“Sayang Kung LDR”: 21 Questions With Young Cebuano Hitmaker, Shoti

Achieving viral stardom at a young age can be overwhelming, but Shoti is taking it all in stride, never losing focus on what matters first and foremost, which is his passion for music.

Known for producing his own beats and writing his own lyrics, the 17-year old Cebuano hitmaker achieved his breakthrough thanks to his bedroom pop track “LDR” going viral on TikTok. Ever since it started making rounds on the internet, the song and its infectious quality has sent him into the playlists of countless listeners — not just in the Philippines, but in other countries like Indonesia and Thailand as well.

Ultimately, as if in contrast to the song’s lyrical themes of long distance relationships, “LDR” has aided Shoti in closing the gap between him and his listeners, with his self-written tunes slowly but surely assisting him in achieving his dream of helping make Cebuano music become more well-known.

In the spirit of closing the distance, Billboard Philippines caught up with Shoti to ask him 21 questions about “LDR,” his dream collaborations, the proudest moment of his young career so far, and more.

1. Who or what made you realize you wanted to be an artist? 

Both of my parents were DJs, so growing up with music at home probably sparked my passion for creating music myself.

2. How would you personally describe your music? 

I don’t have a specific genre in mind, but based [on] my songs, the vibe is usually calming and easy to listen to. I always include Cebuano lyrics because they feel more sincere to me.

3. Who are your greatest influences as an artist? 

My greatest influences are my friends, family, and everybody around me.

4. Who is your dream collaboration and why? 

I’ve always dreamed of collaborating with a female artist who speaks Bisaya, so my ultimate collaboration would be with BINI Aiah. But I admire Juan Karlos’ voice and believe that together, we could create something really beautiful.

5. Outside of music, what else do you enjoy doing? 

I am varsity in my school’s football team and we recently just won the regional tournament, CVIRAA.

6. You’re known for writing your own lyrics and beats. What usually inspires you when creating music? 

My songs — mostly about love — are inspired by my personal experiences and also [those] of my friends. I’ve even experienced long distance relationships myself.

7. What is your favorite part about your viral track “LDR?” 

I love the Cebuano part because it’s catchy, and people often react the same way: “I thought it was a foreign song until I heard the Bisaya part!” It makes me proud and it makes me happy.

8. What has been your most memorable moment so far as a performer since “LDR” went viral?

I’ve had many good shows, but the one in Pagadian was special because of the crowd. I didn’t expect them to stay during the heavy rain. Even though I had a fever, their support motivated me to perform my best. I really love Pagadian.

9. Aside from “LDR,” what is one song of yours that you would recommend people to listen to, and why? 

“waiting 4 you (delulu)” is very underrated in my opinion. [It’s] a song that anyone can relate to — being delulu (delusional)!

10. What was it like releasing music after “LDR” went viral? Did you feel any pressure or fears when following it up? 

Not really pressured because I make music out of passion. I love doing it whether it’s a hit or not. It doesn’t matter.

11. As a young artist on the rise, what has been the proudest moment of your career so far? 

I receive a lot of messages from fans and it always inspires me. There are messages expressing how my music and I inspired them during the lowest point of their lives. I don’t know how but I thank God for making me an instrument [to do so].

12. As an artist proudly from Cebu, what do you hope to achieve for Cebuano music in the future? 

The goal as a Cebuano artist is to show the world that the Cebuano people are talented, and that our language is beautiful. The goal is to make Bisaya worldwide.

13. Which fellow Cebuano artist do you think more people should listen to and why? 

Actually there are a lot of Cebuano artists that are really good, you just have to search for Vispop and Bisrock artists here in Cebu.

14. Where are the top three places you want to perform at in the future? 

I really wanna perform internationally since I have a lot of listeners especially in Indonesia and Thailand, but I would love to perform in the MOA Arena.

15. What do you think is your greatest strength as an artist? 

I think it’s that I make my own music, and that I have my own sound. My friends always say that my songs don’t sound like the others and that my songs are unique.

16. On the other hand, what else do you think you can still improve on as an artist? 

I would love to take voice lessons, so that I can improve my singing. I also wanna explore different sounds and different genres.

17. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned about music so far?

Well, I realized that through making music you can inspire others, and that music can make people happy. Music is a language that everybody understands; even if they don’t understand the lyrics, the melodies create an emotion for the listeners.

18. What’s the biggest dream you have for your music? 

I honestly don’t know yet but I just trust the Lord that whatever His plans are, are also mine. But for now, I am making music for the people.

19. You have a lot of listeners from around Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia and Thailand. How does it make you feel to have many international listeners? 

I am amazed and grateful for their support and I look forward to performing in Indonesia and Thailand. And, [if] given the opportunity to perform, I would love to. 

20. In terms of music, what can we expect from you in the near future? 

Since I love to sing and I also love to dance, hopefully in the near future, I will be doing both in my shows and performances.

21. What do you hope to accomplish by the end of the year?

Well, as an artist, we want to receive awards. However, more than awards, I want to reach out to more listeners and let the world know that we are very talented people — we Cebuanos, we Filipinos.

Listen to Shoti’s “LDR” below: