma’s next challenge lies: the inevitable pressure of staying true to their sound that made their hits or exploring something entirely different. “We feel no pressure when it comes to our creativity, because the reception we’re having now is rooted in songs where we’ve been fully honest in our expression and creativity. I believe as long as we stay honest and expressive, we’ll be okay,” Joao shares.

“From what I’ve observed, the listeners fell in love with the lyricism and energy of the music. So as long as we are still ourselves and are still truthful with the art we put out, I don’t think we need to feel boxed or pressured to replicate a certain sound,” LORY says. With that comes endless creative exploration and possibilities that make everything feel dynamic.

The band has no template for making music, with Soph noting that “it is just a pure work of art that reflects what we feel at the moment we write a certain song.” It’s all about the continuous drive to explore something new.

One such new experience was the band stepping into uncharted territory, collaborating with a fellow OPM artist, Kai Sevillano of Novocrane, in particular. With the song “Aswang sa Maynila,” released in February 2026, fitterkarma had a fun and worthwhile experience.

“She’s now one of our best friends in the scene. I can’t tell much of a difference between collaborating with another artist and just within the band, aside from the fact that we have more room for creativity because there will be more brains in the room, and because of that recent experience, we’re looking forward to doing more collaborations with other artists soon,” Joao says.

Another milestone for the band was opening for Men I Trust on their ‘Equus Tour’ in February 2026. “It was a new experience for us to perform for an international concert crowd, knowing how different the sound and genre of Men I Trust is compared to ours,” Joao recalls. As the opening act, the band received a warm welcome, with the crowd that night being one of the most positive and kindest they’ve played for so far.

“Since we were the opening act, the crowd wasn’t necessarily there for us. There was a bit of pressure to win the crowd over, which I think we were able to do,” LORY shares. The band chose songs for their setlist that they felt best represented them and could also draw in the crowd who came to see Men I Trust.

This experience was only just the beginning, the band’s first taste of showing what they’re capable of on stage. Looking ahead to dream collaborations, Joao shares that it would be a full-circle moment to work with OPM acts who have greatly influenced his songwriting, including Ely Buendia, Rico Blanco, Wilabaliw, Autotelic, Ebe Dancel, and Typecast.

Thinking big and global, acts like Radiohead, RADWIMPS, Bon Iver, Bring Me The Horizon, Linkin Park, Björk, Sigur Rós, Yorushika, American Football, and BABYMETAL are artists he would like the band to work with someday.

Soph, on the other hand, would like the band to join forces with Janine Berdin, which she notes would greatly fit the band’s sound. Other artists in the local music scene she mentions include Kitchie Nadal, Sandwich, and shirebound, among others.

With an ever bigger and brighter 2026 ahead for the band, fitterkarma have proven they’re not just a one-hit wonder. In fact, their consistent presence on the charts suggests that this won’t be the first or second time they’ll make an appearance. “We are in the middle of producing our first album, so definitely looking forward to releasing that. I hope to play on bigger stages to more people and just to continue playing shows for the fans with my best friends,” LORY shares.

With more songs and their debut album in the pipeline, the band also aims to strengthen their connection with existing audiences while reaching new listeners through gigs and shows in the foreseeable future.

fitterkarma’s ascendance may, to them, feel a bit like everything, everywhere, all at once. But their staying power on the charts and solid fanbase make more shows and new cities to play in a no-brainer. Just as the band is excited for what’s in store for them, we are eager to see where their journey takes them next.